Fritzi Gordon

Fritzi Gordon (1905 or 1916 – 8 February 1992) was an Austrian-born British bridge player, half of the most famous and tempestuous female partnership in the game's history. Following her long-time partner Rixi Markus, she was the second woman to attain the rank of WBF World Grand Master. She won four world titles, eight European championships and numerous other tournaments.

Gordon was born Frederika Leist in Graz or Vienna to middle-class Jewish parents. After school, she became the buyer for a Salzburg store, married Paul Gordon and moved to Graz. The annexation of Austria by Germany in 1938 (Anschluss) disrupted her life, as it did to so many others. She fled to London with her husband, though the details of this abrupt transition are not known. Her brother, Dr. Hans Leist, also came to Britain. (Also a fine bridge player, he was a member of five Gold Cup-winning teams between 1946 and 1953.)

When Gordon left Austria, Markus recalled in her obituary tribute, "[she] was not known in the bridge world while I was already a world champion. But she made up for it soon after arriving in Britain ... Paul served in the war with the Pioneer Corps so Fritzi was freed of all restrictions imposed on aliens."

Despite their shared cultural heritage and experiences, Gordon and Markus were not personal friends. Success tied them together, but they were often at odds despite their success. Their "discussions" at the table were quite famous, and earned them the soubriquets Frisky and Bitchy. Mrs Gordon was not a bridge writer and her private life remained private. She is consequently the less well known of the pair.

The actress Tara Summers is her granddaughter. In 2005, Summers described in the Daily Telegraph the unusual circumstances in which her grandmother gave birth to her (Summers') mother:

My mother was born under a poker table. My grandmother, a world champion bridge player, had been dealt a royal flush just as she went into labour, and she chose to play the hand, rather than go to hospital. She was excited about having a child but adamant that she was not going to let it get in the way of her game. Her gambling addiction, although it may sound glamorous, proved to be just as damaging as any substance or alcohol dependency.

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