RIP – Meyer Kotkin

 

It is with an incredibly heavy heart that I share the news of Meyer’s passing.
Meyer was a mensch. He was a devoted family man to his wife, Gretchen, and sons, Josh and Ethan. I can’t imagine how difficult his loss will be for them.

 

Meyer was a Grand Life Master who won two NABC events.

 

Dr. Meyer Kotkin was a brilliant statistician who volunteered his skills to the game of bridge. His understanding of tournament management came from his career as a statistician responsible for the staffing of the US Army.

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Meyer became the tournament chair of the Philadelphia Regional in 2015 when it was slowly going downhill. Meyer worked tirelessly to rejuvenate the tournament. He put all his energy into his goal of rebranding and reinvigorating the Philadelphia Regional.

Meyer’s theme was simple: the players come first and we need to give them a great experience. Meyer’s slogan was “if you feed them, they will come”.   Meyer provided lunch and continental breakfast every day at the Philadelphia Regional. He created a social “bridge camp” for the players. 

Meyer invented the “Dupli-Swiss” movement providing hand records for Swiss teams that is still run at District 4 tournaments. Players love getting hand records and Meyer’s creative invention solved that need as well as creating a very efficient movement.

We will always remember Meyer wearing his “Chick Magnet” badge at every tournament – a sly form of “branding” that gave the tournaments a fun feel.

Here’s a short list of Meyer’s contribution to the game of bridge:

1. Meyer’s testimony, as the ACBL’s expert statistical witness, in the 2015 disciplinary matters was responsible for convicting Fantoni-Nunes and Schwartz/Fisher resulting in their life-time expulsion from ACBL events.

2. Meyer served as President of Unit 141.

3. Meyer served as President of District 4.

4. Meyer was a member of numerous ACBL-wide committees on a whole host of issues including masterpoints and statistical analysis.

There was never a time that I asked Meyer for help with anything for the ACBL that required his statistical skills that I didn’t get a detailed response by return mail.

Meyer was intensely loyal to all his friends He was a gift to us and the game of bridge and we will miss him every day.