Fred Gitelman


Frederick "Fred" Gitelman is a Canadian American bridge player, developer of bridge software, and founder-manager of the bridge-playing site Bridge Base Online.
Gitelman has won one world championship, five North American Bridge Championships, and a gold medal in the 2002 IOC Grand Prix. He was a runner-up in the 1995 Bermuda Bowl as a member of the Canada open. In 2005 he was named Personality of the Year by the International Bridge Press Association.
He is well known for the educational software he produces through his company Bridge Base Inc. His most recent project is Bridge Base Online, which he began in 2001, for online bridge play. BBO is one of the most popular bridge playing sites. He officially retired from Bridge Base Online July 12, 2019.
Gitelman was born in Toronto, Ontario. He was a member of the Canadian youth and later open international teams before he moved to Las Vegas, Nevada. He resides there with his wife, Sheri, also a well-known bridge player.
Bill Gates selected Gitelman as his personal bridge coach.

Creativity at the table

Gitelman is sometimes recognized for his creativity at the bridge table. In one tournament he discarded an Ace, as a signal to his partner to not lead that suit. His partner led the remaining logical suit which Gitelman, being void, ruffed.

Books

Awards