Michael Jerrold Smolen (November 18, 1940 â November 25, 1992) was an American bridge player from Chicago.
He was the inventor of the popular Smolen convention, an extension of Stayman, which is employed when the partner of a 1NT opener shows his/her 5+ card major.http://www.bridgeguys.com/Conventions/smolen_convention.html
Smolen, who lived in Alamo, California during his career, died in Los Angeles in 1992.