Source:www.usbf.org
Geoffrey Hampson was born October 11, 1968 in Toronto, Ontario. He is the son of musicians. “Both parents have recorded and my mother has recorded several albums that have gone Gold,” Geoff told us. (His mother is ‘Lois’ in the famed Sharon, Lois and Bram.)
Geoff learned to count points at the kitchen table on his father’s knee at around six years old, but he left the game alone until high school. “A teacher taught the entire class how to play by issuing a printout of most basic rules,” explained Geoff. “The class quickly became addicted, and I never found the cure. Both of my parents used to play, my sister is SLOWLY learning to play, and I have one niece or nephew on the way that I will probably teach to play.”
Geoff attended undergraduate classes at the University of Western Ontario, and York University in Toronto. He is now a full time professional bridge player. “I had no true profession after university,” admitted Geoff. “I had several temporary jobs until Bridge became a viable career.” He now lives in Los Angeles, California. When asked whether he has any pets, Geoff said, “Not currently, but I am looking forward to meeting my next cat.”
Geoff has played in seven World Championships – four for Canada and three for the USA. His first success came partnering Fred Gitelman as a member of the Canadian team that reached the final of the 1991 World Junior Teams in Ann Arbor, Michigan. A year later, he finished second in the Pan-American Games Open Teams in partnership with John Gowdy.
Geoff won his first major domestic event while just 22 – the Canadian National Teams Championship, playing with Gowdy (and Ed Bidson, David Lindop, Boris Baran, Mark Molson). A year later, having moved south of the border, he claimed his first NABC title – the North American Swiss, playing with Molson. In 1994, he won his second North American National crown – the Mixed Pairs in partnership with teammate Brad Moss’ sister, Jill Levin. “During both of those events, there were long stretches where my partner and I actually weren’t on speaking terms with one another (the result of my youthful loud mouth and our poor management of emotions etc.),” observed Geoff. “Oddly enough, those are the only two occasions on which I can recall this happening.”
Away from the table, Geoff is a serious movie buff and an avid golfer. He can usually be found either on the course or in a theatre. He also studies the stock market and runs (to help his girlfriend train for marathons).
