World Team Olympiad
Encyclopedia
The World Team Olympiad was a contract bridge
meet organized by the World Bridge Federation
every four years from 1960 to 2004. Its main events were world championships for national teams, always including one open and one restricted to women ("Open" and "Women" categories in WBF terms). A parallel event for seniors was inaugurated in 2000.
Although the Olympiad has been discontinued, its main constituent championships continue within or beside the World Mind Sports Games
, first held October 2008 in Beijing, China, and the subsequent results are listed here.
The 1960 "Olympiad" was the first meet organized by the WBF, although the organization has adopted one older event that now confers the title World Champion, the Bermuda Bowl
competition.
The Olympiad championships differed from other world-level championships for "national"
teams primarily by inviting every WBF member country to enter a team in each tournament. Other world championships, including the older Bermuda Bowl
for open teams that is now contested every odd-number year, require qualification at a "zone" level. For example, about 40 national open teams from European Bridge League
member countries may compete biennially for about six entries in the Bermuda Bowl tournament.
Over the twelve World Team Olympiad cycles, the fields grew from 29 open and 14 women teams in 1960 to 72 open, 43 women, and 29 seniors teams in 2004. For the first World Mind Sports Games there were 71 open and 54 women entries. The seniors international cup continued as a non-medal event with 32 entries.
won three in a row 1964 to 1972, overlapping its run of ten Bermuda Bowls (1957–1969). Another Italian team won the last two Olympiads and made it three in a row in the first rendition as part of the World Mind Sports Games, 2000 to 2008, overlapping its run of seven European championships (1995–2006).
Currently "a bridge a player belongs to the 'Seniors' category if he has
at least his 60th birthday in the calendar year in question." For the next rendition (2012) players born in 1952 or earlier will be eligible. (The threshold increased one year annually from 2005 to 2010.)
of three other games established the International Mind Sports Association
and initiated its first priority, the quadrennial World Mind Sports Games
. The first WMSG were held in Beijing
October 2008, about two months after the summer Olympic Games
.
Thus a WBF initiative to integrate bridge with the Olympics was abandoned in favor of a long-term goal, advancing the WMSG as a "stepping stone on the path of introducing a third kind of Olympic Games (after the Summer and the Winter Olympics)". The multi-event "World Team Olympiad" was discontinued in favor of participation in the WMSG but the constituent events of the Olympiad continue—Teams championships in Open and Women categories as part of the WMSG; in Seniors and Transnational categories as non-medal side events.Bridge at the WMSG officially comprised, among other events, the two "series which used to be part of the Olympiad (Open and Women national teams). ... The Seniors competition for national teams, held along the lines of the Olympiad Open and Women series, and the World Transnational Mixed Teams championship were also held in Beijing, although, officially, they were not part of the World Bridge Games"; that is, not WMSG medal events. World Bridge Games makes an impressive debut, 1st World Mind Sports Games contemporary coverage, 2008, World Bridge Federation. Page 1.
Contract bridge
Contract bridge, usually known simply as bridge, is a trick-taking card game using a standard deck of 52 playing cards played by four players in two competing partnerships with partners sitting opposite each other around a small table...
meet organized by the World Bridge Federation
World Bridge Federation
The World Bridge Federation is the world governing body of contract bridge. The WBF is responsible for world championship competition, most of which is conducted at a few multi-event meets on a four-year cycle...
every four years from 1960 to 2004. Its main events were world championships for national teams, always including one open and one restricted to women ("Open" and "Women" categories in WBF terms). A parallel event for seniors was inaugurated in 2000.
Although the Olympiad has been discontinued, its main constituent championships continue within or beside the World Mind Sports Games
World Mind Sports Games
The first World Mind Sports Games were held in Beijing, China from October 3 to 18, 2008, about two months after the Olympic Games. They were sponsored and organised by the International Mind Sports Association with the General Administration of Sport of China and the Beijing Municipal Bureau of...
, first held October 2008 in Beijing, China, and the subsequent results are listed here.
The 1960 "Olympiad" was the first meet organized by the WBF, although the organization has adopted one older event that now confers the title World Champion, the Bermuda Bowl
Bermuda Bowl
The Bermuda Bowl is a trophy awarded to the winners of the Open series in the World Team Championship in contract bridge and is named for the site of the inaugural tournament held in 1950...
competition.
The Olympiad championships differed from other world-level championships for "national"
teams primarily by inviting every WBF member country to enter a team in each tournament. Other world championships, including the older Bermuda Bowl
Bermuda Bowl
The Bermuda Bowl is a trophy awarded to the winners of the Open series in the World Team Championship in contract bridge and is named for the site of the inaugural tournament held in 1950...
for open teams that is now contested every odd-number year, require qualification at a "zone" level. For example, about 40 national open teams from European Bridge League
European Bridge League
The European Bridge League is a confederation of National Bridge Federations that organize the card game of contract bridge in European nations. In turn the EBL organizes bridge competition at the European level...
member countries may compete biennially for about six entries in the Bermuda Bowl tournament.
Over the twelve World Team Olympiad cycles, the fields grew from 29 open and 14 women teams in 1960 to 72 open, 43 women, and 29 seniors teams in 2004. For the first World Mind Sports Games there were 71 open and 54 women entries. The seniors international cup continued as a non-medal event with 32 entries.
