Background
Burnstine was born in New York City and regularly played at the Contract Bridge Club of New New York
Burnstine was born in New York City and regularly played at the Contract Bridge Club of New New York
He changed his name to David Bruce after he retired from competition in 1939. The Four Aces dominated tournament play in the later half of the 1930s. Burnstine became American Contract Bridge League (ACBL) Life Master #1 at the age of 36.
Burnstine moved to Los Angeles in 1939, changed his name to David Bruce, and retired from regular tournament play.
He died in 1965 and was inducted into the ACBL Hall of Fame as David Bruce in 1997. Thus he was the second recipient (after Sims) of the von Zedtwitz Award, a name for Hall of Fame recognition of players long out of the limelight. three wins in the Spingold - 1934, 1936 and 1938.
Invention of the strong artificial 2♣ opening, still used by the majority of tournament players. And creation of intermediate two-bids in the other suits, a prominent feature of the modern-day Acol system.
Honors Wins Runners-up North American Bridge Championships Master Individual (2) 1932, 1935 von Zedtwitz Life Master Pairs (1) 1932 Vanderbilt (1) 1932 Reisinger (1) 1931.
He was a member of the Four Horsemen team captained by P. Hal Sims, which he left to create his own teams, first the Bid-Rite team and later the Four Aces. Vanderbilt tournament victories came as a member of the Four Horsemen team in 1931 and the Four Aces team in 1934, 1935, 1937, 1938.