Alan Caplan was born and raised in Johannesburg, South Africa. He was an active member of Bnei Zion and, subsequently, Habonim following the merger of the two movements. The year after high school he attended the South African Airforce Gymnasium and graduated in 1966 with a B.SC from Wits University.
He joined the computer division of NCR in January 1967 and continued to work for them after returning from Israel at the end of his 6-month volunteering in December 1967. Alan was seconded twice to NCR’s R&D Division in the US and, the second time, completed an M.S. in Engineering Management at the University of Dayton, Ohio.
In 1968 Alan married Beverly Baron and they came on aliyah in 1979 as founding members of Moshav Manof in the Galilee. In 1988 Alan was commissioned by the Food and Agricultural Organization of the United Nations to develop a PC base computer system for rural banks in developing countries. Alan installed his system in 21 countries around the world.
The Caplans have 3 daughters and 7 grandchildren.
by Alan Caplan
This time Alan recounts a side competition at the quarterfinal
more ...
match of the Crime Writers Association annual knockout teams’ tournament. This match, between the star-studded pairs across the eight tables, was won by actor Robert Mitchum and sleuth Philip Marlowe of the Raymond Chandler team.
Close
|
by Alan Caplan
Our bridge expert explains that 9 tricks can be difficult
more ...
to come by and most 3NT contacts require careful planning and thought. He then discusses a case i n point to explain how this is achieved
Close
|
by Alan Caplan
Alan Caplan explains what actually constitutes a bad
more ...
break in bridge and how to make a trump coup. He says that in Bridge, like life, you get good breaks and bad breaks. Winners take advantage of the former and overcome the latter wherever possible.
Close
|
by Alan Caplan
Alan explains the use of trump cards to score tricks
more ...
when playing a suit contract at the bridge table
Close
|
by Alan Caplan
Alan makes helpful suggestions of how to handle the
more ...
bidding where a slam is by no means certain with a combined partnership holding of between 30 and 32 HCP. The art here is to treat the hands like two parts of a jigsaw puzzle and, through judicious bidding, explore how well they fit together.
Close
|
by Alan Caplan
An interesting article by our in–house, “non-expert”
more ...
passionate bridge teacher Alan Caplan - How to play out a trump contract.
Close
|
by Alan Caplan
The semifinals of the Crime Writers’ Association
more ...
annual knockout teams tournament provided all the razzle-dazzle and top-notch bridge the fans had come to expect from the star-studded field.
Close
|
by Alan Caplan, Liz Trakeniski
Moving and heartfelt tributes to Gert Guttmann from
more ...
friends and family. They all tell of a brilliant, wise, warm, supportive, generous, professional and much-loved family man who lived his life to the full and was so appreciated by all who came in contact with him.
Close
|
by Alan Caplan
Our bridge expert continues his tutorial about the
more ...
basics of the game which he says require some careful planning and analysis as mundane as they may first appear to be
Close
|
|
by Alan Caplan
Hey, what have we here! Miss Marple vs. Robert Mitchum,
more ...
Agatha Christie against Mickey Spillane. Other players include Lauren Bacall, Raymond Chandler, Philip Marlowe and, of course, Hercule Poirot. Thrilling matches, well described and annotated – but to truly appreciate all this you must know a game called bridge.
Close
|
by Alan Caplan
Alan describes an online bridge game that he describes
more ...
as a case of the "disappearing trick".
Close
|
|
by Alan Caplan
Alan addresses the accepted rule - "Second hand plays
more ...
low” and shows that one should not follow the rules blindly and there is no substitute for thinking at the Bridge table.
Close
|
by Alan Caplan
In this bridge column, which analyzes an interesting
more ...
hand, players are warned to be particularly careful when trumps break badly, lest you lose control of the trump suit.
Close
|
Alan Caplan