Conventions like Stayman or ACOL become familiar to most bridge players who reach a certain level of expertise or teaching.

Once you’ve been around in the game for a while, you adapt conventions that are unique to your partnership (and your hand at that point in time). Sometimes, conventions start to become like a signature or stamp.

We know who gave their name to conventions like Blackwood. If you don’t, then it’s a pretty good excuse to look it up.

What about some other ones, like Fishbein, the Kantar Cue Bid, or the Raptor?

Who named these?

Here’s to 5 conventions and their origins.

1. Fishbein

When I first heard about this one, I wondered if it could be named after an oceanic dish of some sort. It sounds like you could go out to a restaurant and order a fishbein with fries.

However, that is not the case.

The Fishbein Convention was invented by player Harry Fishbein.

For his bridge contributions, he was inducted into the Hall Of Fame in 2000.

Oh, and he happened to be a basketball player, too. Bridge occasionally borrows players from other sports.

2. Kantar cue bid

Eddie Kantar is known in the bridge world for being one hell of a player. He certainly left his mark on the game, and anyone looking for bridge writing will eventually come to read Kantar’s work.

He invented and named the Kantar Cue Bid.

Oh, and his name was actually Edwin.

3. Leaping michaels

The original Michaels convention (from which the Leaping Michaels is derived in the first place), is named for Florida player Michael Michaels.

Why didn’t they call it the Michael Michaels convention instead?

I’m almost disappointed here.

4. Raptor convention

The Raptor convention was invented by pair Ron Sutherland and his son. According to research, it was first published and put to use in 1993.

Why on Earth did they settle on calling it the Raptor?

It’s shortened from Wrap Around Toronto Style.

That’s much better than having called it WATS.

5. Woolsey convention

Kit Woolsey is integrated into the game, but also happens to be authoritative to other games including backgammon and chess.

If you already know this, then it’s obvious who the Woolsey convention is named after – although you might not know that it also gets called the Landy convention.

Wanna woo the table with the Woolsey convention? Well, go ahead.