Source: English Bridge Union

I first got to know John Collings in the late 1960s when I got a job at The Bridge Academy, a bridge school in North London owned by John Collings and Jack Nunes. Working there with John, I soon became captivated by the charm and charisma of this larger than life character whose natural flair and talent for bridge was matched only by his vivacity and open handed generosity.

He had already made a considerable name for himself in the international bridge world. He represented England first in the 1950s playing with Ronnie Crown but in 1964 he formed a partnership with Jonathan Cansino which was so successful that many felt that the future of the British game was assured with these two magnificently talented players. John, playing with Jack Nunes, won both the pairs and the teams in the prestigious Juan Les Pins international tournament in the South of France. A month later, playing with Jonathan, he was the runaway winner of the BBL trials for the European Championships in Ostend of that year. With 4 matches to go, the British team was in the lead but eventually fell back into 4 th place. It was during these championships that one of John's most famous hands occurred.

In 1965 John and Jonathan were also runaway winners of the Life Masters pairs (The Waddington Cup), and also won the Gold Cup. He won Crockford's cup in 1964 and 1966 which was also the year of his famous victory in the Spring Foursomes, overturning a 48 IMP deficit in the last 8 boards of the final. But within a few years tragedy was to strike both these talented youngsters. Jonathan suffered a brain tumour and John had two heart attacks. John was prescribed medication for his heart condition which had an unfortunate side effect affecting his eyes - a problem which remained with him for the rest of his life.

John returned to international success, playing in the European Championships with Paul Hackett in 1981. Then, he played an innovative system called "The Walpurgis Club" which included some strong pass sequences in 1st or 2nd position. This system had many triumphs and led to a silver medal for Great Britain, and 5th place in the Bermuda Bowl in New York in the same year.

He was married in the 1960s to Pamela but after his first divorce married Noura from the Lebanon. For much of this time, John lived in the house of his parents in South London .

John formed close friendships with many of the top Swiss players such as Tony Trad and Jean Besse (he won the Sunday Times in 1969 with Jean Besse), and lived for many years in Switzerland during which time he was relatively unknown in Britain .

After his return in the 1990s; now again divorced, he resumed his playing career in England , forming a partnership with a promising England junior, Martin Jones. This led to a consistently high performance in national events (winning the Gold Cup in 1997 and 1999) and in British and English trials. He played in the European Championships in Malta in 1999 where the team narrowly missed qualification for the Bermuda Bowl. In the English trials 2 years later, John bowed out at the final stage although in a leading position to travel to Indonesia to marry and return with his new wife, Lusy.

As recently as 2004, John was still at the forefront of English bridge, representing England in the Seniors series in the European Championships in Sweden and the World Bridge Olympiad in Istanbul . I was honoured to be John's NPC in Istanbul and also 5 years earlier in Malta . I was able to witness at first hand how this great old man of bridge, although suffering from ill health, displayed at the bridge table some of the old magic which had made him into one of the most successful, talented and highly respected and loved players in history.

He is survived by his lovely and devoted wife, Lusy who - together with all of the bridge world - will miss him sorely.