Paul Hackett

The Patriarch of arguably the most famous bridge family in the world, Paul was born in Peshawar in 1941. With the death of his father, killed in action in a fighter plane over Singapore Straights, he returned to England. Not wanting to go into the business world after University, Paul took up golf and bridge and tried to earn a living from both of them.

Unable to last the pace of early mornings on the golf course, late nights at the table and a couple of hours recovering in Turkish baths, Paul opted to concentrate on bridge.
He soon formed a partnership with Martin Hoffman. They traveled round Europe in the Phillip Morris tournaments, the equivalent of the European pairs, winning Gold and Bronze in successive years. Later Paul, partnering Tony Waterlow, won the silver in the European Pairs in Rome.
Paul qualified for the Bermuda Bowl in 1980, partnering John Collings, and playing one of the worst systems ever invented the Walpurgis Club, which was followed by an equally poor replacement, the Walpurgis Diamond. Booked by Phillip Morris to play with Giorgio Belladonna, Paul for several years toured the North African Circuit, together with teammates, Martin and Zia.
Probably the creator of the modern European Professional, Paul traveled the world and has won more tournaments in different countries than anyone else.
Paul married Olivia and is the father of Jason and Justin. Justin's wife Barbara, a world champion representing Germany, has added medals to the trophy cabinet. A very close family Jason was asked what his relationship with his father had been throughout his life. He summed it up by saying “When I was a child I saw very little of him because he was always traveling; now I see him almost every day.”
As well as fulfilling his playing commitments Paul has been instrumental in creating many well known tournaments, such as the Nat-West Trophy, The Molex, The Commonwealth Bridge Championships and the Warren Buffett Cup, often working in conjunction with Manchester Bridge Club owner, Jeff Morris.
Hobbies include Genealogy, tracing his ancestry back to the 10th century and having over 4000 names on the family tree, Soca, Calypso music, dancing, the theatre and bridge politics. Together with the rest of his family their exploration of food and wines is well known.
A member of Staffs and Shropshire and supporting their events Paul also plays in three different leagues.
In 2009, Paul partnering Ross Harper, won the Gold Medal in the Senior Bermuda Bowl together with the English team. As he remarked, “I was the first member of the family to play bridge and the last to win a world title”. More details can be seen here.
In 2010 Paul, who was part of the England Seniors team, went on to win the World Senior Championship in Philadelphia. He also became Britain's first world senior grand master.
In 2011 he collected a silver in the Senior European Championship.
In 2014 he was part of the England team which won the Senior European Championships, and he won a bronze medal in the Senior Teams events at the World Bridge Series in Sanya.
In 2015 he was part of the England team which reached the quarter-finals of the D'Orsi Trophy at the World Bridge Championships.

Read Paul's, A day in the life of... - April 2008

Major International Appearances

European Championships: 1981 2002 and 2008
Bermuda Bowl: 1981
World Olympiad: 1996
Senior European Championships: 2004 2010 2012 and 2014*
D'Orsi Bowl: 2009* 2015 and 2022
Senior World Olympiad: 2012

* = 1st place

Camrose Trophy Selections: 2001 2002 2003 and 2006

Teltscher Trophy Selections: 2008 2009 2010 2011 2013 2019 and 2020

Crockfords winner: 1995 2013 and 2020

Spring Foursomes winner: 1996

Brighton Pairs, Harold Poster Cup Winner: 1998

Autumn Congress Two Stars Pairs Winner: 1984

National Teams Congress winner: 1997

Easter Congress Guardian Trophy winner : 1976 1982 and 2007

Sunday Telegraph Salver winner: 1992 and 1994

Summer Meeting Four Star Teams winner: 2019