Pierre Albarran

Pierre Henri Maurice Albarran (18 May 1893 – 24 February 1960) was a French auction and contract bridge player and theorist, and a tennis player. It has been reported that he was born in the West Indies, and also in Chaville, Hauts-de-Seine, France. He died in Paris.

At the bridge table, Albarran played on the France open team that won the European IBL Championship in 1935 and on the slightly different team that traveled to New York City late that year for a match that may be considered the first world team championship. He subsequently represented France in more than 30 international bridge competitions and won 19 national titles. His contributions to bidding systems include the canapé approach and the convention later called Roman two-suiters. Upon his death, Albert H. Morehead observed that Albarran was almost unknown in America, "but it is possible that M. Albarran's bidding theories influenced European bridge tactics more than the theories of any other authority in any other country." With partner Alain Gerbault he reached the doubles final of the World Hard Court Championships in 1921.

World Championships finals

Doubles (1 runner-up)

ResultYearChampionshipSurfacePartnerOpponentsScoreLoss 1921 World Hard Court Championships Clay Alain Gerbault André Gobert William Laurentz 4–6, 2–6, 8–6, 2–6

Publications Bridge, Nouvelle methode de nomination. Les jeux bicolores. Le Canapé, 1946 Cent donnes extraordinaires: Bridge, 1953, co-author José Le Dentu Comment Gagner Au Bridge, 1959, co-author Pierre Jaïs L'Encyclopédie du bridge moderne, vol 1. 1957 and vol. 2 1968 Le Bridge pour Tous, 1949, co-author Robert de Nexon, Publisher: A. Fayard, Paris, LC: 49052576 Le Nouveau Bridge Pour Tous, 1958, co-authors Robert de Nexon and José Le Dentu Notre Methode de Bridge, 1936, co-author Robert de Nexon Nouveau Memento de Bridge en 100 Lecons: Encheres Naturelles, 1976, co-author José Le Dentu, Publisher: A. Fayard, Paris, , LC: 77576798