He was taught bridge by his mother and played in tournaments with his brother as his partner throughout his school years.
[1] He currently lives in Evanston, Illinois with his wife and two sons and continues to play bridge professionally while working as an options trader.
[1] Platnick, along with his longtime bridge partner John Diamond, were mentored by noted Dallas Aces captain and former president of the American Contract Bridge League (ACBL) Bobby Wolff.
[2] He won his first major tournament victory, the World Junior Teams Championship, in 1991 alongside Diamond.
After a 17-year hiatus from the game, Platnick resumed playing professionally as part of a team in the late 2000s, alongside Diamond and a few others.