Nail Life Master Open Pairs


The Nail Life Master Open Pairs is a national bridge championship held at the fall American Contract Bridge League North American Bridge Championship.
The championship is a Matchpoints pairs event restricted to players with a Life Master rating. It consists of two qualifying sessions and two final sessions, typically starting on the first Friday of the NABC.

History

The Nail Life Master Open Pairs has its roots in 1961 when a new championship event was created for male players with a rank of National Master or higher.
In 1963, the rank for eligibility was increased to Life Master and in 1990, it became an open event so that female players with Life Masters status could also compete. Before and after opening to women, this tournament and the LM Women's Pairs have been structured and scheduled in parallel. Several women enter the open event and 1987 Women's winner Jill Meyers is a two-time Open winner.
The event is named after Bobby Nail, a 1974 winner.

Winners

YearWinnersRunners-up
1961 G. Gard Hays, Max ManchesterMartin J. Cohn, Hampton Hume
1962Sam Fuoto, Victor MitchellHal Kandler, Kelsey Petterson
1963Sami Kehela, Eric MurrayHarry Fishbein, Charles J. Solomon
1964Charles Coon, Bobby Goldman2/3. Mervin Key, Harold Rockaway
2/3. Jack Blair, William Christian
1965Paul Soloway, Alex TschekaloffEdgar Kaplan, Victor Mitchell
1966Carl Hudecek, Ray ZollerGaylor Kasle, Ed Theus
1967Harlow S. Lewis, Peter PenderDonald R. Faskow, Bill Flannery
1968Henry Bethe, John SolodarDon Pearson, John Swanson
1969Chuck Burger, Jimmy Cayne Norman H. Fischer, Christopher G. Jeans
1970Ron Andersen, Hugh MacLeanCurtis Smith, E. Lowell Yost
1971Alan Sontag, Peter WeichselSteve Robinson, Kit Woolsey
1972Les Bart, Marc JacobusSteve Robinson, Kit Woolsey
1973Edgar Kaplan, Norman KayRoxy Violin, Ed Weiner
1974Gerald L. Michaud, Bobby NailJohn Gerber, Daniel Kaim
1975Steve Lapides, Walt WalvickMarc Culbertson, Robert Visokey
1976Roger Bates, John MohanSteve Altman, Thomas M. Smith
1977David Hoffner, David SchroederRoger Bates, John Mohan
1978Norm Coombs, Tom HodappKevin Castner, Mike Lawrence
1979Jeff Meckstroth, Eric RodwellZeke Jabbour, Dennis McGarry
1980 Craig Janitschke, Jan Janitschke Bob Hamman, Paul Swanson
1981Roger Abelson, Mike LevinsonBob Hamman, Donald P. Krauss
1982Bobby Lipsitz, Dan GerstmanLew Mathe, Harold Guiver
1983Marty Bergen, Larry N. CohenMitch Chandler, Cliff Bishop
1984Per-Olof Sundelin, Peter PenderJim Becker, Howard Chandross
1985John Mohan, Roger BatesJeff Meckstroth, Eric Rodwell
1986Jim Krekorian, Paul KieferMarty Bergen, Larry N. Cohen
1987Bart Bramley, Lou BluhmLeslie West, David Ashley
1988Bobby Levin, Larry T. CohenGlen Lublin, Peter Boyd
1989Steve Lapides, Walt WalvickPeter Weichsel, Roger Stern

Before and after opening to women in 1990, this event has been structured and scheduled parallel to the LM Women's Pairs.
YearWinnersRunners-up
1990 Zia Mahmood, Hugh Ross Tommy Gullberg, Michael Polowan
1991Zia Mahmood, Hugh RossLarry N. Cohen, David Berkowitz
1992Mike Kamil, Michael RosenbergJeff Meckstroth, Eric Rodwell
1993Brad Moss, Ravindra MurthyEd Nagy, Jeff Polisner
1994Bobby Levin, Richard KatzMichael Polowan, Steve Robinson
1995Bart Bramley, John SutherlinMark Itabashi, Gene Simpson
1996Walter Schafer Jr., Ron L. SmithMichael Schreiber, Curtis Cheek
1997Jeff Schuett, Kerry SmithDennis Kasle, Garey Hayden
1998JoAnna Stansby, Lew StansbyRon Smith, Richard Schwartz
1999Steve Catlett, Paul SolowayJoAnna Stansby, Lew Stansby
2000Steve Garner, Jill MeyersZia Mahmood, Chuck Burger
2001Piotr Gawryś, Jacek PszczołaZia Mahmood, Sidney Lazard
2002Eric Greco, Geoff HampsonLarry N. Cohen, Steve Weinstein
2003Kyle Larsen, Jo MorseFred Gitelman, Jay Borker
2004 Richard Pavlicek, Richard Pavlicek Jr. Jonathan Green, Mark Aquino
2005Zia Mahmood, Jill MeyersBobby Levin, Louk Verhees
2006Steve Garner, Howard WeinsteinJohn Armstrong, Paul Hackett
2007Björn Fallenius, Zia MahmoodAlex Perlin, Michael Prahin
2008Nikolay Demirev, Ralph KatzJohn Diamond, Eric Rodwell
2009Martin Andresen, Tor HelnessHemant Lall, Justin Lall
2010Kazuo Furuta, Hiroaki MiuraFred Gitelman, Brad Moss
2011Justin Lall, Ishmael Del'MonteDoug Doub, Adam Wildavsky
2012Zia Mahmood, Chip MartelCecilia Rimstedt, Meike Wortel
2013Curtis Cheek, Ishmael Del'MonteKevin Bathurst, Bobby Levin
2014James Krekorian, Venkatrao KoneruWael Mohsen, Reda Wasfi Yaacoub
2015Eric Greco, Geoff HampsonKevin Castner, David Gold
2016Marion Michielsen, Zia MahmoodTom Hanlon, Leslie Amoils
2017Alon Birman, Dennis BildeQuentin Robert, Godefroy De Tessieres
2018Greg Hinze, David GraingerBoye Brogeland, David Gold
2019Radu Nistor, Iulian RotaruIgor Savchenko, Alex Perlin