Michael Byrne

Michael Byrne was born in Manchester and after a few brief years living in the south as a teenager he has lived there his whole live. 

He remains a permanent part of the set up in Manchester and teaches and plays bridge full time, as well as writing his regular column "Traps for the Unwary" in the English Bridge Union magazine. 

Away from the bridge table Michael enjoys cooking, watching films, bouldering and quizzing, competing every week in the South Manchester Quiz league. (He was also part of the "5 diamonds" EBU team that went on eggheads in 2015, although as the 6th man he never made it onto the actual tv programme.)

After a successful career as a Junior International he took over running the England Under 20 Squad and captained the team to two Bronze medals at the European Championships and two Silver medals at the World Championships, still the only ever World Medals an England junior team has won.  He subsequently became squad leader for the U26s who he has taken to the World Championships. 

In 2024 he was presented with the EBU Silver award in recognition of his many years devotion to the junior squad and successes with them. 

As a player he has won nearly every major tournament in England, with the most prestigious being the Premier League, back to victories in the Lederer Trophy and the Brighton 4 Stars Teams Championships which he has won 4 times. 

Internationally he has represented the England open team in the Camrose many times, winning as part of the EBU team in 2009 and 2024 and then as part of the England team in 2011, 2018 and 2020. 

He has also represented England at the online European Championships and qualified for the Bermuda Bowl, where he reached the Quarter finals. 

Michael has won many international tournaments including the Chairmans Cup in Sweden in 2014, and the Yeh Brothers Pairs in Shanghai in 2015.

Michael was England youngest ever Premier Grandmaster, and the only person to be ranked number 1 simultaneously in both Gold Points and NGS when he was top of both lists in 2022. 

Last updated: January 2025

Major International Appearances
European Mixed Teams Championship: 2019, 2022, 2024
World Mixed Teams Championships: 2019, 2025
European Online Championships: 2021
Bermuda Bowl: 2022
Camrose Trophy: 2009 and 2024 (EBU team), 2011, 2018, 2020, (England)

Premier League: Winner 2010, (Runner Up 2017)

Summer Meeting (Brighton) Swiss Pairs (Harold Poster Trophy): 2015

Summer Meeting (Brighton) Four Stars Teams Championship: 2006, 2011, 2017, 2020

National Swiss teams: 2007, 2013, 2017, 2019
National Point-a-Board teams: 2019

Crockfords Cup: 2022 
Hubert Phillips Bowl: 2017, 2024 
NICKO: 2007, 2020 
Lederer: 2011, 2012

Tollemache Cup: 2023
Corwen: 2017
Pachabo: 2015, 2018, 2019
Garden Cities Trophy: 2003, 2015

Two Stars Pairs Championship: 2013
Spring Congress Teams: 2011, 2013, 2014
Spring Congress Pairs: 2019
Great Northern Swiss Pairs: 2001, 2006, 2015, 2022
Portland Pairs: 2019
National Pairs: 2006
Easter Guardian Pairs: 2023

EBU Awards: Silver Award 2024

Junior Events:
Peggy Bayer Trophy Selections: 2001
Junior Camrose Selections: 2002 2004 and 2006
World Youth Team Championships: 2005
European Junior Championships: 2004 and 2005