There was a point, however, where I wasn’t yet playing bridge. 

 

In 1999, I was two years old. My mother, Jori Grossack, was temporarily not working to raise three kids, and she decided to take bridge lessons. She soon brought my two older brothers along.  The oldest, Samuel, didn’t take to it. But my brother Adam became hooked. 

 

I had no intention of learning the game, but by the time I was seven, I had learned so much through listening in the back seat that I began to have an osmotic understanding of the game. I asked questions, they answered, and soon after, I was playing in a social game with my mom.

 

From there, it all took off. In my early days, I was known not to stop bidding on any hand until we won the contract. Who knows, maybe that was a good thing because I learned how to be a great declarer from playing so many terrible contracts! But Adam refused to play with me because I would double everything and didn’t have any sort of refined approach. So to be able to play with Adam, I adapted, and gradually, I matured.  

 

(Maybe I still am . . . )

 

By the time I was 12, I had become a Life Master, and when I was 17, I won my first NABC+ title, playing with Adam, who’d by now come around to my style. (And I had calmed down considerably.) At age 22, I became the youngest Grand Life Master in the history of bridge.

 

Today, I’m known for my aggressive bidding approach and my devotion to winning tactics and techniques in the card play and defense. 

 

Before the COVID pandemic, I enjoyed competing in tournaments around the world with my students and clients. I was lucky enough to have my passion become my profession. During the pandemic, I spent my time working online with my students, as well as competing on teams with clients in elite online tournaments. Nowadays, my life looks more hybrid - I play with students online, and compete in live tournaments as they continue to resume!

 

I have been teaching bridge since I was 16. While at Tufts University, I founded the Tufts Bridge Club and taught from scratch about ten now-competitive bridge players, some of whom became close friends in the process. As a teacher, beyond countless one on one lessons at the club, in students' homes, or on Zoom, I often teach classes with Kim Gilman, and while sometimes venturing on my own.  I look forward to making larger format classes accessible and rewarding for my students.

Welcome to Bridge with Zach! I always say that bridge is not an easy game. That’s why I’m here to teach you the techniques to become a confident modern bridge player.