Richard Schwartz

Matthew Granovetter

Russ Ekeblad

Russ Ekeblad was born August 17, 1946 in Evanston, Illinois. In his youth, he was interested in and pursued the play of various sports, but never played bridge. He attended Brown University, graduating 1968 and then went on to Graduate School at Columbia. Russ also went to Coast Guard Officer Candidate School and served 3 years of active duty, stationed at headquarters in DC. He started to get interested in bridge at that time – learning with the likes of Woolsey, Manfield and Capelletti Sr. Russ met his wife Sheila through bridge, and the two were married in 1974. Russ started his own company, Kennilworth Creations in 1976, and it becamee very successful. Russ is now semi-retired, spending his winters in FL, summers in RI. Besides bridge, Russ’ passions are boating and golf. Russ has won two National Pair titles, two Spingolds, and two USBCs. He won bronze medals in the 1990 Rosenblum and 2005 Bermuda Bowl. He and Michael Seamon won the World IMP Pairs in Lille France in 2002.

Ron Rubin

Ron Rubin was born May 7, 1948. He learned Bridge from his parents and grandparents as a kid. Ron became involved with tournament bridge at 13, playing, caddying, then becoming a Regional Director of the ACBL. He started trading options on the floor of American  Stock Exchange in 1977. Over the next 10 years, he was responsible, with Mike Becker, for hiring over 100 games players on the option's exchanges. Playing a relay system with Mike Becker for 20 years, they won 5 Vanderbilts, 4 Spingolds and one national open pairs. In 1983, the last Aces' team, including Rubin, won the Bermuda Bowl in Stockholm. Rubin's new partnership with Russ Ekeblad, playing a canapé, relay system, has enjoyed recent success as Rubin became a World Grand Master in Portugal last year by finishing 3rd in the Bermuda Bowl. Rubin currently resides in the U.S (most of the time) with his wife of 12 years, Patti.

Drew Casen

Drew Casen, of Las Vegas, Nevada, is a bridge professional, former accountant, 7-handicap golfer, and expert holdem (poker) player. He renewed his partnership with Jim Krekorian (from the late 80s and early 90s) in 2004. Since then, he and Jim have placed second in the Vanderbilt, third-fourth in the Spingold, and third in the Blue Ribbon Pairs. Drew also won the Men’s Swiss Teams in 1986, the Cavendish Invitational Pairs in 1987, the National Open Swiss Teams in 1990 and 1992, and finished second in the Vanderbilt in 1987, 2000 and 2005. He is a WBF World Master, having placed second in the Rosenblum Teams in 1990. He is as an avid sports gambler and is known for his raucous humor in the postgame discussions.

Jim Krekorian

Jim Krekorian, of New York City, graduated from Duke engineering school in 1974 and served as a U.S Air Force pilot from 1974 to 1981, achieving the rank of Captain, c-130 aircraft commander. Jim traded options on the American Stock Exchange from 1986 to 2003, was a floor official for 5 years, and formed Blue Hercules LLC in 1999. At Duke he was 3-year letterman in track and is still an avid runner and racer. Jim is now a fulltime bridge professional and consultant and recently began exploring the world of oil painting, showing four pictues in a recent exhibit in New York. He won the Life Master Men’s Pairs in 1986, the Grand National Open Pairs in 1992, the Blue Ribbon Pairs in 1996,  the Open BAM Teams 1997, and recently completed the Cavendish double (pairs in 1987, teams in 2007) in his renewed partnership with Drew Casen.