Peter Nagy 1942 - 2003

Peter Nagy, a leading player for more than three decades, died of an apparent heart attack Feb. 6 in Las Vegas. A native of Hungary and a former resident of Montreal, Nagy won numerous North American championships and had several high finishes in world competition. Among his many bridge achievements (see below), Peter served 4 years on the District 1 Board of Directors, won the CNTC in 1980 and 1981 (with Allan Graves, George Mittelman, Eric Kokish, Eric Murray and Sami Kehela)

TRIBUTE FROM ERIC KOKISH
Peter Nagy (1942-2002)

We were shocked to learn on Friday that Peter Nagy had suffered a heart attack and died while playing poker at the Bellagio Hotel in Las Vegas, the city where he had lived for many years.

Peter's life was filled with peaks and valleys. He escaped from Hungary in 1956, following a script line that would not be out of place in a dramatic movie. Speaking virtually no English when he arrived in Canada with his Uncle, Peter learned quickly and was the valedictorian of his High School Class. He earned a degree at Princeton University and tried the straight and narrow lifestyle for a short period before concentrating on bridge and other card games to earn his living. He was Aadopted@ by the late great Sam Gold in Montreal, and under his guidance became a sound technical player willing to act on his instincts at the table.

While he lived in Canada, Peter played in serious partnerships and teams with Joey Silver, George Mittelman and Eric Kokish, achieving considerable success in major North American and international events. When he married Donna Hay in the middle eighties and moved to Chicago, Peter went into the Options business at a time when it was easier to lose a fortune than make one. At one point, Peter was doing very badly in the market and was about to give it up altogether, but at just that moment he guessed right on the direction the market was headed and in a few months earned enough to retire. He, Donna, and their son, David, moved to Las Vegas and enjoyed a more relaxed lifestyle, although some major heart problems created some uneasiness for the family.

Peter had been making his way back into serious competition and was in good spirits although his life had taken some difficult turns in the past few years.

Among his bridge successes were two silver medals in the World Open Pairs (1978 and 1990), representing two different nations, a feat no one has duplicated and probably never will. He also won a bronze medal in the Rosenblum Teams in 1982 and was always a serious contender at the North American Bridge Championships. He was a very special player.

Peter played in the 1984 Epson Intercity Teams Championship and made many friends in Japan, as he did all over the world.

[from Daily Bulletin #7, NEC Bridge Festival, Feb 9, 2003]

From the ACBL Encyclopedia of Bridge:

Options trader and professional bridge player. Served as District one representative to ACBL Board of Governors 1979-82. Born in Budapest, escaped Communist Hungary in 1957 with his uncle, immigrating to Canada. Spoke neither French nor English, but by 1958 was at top of his class and was valedictorian of his high school class in 1961. After graduating from Princeton in 1967, Nagy worked in the computer field until 1974. One of the leading players, WBF Life Master, placed 2nd World Championship Open Pairs 1978, 90; 3rd Rosenblum Teams 1982, 5th 1978, 90, 9th 1986. Won Men's BAM Teams 1978, GNOT 1991, Vanderbilt 1993, Open Swiss Teams 1995. 2nd Amateur Swiss Teams 1977, Blue Ribbon Pairs 1978, Vanderbilt 1980, 84; Spingold 1982, Men's Swiss Teams 1989, Reisinger 1994, GNOT 1995. Won CNTC 1980, 81. Won more than 50 regional events. Won IBPA Best Bid Hand of the Year Award 1977 and Bols Brillancy Prize for best defensive hand in World Team Olympiad 1980.