Ian Gardiner OBE

Ian Gardiner, a long standing member of the association and the Young Chelsea Bridge Club died on march 25th at the tragically early age of 56, following a year-long battle against cancer. We all extend our deepest sympathy to his wife, Val, daughter, Pascal and son Luke. Ian retained his enthusiasm, indeed passion, for everything he was involved in, including bridge, until the end. That passion carried him to organisation and administration work for bridge, as well as playing the game, and it is perhaps ironic that he and Val ran charity bridge events for several years to raise money for cancer research.

Having spent the last thirty years if his career working for the National Farmers Union in London, and indulged his love of bridge in some of his spare time throughout that period, Ian was well known to all in bridge circles in London. Indeed, it was hard not to know him - the tall lanky figure stood out above the crowd and the standard of his bridge enabled him to move comfortably amongst the best players in the country. He represented the Association at the highest level on numerous occasions and, had he and his long-time regular partner, Frank To, been prepared to devote more of their "spare" time to bridge, would undoubtedly have represented England.

He had the gift of a very quick and analytical brain which ensured that bridge matches involving him would always finish in good time even if, during that time, partners were occasionally on the receiving end of a critical analysis. This was all part of Ian's passion for everything he did - the aim was always perfection. But that very passion carried him (and, infectiously, his partner) quickly past the critical analysis of an error on one hand and into positive mode for the next hand. He and his partner were where history, good or bad, had put them - what mattered was to aim for perfection from thereon in.

My experience of partnering Ian - we had an occasional but regular partnership for a particular couple of events every year over the last ten years or so - was of someone very easy to play with. He quickly identified the strengths and weaknesses of a partner and adapted his game accordingly whilst at the same time making them feel comfortable and with the game. Partnering Ian was truly a case of the whole being greater than the some of the parts.

I shall miss him.