Chris Willenken Explained

Chris Willenken (born 1975) is an American bridge player.

Willenken is an American Contract Bridge League Grand Life Master and a World Bridge Federation World Grand Master. In 2011, he won the gold medal at the inaugural Sport Accord World Mind Games Individual Championship.^[1] In World Bridge Federation competition, Willenken won the 2023 World Mixed Team Championships and reached the finals in 2018 and 2021.

Bridge accomplishments

Wins

• North American Bridge Championships (6)
  • Fast Open Pairs (2) 2000, 2005 ^[2]
  • Wernher Open Pairs (1) 2001 ^[3]
  • Jacoby Open Swiss Teams (1) 2004 ^[4]
  • Chicago Mixed Board-a-Match (1) 2008 ^[5]
  • Vanderbilt Knockout Teams (1) 2022 ^[6]
• SportAccord World Mind Games
  • Open Individual Championship (1) 2011 ^[7]
• United States Bridge Championships
  • Open Team Trials (1) 2013 ^[8]

Runners-up

• North American Bridge Championships (8)
  • Fast Open Pairs (1) 2002 ^[2]
  • North American Pairs (2) 2004, 2007 ^[9]
  • Grand National Teams (1) 2007 ^[10]
  • Jacoby Open Swiss Teams (1) 2014 ^[4]
  • Roth Open Swiss Teams (2) 2011, 2013 ^[11]
  • Spingold (1) 2018 ^[12]
• United States Bridge Championships
  • Open Team Trials (1) 2016 ^[13]

Notes and References

1. http://www.worldbridge.org/Repository/tourn/Beijing.11/Microsite/Bulletins/Bul_07.pdf Sport Accord World Mind Games Individual Championship
2. News: NABC+ Fast Pairs Previous Winners . American Contract Bridge League . 2 . July 24, 2014 . October 17, 2014 . dead . https://web.archive.org/web/20141021163650/http://www.acbl.org/nabc/2014/02/bulletins/db7.pdf . October 21, 2014 .
3. News: Wernher Open Pairs Winners . American Contract Bridge League . 4 . July 22, 2014 . October 17, 2014 . dead . https://web.archive.org/web/20141021050535/http://www.acbl.org/nabc/2014/02/bulletins/db5.pdf . October 21, 2014 .
4. News: Jacoby Open Swiss Previous Winners . American Contract Bridge League . 9 . March 29, 2014 . October 17, 2014 . dead . https://web.archive.org/web/20141021163816/http://www.acbl.org/nabc/2014/01/bulletins/db9.pdf . October 21, 2014 .
5. News: Mixed BAM Previous Winners . American Contract Bridge League . 14 . July 24, 2014 . October 17, 2014 . dead . https://web.archive.org/web/20141021163650/http://www.acbl.org/nabc/2014/02/bulletins/db7.pdf . October 21, 2014 .
6. News: Rosenthal squad takes Vanderbilt Trophy . American Contract Bridge League . 1 . April 2, 2022 . May 3, 2022 .
7. News: World Bridge Federation . 1 . December 16, 2014 . October 17, 2014 .
8. News: United States Bridge Federation . 1 . June 11, 2013 . October 17, 2014 .
9. News: NAP Winners . American Contract Bridge League . 6 . March 21, 2014 . October 17, 2014 . dead . https://web.archive.org/web/20141021163849/http://www.acbl.org/nabc/2014/01/bulletins/db1.pdf . October 21, 2014 .
10. News: GNT Previous Winners . American Contract Bridge League . 8 . July 24, 2009 . October 17, 2014 . dead . https://web.archive.org/web/20141021163644/http://www.acbl.org/nabc/2009/02/bulletins/db1.pdf . October 21, 2014 .
11. News: Roth Open Swiss Previous Winners . American Contract Bridge League . 10 . July 26, 2014 . October 17, 2014 . dead . https://web.archive.org/web/20141021163446/http://www.acbl.org/nabc/2014/02/bulletins/db9.pdf . October 21, 2014 .
12. News: Spingold . American Contract Bridge League . 1 . August 6, 2018 . September 14, 2018 . dead . https://web.archive.org/web/20141021163446/http://www.acbl.org/nabc/2014/02/bulletins/db9.pdf . October 21, 2014.
13. News: United States Bridge Federation . 1 . May 16, 2016 . May 19, 2016 .