Peter M. Weichsel (born 1943) [1] is an American professional bridge player from Encinitas, California. [1]
Peter M. Weichsel (born 1943) [1] is an American professional bridge player from Encinitas, California. [1]
Early Weichsel started playing bridge at home with his family, but did not get hooked until 1963 when he was a student at Queens College, New York. He dropped out of college and became a Life Master in 1964. His bridge career was interrupted by the Vietnam War. He served two years duty in the Navy as a winch driver aboard the USS Mount Katmai, responsible for moving large bombs out of the hold. After discharge, he lived in San Francisco in a fleabag hotel and became an "active member" of the counterculture. He felt this was a transforming experience and to the present describes himself as a reformed hippie.
Weichsel returned to New York and bridge playing in the mid-1960s. His appearance, with puka shells around his neck, "really long" straight hair, beads and bell bottoms, caused "the ultra-straight bridge community" to give him "tons of strange looks...and an occasional shake of the head." He did not get a haircut until 1980. [2] Seen as a young renegade, [3] Weichsel feels that his looks may have helped his results, lulling unknowing opponents into thinking he could not have been much of a bridge player. [2]
He came to prominence in 1970 as a member of C.C. Wei's "Precision Team" team, a group of young American players that won the Spingold, defeating the defending champions who were also 1970 Bermuda Bowl champions. [4] The bridge world was described as being in disbelief by their victory. [2] When he won the 2019 Mitchell BAM, he had the distinction of winning a national title in every decade since the 1970s. [5]
Weichsel was inducted into the ACBL Hall of Fame in 2004. [6]
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