{{Short description|American bridge player}} '''Ralph Katz''' (born 1957)<ref>[http://www.imp-bridge.nl/players/0002.html The 2000 World Bridge Teams Olympiad Photo Archive] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20071109113703/http://www.imp-bridge.nl/players/0002.html |date=2007-11-09 }}. IMP Bridge Magazine</ref> is an American bridge player. Katz is from Burr Ridge, Illinois and graduated from University of Steubenville.<ref name=ACBL>{{OEB|5|663}}</ref>
In 2018 he was a first-ballot selection for the ACBL Hall of Fame.<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.acbl.org/about-acbl/hall-of-fame/induction-by-year/|title=Induction by Year {{!}} American Contract Bridge League|website=www.acbl.org|language=en-US|access-date=2018-08-28}}</ref>
Domestically, he has won 23 North American Bridge Championships and the Open Team Trials seven times. Internationally, he has many top finishes, highlighted by a win in the 2009 Bermuda Bowl. He has three times been the runner-up in world championships (the 2010 Rosenblum Cup, the 2007 Bermuda Bowl and the 1990 World Open Pairs Championship) and also has a bronze medal from the 2000 World Bridge Teams Olympiad.<ref name="wbfmp">[http://www.wbfmasterpoints.com/playerdetail.asp?Code=1655 Player Master Point History]. WBF Master Points</ref> Katz is a Grand Life Master of the American Contract Bridge League with over 27,000 masterpoints<ref>[https://web2.acbl.org/as400/mpraces/mpAwards/lifetime/grandlms.htm ACBL Grand Life Masters]. American Contract Bridge League</ref> and a World Grand Master of the World Bridge Federation.<ref name="wbfmp" />
Katz, who was born in Pittsburgh, lived in Squirrel Hill (a large residential neighborhood in the east end of Pittsburgh) and was raised in Steubenville, first started to play bridge when he was 16.<ref name=ppg>[https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=WrYNAAAAIBAJ&sjid=B3IDAAAAIBAJ&pg=3447,6064970&dq Bridge tourney players face dual challenges]. Pittsburgh Post-Gazette</ref> A sports enthusiast, the competitive side of bridge drew Katz to the game.<ref name=ppg/>
Katz's wife, Martha, is a former World Junior Teams champion (then known as Martha Benson). Both she and their son, Sam, are former winners of ACBL King or Queen of Bridge award.<ref>[http://usbf.org/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=529&Itemid=224 Jacobs Team]. United States Bridge Federation</ref>
==Bridge accomplishments==
===Awards=== * ACBL Player of the Year 2001 * Fishbein Trophy 1981, 2001
===Wins=== * Bermuda Bowl (1) 2009 * North American Bridge Championships (25) **Vanderbilt (6) 1999, 2004, 2009, 2014, 2017, 2024 ** Spingold (3) 1981, 2001, 2002 ** Reisinger (2) 2000, 2009, 2021<ref>{{Cite web |title=ACBL |url=https://web3.acbl.org/nabcwinnersbyname?name=Ralph+Katz |access-date=2022-08-19 |website=web3.acbl.org}}</ref> ** Open Board-a-Match Teams (3) 2002, 2003, 2006 ** Jacoby Open Swiss Teams (1) 2001 ** North American Men's Swiss Teams (1) 1984 ** Master Mixed Teams (1) 1981 ** Life Master Pairs (2) 1979, 2022 ** Life Master Open Pairs (1) 2008 ** Open Pairs (1) 1986 ** Open Pairs I (2) 1996, 2003 ** IMP Pairs (1) 1999 **Baze Senior KO (1) 2016 * United States Bridge Championships (7) **Open Team Trials (7) 2000, 2006, 2007, 2012, 2014, 2017 and 2018
===Runners-up=== * Rosenblum Cup (1) 2010 * Bermuda Bowl (1) 2007 * World Open Pairs (1) 1990 * North American Bridge Championships (17) **Reisinger (7) 1987, 1995, 1998, 2001, 2005, 2014, 2023 ** Grand National Teams (1) 1986 ** Open Board-a-Match Teams (2) 2001, 2012 ** North American Swiss Teams (1) 1979 ** Open Swiss Teams (3) 2008, 2015, 2018 ** Mixed Board-a-Match (1) 1997 ** Life Master Pairs (4) 1989, 2001, 2003, 2016 ** IMP Pairs (1) 2006 **Baze Senior KO (1) 2017 **Vanderbilt (3) 2012, 2018, 2019 * United States Bridge Championships (2) ** Open Team Trials (2) 1989, 1999
==References== {{Reflist}}
==External links== * {{WBF|10949}} * {{WBF Master Points|1655}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Katz, Ralph}} Category:1957 births Category:American contract bridge players Category:Bermuda Bowl players Category:Living people Category:Date of birth missing (living people) Category:Franciscan University of Steubenville alumni Category:People from Burr Ridge, Illinois Category:People from Pittsburgh