Bobby Slavenburg by Barnet Shenkin prev/next

Bobby Slavenburg

Bobby Slavenburg enjoyed a famous Dutch partnership with Hans Kreijns. An ebullient personality I met him in Israel in 1966 at the Festival. I remember they played tennis early every morning. Bobby and Hans took me to Jaffa were they introduced me to crème caramel – it was delicious.

Slavenburg and Kreijns used to play bridge at great speed and then induced errors from their opponents. They won the World pairs in 1966 and the Sunday Times in 1971. The following year he had to leave during the last match to make his flight!

Slavenburg was a colourful character who enjoyed playing rubber bridge at high stakes.