Go, Johnny, go, go
Go, Johnny, go, go
Go, Johnny, go, go
Go, Johnny, go, go
Johnny B. Goode
It is nice when a child follows in his parent’s footsteps, goes out on his own, succeeds and makes them proud and then comes home and partners with his dad, at least for awhile.
John Kranyak is a three time world junior bridge champion and in 2013 he captained a four person team to a great victory in the US qualifiers for the world championship later that year. John now lives in Las Vegas and for a while played poker professionally, why else live in Vegas, and made it to the final table of something called the WSOP. John is a full time bridge professional who plays at the top level of our game. John now is 32 an has a girlfriend, so sorry folks.
John's 2013 team finished third in the world championship (Bermuda Bowl) and he represented the United States in the Bermuda Bowl in 2015 where the U.S. team finished fourth.
But Johnny is a Cleveland boy who is the son of the late Laurie Kranyak, who was a Grand Life Master and you really should read the Bridge Winners in memorian, which is here: http://bridgewinners.com/article/view/in-memoriam-laurie-kranyak/ and Ken Kranyak, the slacker in the family, who only has 16,000 masterpoints.
In 1996, when John was 12 he wanted to be an astronaut, but one evening being a kid he wanted to go to a batting cage, but Ken needed a partner for that night and he taught John how to play bridge during the ride to the game. Well, the 31% result that night started a bridge career.
John first played in this Regional in 1995--he would have been 11--and played regularly in Cleveland Sectionals and District 5 Regionals while he was a teen ager. John fondly remembers playing in club games all over Cleveland—Rocky River, Elyria, Beachwood, you name it he played there. He regularly played with his parents who he says, “were the best teachers anyone could have”. The dinner table conversation often went to bridge. Little Johnny even caddied a little before it became clear that was an absolute waste of a special talent. This week John has enjoyed seeing the grown ups he used to play against here in Cleveland.
John says this about learning bridge from his parents "when my parents first started teaching me, they taught me 4 card majors and strong 2s. The focus was not teaching me conventions until i learned card play. Although there were little blots in my education in later years, i truthfully feel that it's the best way to learn and the best way to teach. People get so bogged down in science that they forget to just sit down and play. i do believe in science of the game very much, i just think that when you're starting, start with baby steps and then move on to more science."
Ned Kohler, now in Scottsdale, remembers this about playing Johnny “Memorial Day Regional in Cleveland 2001. I had just gotten back into duplicate after a 20+ year hiatus and thought I might know something about the game. In the Sunday Swiss, with a reasonably strong A partner I faced some skinny blond kid who looked about 12 and his partner who seemed at most in high school. When the dust settled, I stumbled away muttering "Who the hell was THAT, and how did they kick our butts?" John would have been 17 in 2001!
John went off to college in New York City in large part so he could get better at bridge. And like for many of us, he found bridge to be more compelling than class work. Unlike us lawyers and engineers, John left school and became a bridge professional, a decision many of us probably look at longingly and wonder if we should have followed a dream. Of course, we had not won three world championships when we were in college.
John credits The Bridge World as the single most important reading he has done to improve his bridge. When asked what qualities a bridge player and poker player have in common he said “They have short memories, patience and table feel.” John says that Vince DeMuy, his regular partner, is the player who made him think “Wow, that guy is the best player I have ever seen!” We all might be happier if we think our partners are really good and we are fortunate that they play with us.
So what does John play? “I play precision with my regular partner Vince. With my clients I play their card, which is usually 2/1. And with my father I play 2/1 with four cards majors.” Any guesses on how many pairs are here this week playing 2/1 with four card majors? So the father taught the son bridge using four card majors and here they are this week still playing four card majors.
John, pretty much will not play the unfortunately common stolen bids convention used by many C players. John hangs out at http://bridgewinners.com/ and plays online on BBO at http://www.bridgebase.com/. Wonder if he plays in the 12 board robot matchpoint games?
John, may live in Vegas, but he is still a Cleveland and Ohio boy. He watched and the Cavs championship game and says, “I watched replays of Kyrie’s shot on YouTube about 1000 times I can't wait for summer to come!!”.
John’s biggest goal in bridge is to win the Bermuda Bowl, that third place finish in 2013 and fourth place in 2015 are his biggest disappointments in bridge. Maybe when he is on a winning team he will bring the Bermuda Bowl back to Cleveland for a few days like hockey players do with the Stanley Cup. We look forward to having a Great Lakes Dortmunder with John out of the Bermuda Bowl real soon.
Welcome home John!