Hans-Olof Hallén

1185

28 October 1929 – 27 February 2023

Obituary courtesy of IBPA

I thank Fredrik Jarvik, who succeeded Hallén at the Scanian bridge district’s office for the permission to use his text written for the Swedish bridge magazine as basis for this obituary.

Hans-Olof, ”Hasse”, Hallén’s life was bridge. His career at the green tables started in 1948. 1953 he partnered Ulf Hegethorn and they played together at the Olympiad in Turin 1960. Their partnership ended after 70 years with a tournament at the local club only a few weeks before Hasse´s death.

In 1967 the Scanian district hired Hasse to their office. He duplicated boards, ruled the game, taught bridge in schools and at bridge courses. He worked hard, was always available (he lived three steps from the office), and he never said no.

Hasse was very active in the Swedish Bridge Federation where he was referred to as the Oracle from Scania. He was also one of EBL’s chief TDs and a long-standing member of the International Bridge Press Association.

Hasse, Olof Hanner, and I spent seven years on the book on Movements. It was great fun, but the book would have been completed much faster without Hasse. Every time I thought that we were done, Hasse came up with new, different ideas.

No label fit on Hasse, but if I had to select one word it would be Querdenker. That is a German word literally meaning cross thinker. You never knew where a discussion, or bidding, with Hasse would end. To Hasse —; QJ9xxx; 10xxx; xxx was an obvious take out double over RHO´s 1 spade opening.

Hasse was unique. He was everything; except lazy. And most of all he was an out-standing friend. We are many who miss him. A lot.

Per Jannersten