Import 9F23 Main

Teen Earns Coveted Rank

by Charles Whitebrook

Fort Lauderdale News & Sun-Sentinel — April 24, 1983

Richard Pavlicek Jr. of Fort Lauderdale has accomplished at the ripe young age of 13 what the vast majority of bridge players fail to do in a lifetime — attain the rank of Life Master. This status is awarded by the American Contract Bridge League to those players who accumulate 300 or more Master Points, a portion of which must be earned at regional or national tournaments. Rich is currently the youngest Life Master in North America, and the second youngest ever to achieve the plateau.

Rich has always been acquainted with bridge, since his parents are both in the bridge business. His father, Richard Sr., is nationally known as an expert bridge player, teacher and writer; and his mother, Mabel, is a top-notch bridge teacher and administrator.

At the age of 10, Rich came up with his high pitched query, “When can I play?” And so it began: His father gave him a beginner book to study; he attended one of his mother’s lessons; his father practiced bidding with him; and finally he was ready for his first duplicate game. Whoops! He was well below average in that first game, but he had enjoyed himself and soon improved. Several tries later he won his first Master Point, and from then on there was no stopping him.

For his two and a half years as a bridge player, Rich has an impressive list of accomplishments. Last July he caused quite a sensation (and was interviewed on television) when he won the Swiss Team event at the Baton Rouge Regional; and this January he had a narrow miss, placing second in the Swiss Teams at the Tampa Regional. His sectional tournament victories are numerous; in addition he has three second-place and two third-place finishes. Rich also has won two Litle McKenney Medallions.

Rich is an eighth-grade student at Nova Middle School, where he is enrolled in the “Quest” program for gifted children. His current vocational goal is to become a computer engineer; he studies computer science in school and is already skilled in programming his father’s computer at home. Other interests include pocket billiards, miniature golf, table tennis, bowling — and yes — video games.

Import 9F23 Main Top Teen Earns Coveted Rank