David Bird is the world’s most prolific bridge writer, with a record 169 bridge books to his name. His bridge teaching books have won American Bridge Teachers Association ‘book of the year’ awards 12 times. He contributes regularly to bridge magazines around the world. He is best known for his humorous bridge fiction, particularly the stories featuring the pompous Abbot of St Titus Monastery.
David was born in London and went to Highgate School. His fictional school stories in English Bridge feature the Headmaster and other masters who taught him while at Highgate. After reading mathematics at Cambridge, David worked for 32 years as a systems software programmer for IBM. He retired early to write on bridge full-time. Married for 51 years to Thelma, with two children (Claire and James), he now has two grandchildren. His other interests include football, travel and wine.
David’s bridge books include: 11 compilations of stories in the Abbot series, the Robin Hood series, Teach Yourself Bridge and the Famous Hands series. He wrote some 20 books with Terence Reese, including Bridge the Modern Game, Tricks of the Trade and The Hidden Side of Bridge. Other co-authorships were Secrets of Expert Play and Secrets of Expert Defence (with Forrester), the Rabbi series (with Klinger), Omar Sharif Talks Bridge (with Omar Sharif), Bridge with Imagination (with Helgemo), Bridge for Money and Inspired Cardplay (with Hoffman) and Bridge at the Edge (with Brogeland). More recently he has written several teaching books with the top North American bridge teacher, Barbara Seagram. At European and world events, David contributes regularly to the bulletin reports and championship books.
Last updated: April 2026
Top Table interview, English Bridge June 2015
Tollemache Cup winner: 1973 1981 1986 1999 and 2002
Pachabo Cup winner: 1974 1989 1990 and 1999