It was nearing the end of the 4th year of secondary school, (year 10 for the younger readers). I and few friends were playing knockout whist in a classroom. The head of maths walked in and caught us, was about to confiscate the cards then had second thoughts and said, ”I tell you what, if you’re going to play cards, I’ll teach you a proper game.” We already knew about tricks and trumps, so he gave is a lightning lesson on bidding, and the next day we were playing bridge.
When I left school I went to Queen Mary College, London joined the bridge club there and that is where I met many of the players I would play with over the next 10 to 20 years, amongst them Geoff Hiller, my first serious partner, who sadly died in his late thirties, Alan Mayo my teammate in the Seniors, and Dick Shek, former British international, who sadly died in 2023.
On the domestic front my greatest successes have been winning the Spring 4’s Southern Heat and Brighton Teams in 1984. Also I have twice won the Two Stars Pairs, and won the Young Chelsea Marathon.
I enjoy playing in tournaments abroad, and have played many times in the US Nationals, also Tournaments in France, Netherlands, Belgium, Italy, Croatia, Estonia and Australia.
I made my International debut in the Senior Europeans in Ostend in 2018, the team qualified for the World Championships in Wuhan, China in 2019 and went on to win the Silver medal there.
I have twice been coach for the England Under 26’s team.
I have been single most of my life, but that all changed when I met Lorinda in a chat room belonging to the jdate dating site. Lorinda was in Chicago so for several years we conducted a Long Distance Relationship, but we were married in Chicago in 2016, and after a lengthy battle with the Home Office she eventually was able to move here in October 2017. She wasn’t a bridge player when I met her, but she has started learning, with me as her teacher.
Dimmie Fleming Award citation - 2017
David Muller is one of the “quiet men” of English bridge. An accomplished player who, after early retirement has run his own bridge club in North London, he has steadfastly supported his county for approximately three decades, serving on the committee since 1994, with only one or two short breaks, and before then as the County Youth Officer. He has also served on the EBU Selection Committee.
His current portfolio includes not only taking and keeping committee meeting minutes, but also running the LMBA web site, including a recent overhaul. Furthermore, he is organiser for several events (and has been in the past) and directs and scores without fee at London’s massively popular (but difficult to administer) Café Bridge events, after which large sums (in the thousands) are donated to charity.
He retains his interest as a tournament player, both in county and national events, and despite making his living from bridge, takes on the tuition of younger players without charge.
You would never know, as most London members don’t, how much, over the years David Muller has put back into the game of bridge. Perhaps a Dimmie Fleming Award would go some way to redressing this balance, and bestow some well-deserved recognition on this modest, but hard-working man.
Last Updated: December 2024
Major International Appearances
Senior European Championships: 2018
D'Orsi Bowl (2nd): 2019
Summer Meeting Four Stars Teams winner: 1984
Autumn Congress Two Stars Pairs winner: 1988 and 2000