WBF - World Bridge Federation

The 1st WBF/BBO Women’s Bridge Festival Online, held on 7-13 April 2008, was a great success having attracted 664 entries from 68 countries worldwide.


Jessica Tahya

For a full week, women players from all WBF member countries had the opportunity to compete daily in bridge competitions arranged online by 'Bridge Base Online' (BBO). Two individual and two pairs events were held every day.

The overall winner was Indonesia's Jessica Tahya, followed by Laras Suryaningtyas Aksa Putri (Indonesia), and Francesca Stoppini and Maria Stoppini of Italy. Winner of the individual tournaments was Magdalena Dabrowska of Poland, while Francesca & Maria Stoppini were victorious in the pairs.

• For detailed information on the 1st WBF/BBO Women's Bridge Festival Online, click here
• For the WBF Women's Committee Chairman's report, click here

Bridge in World Mind Sports Games

The recently established International Mind Sports Association (IMSA) is to organize the 1st World Mind Sports Games, following the 2008 Olympic Games in Beijing, China, October 3-18.

IMSA comprises Bridge, Chess, Draughts and Go. All these mind sports (and Chinese Chess, in addition) will be represented at the inaugural World Mind Sports Games, which may well prove the doorstep to the Olympic Games.

All WBF member countries are invited and expected to participate in the World Bridge Games, i.e. the bridge series of the 1st World Mind Sports Games. Each country may be represented by one national team in the open series, one team in the women series, and one team in the youth series consisting exclusively of players born in 1980 or later. Team expenses (lodging and food at the Olympic village) will be borne by the organization (see details on the 1st World Bridge Games, linked to below). Participation in the World Bridge Games in Beijing is a prerequisite for participation in the 2009 World Team Championships (NBOs with an open team in Beijing will be eligible for the 2009 Bermuda Bowl; while NBOs with a women's team in Beijing will be eligible to compete in the 2009 Venice Cup).

A series for national senior teams will also be held, on the sidelines of the World Mind Sport Games. On the second week of the games, the World Transnational Mixed Teams competition will be played, as it has happened at every World Team Olympiad since 1996.

Finally, the World Youth Team Championships, comprising series for zonal representative teams of players under-26 (formerly, Juniors) for the Ortiz-Patiño Trophy and under-21 (formerly, Schools) for the José Damiani Cup, will also be contested in Beijing. There will also be Pairs and Individual competitions open to players born in 1980 or later.

•	For information on the 1st World Mind Sports Games, click here
•	For information on the 1st World Bridge Games, click here

The Bermuda Bowl goes to NORWAY!

After a series of attempts, NORWAY became world champion, winning the Bermuda Bowl at the 38th World Team Championships, held in Shanghai, China, 29 September to 13 October 2008. USA came second and The Netherlands third.

USA did not regain the world's symbol of supremacy but left Shanghai fully satisfied as they won both the women and senior series! They captured the Venice Cup, ahead of Germany and China, and retained the Senior Bowl, beating Indonesia, while third place went also to an American team.

The World Transnational Open Championship was contested by a record 148 teams. The winners, a multi-national combination led by Switzerland's Pierre Zimmermann, piped Russia at the post to prevail on the last board. Germany Open came third.

The 38th World Team Championships were splendidly organized by the World Bridge Federation and the Chinese Contract Bridge Association in Shanghai's International Convention Centre.

• For further information, click here

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