We begin 2026 with a set on which 6.5% of competition entrants score in the 70s. The two leading competitors are out on their own. Leading the field, with 78/80, is a man well known for his success in other competitive situations…
James Holzhauer from USA
Nicknamed as ‘Jeopardy James’, 41-year-old James Holzhauer from Naperville IL enjoyed a 32-game winning streak on the TV quiz show Jeopardy! With winnings in excess of $2.5m, James is the fourth-highest-earning American game show contestant of all time. James is also as a successful sports gambler and a noted philanthropist. He and his wife, Melissa, have been honoured many times for their charitable work. James is an Emerald Life Master and he also teaches bridge in his spare time.
Also on the January Honour Roll, with a score of 77/80, is…
Eriks Vilunas from Latvia
Eriks is PhD student in mathematics from Latvia. He has been playing bridge since high school and is currently a member of Latvian Under-31 team. He won a silver medal in the Under-31 Pairs at the 2025 European Championships.
And, with a score of 76/80:
Steven Jocker from Taiwan,
Anton Morozov from Russia,
Julian Wightwick from UK,
Yury Khyuppenen from Russia, and
Yoram Bavli from Israel
Julian is the only member of the 2025 Top 20 on this month’s honour roll, but a number of others are lurking right behind this month’s leaders. These include Paul Dubois and one of last year’s bronze medalists, Dave Williams, both with 75/80. Close behind them are Hal Montgomery (74/80), last year’s winner Venkatesh Ramaratnam, Todd Holles, Stephen Merriman, Bill March, Kevin Podsiadlik and Anna Gulevich (all with 73/80).
Congratulations to all who scored more than 60/80 on what was a tricky set of hands to start the year.