Open Teams
Teams representing Italy and France won five and four of the twelve Open Team Olympiad tournaments. The Italian Blue TeamBlue team (bridge)
The Blue Team represented Italy in international contract bridge tournaments, winning sixteen world titles from 1957 through 1975. From 1964 to 1969 and during a 1972 comeback, the team comprised three regular pairs: Walter Avarelli–Giorgio Belladonna, Pietro Forquet–Benito Garozzo, and Massimo...
won three in a row 1964 to 1972, overlapping its run of ten Bermuda Bowls (1957–1969). Another Italian team won the last two Olympiads and made it three in a row in the first rendition as part of the World Mind Sports Games, 2000 to 2008, overlapping its run of seven European championships (1995–2006).
| Year, Host, Entries | Medalists | |
|---|---|---|
| 1. |  France René Bacherich, Gérard Bourchtoff, Claude Delmouly, Pierre Ghestem Pierre Ghestem Pierre Ghestem was a French bridge and checkers player. In 1947 he became the world champion in checkers... , Pierre Jaïs Pierre Jaïs Pierre Jaïs was a famous French bridge player. A World Bridge Federation Grand Master, he was the winner of World Team Olympiad in Turin 1960, Bermuda Bowl in Paris 1956, and World Open Pairs Championship in Cannes 1962. He is one of only 10 players who collected the Triple Crown of Bridge... , Roger Trézel Roger Trezel Roger Trézel was a famous French bridge player. A World Bridge Federation Grand Master, he was the winner of World Team Olympiad in Turin 1960, Bermuda Bowl in Paris 1956, and World Open Pairs Championship in Cannes 1962. He is one of only 10 players who collected the Triple Crown of Bridge... |
|
 Great Britain Jeremy Flint Jeremy Flint Jeremy Flint , an English bridge player, author and horse racing enthusiast, was one of the world's leading professional players.- Life & bridge career :... , Nico Gardener Nico Gardener Nico Gardener was a British international bridge player, born in Riga, Latvia .After the Russian Revolution his family moved to the Ukraine, and then to Moscow, where he trained as a ballet dancer. He later moved to Berlin, where he read languages and history at Berlin University, and played... , Terence Reese Terence Reese John Terence Reese was a British bridge player and writer, regarded as one of the finest of all time in both fields... , Albert Rose, Boris Schapiro Boris Schapiro Boris Schapiro was a British international bridge player. He was a Grandmaster of the World Bridge Federation, and the only player to have won both the Bermuda Bowl and the World Senior Pairs championship... , Ralph Swimer Ralph Swimer Ralph Swimer was an international bridge player who was best known for being the nonplaying captain of the British team at the 1965 Bermuda Bowl in Buenos Aires, during which there was a great deal of controversy surrounding the British team due to allegations of cheating.An obituary on him was... |
||
 USA Vanderbilt 1 B. Jay Becker, John Crawford John R. Crawford John Randolph Crawford was an American bridge and backgammon player... , Norman Kay, George Rapée, Sidney Silodor, Tobias Stone |
||
| 1. |  Italy Walter Avarelli Walter Avarelli Walter Avarelli was an Italian bridge player, a member of the famous Blue Team, with whom he won 9 Bermuda Bowls and 3 World Team Olympiads in the period 1956-1972.... , Giorgio Belladonna Giorgio Belladonna Giorgio Belladonna was an Italian bridge player, one of the most famous in bridge history. He won 16 World championship titles with the Blue Team, playing with Walter Avarelli and Benito Garozzo... , Massimo D'Alelio Massimo D'Alelio Massimo D'Alelio neapolitan, was a famous Italian bridge player. He won 10 world championship titles with the Blue Team, playing with Eugenio Chiaradia and Camillo Pabis Ticci.-External links:* *... , Pietro Forquet Pietro Forquet Pietro Forquet is an Italian bridge player, one of the most famous in bridge history. He won 15 World championship titles with Blue Team, playing with Eugenio Chiaradia, Guglielmo Siniscalco and, for the most part, Benito Garozzo. Apart from his excellent play, he was renowned for his nerves of... , Benito Garozzo Benito Garozzo Benito Garozzo is one of the most famous bridge players in the history of the game. He has won 13 world championship titles with the Italian Blue Team, playing with Pietro Forquet and later Giorgio Belladonna... , Camillo Pabis Ticci |
|
| USA Bob Hamman Bob Hamman Robert David Hamman is an American professional bridge player, among the greatest players of all time.... , Robert Jordan, Don Krauss, Victor Mitchell, Arthur Robinson, Sam Stayman Samuel Stayman Samuel M. Stayman was an American bridge player, author and administrator. A graduate of the Amos Tuck School of Business Administration at Dartmouth College, he was also a successful textile executive and portfolio investment manager.He was the eponym of the Stayman convention... |
||
| Great Britain Jeremy Flint Jeremy Flint Jeremy Flint , an English bridge player, author and horse racing enthusiast, was one of the world's leading professional players.- Life & bridge career :... , Maurice Harrison-Gray Maurice Harrison-Gray Maurice Harrison-Gray , known always as 'Gray', was an English professional contract bridge player. For about thirty years from the mid-thirties to the mid sixties he was one of the top players, and won the European Championship four times - in 1948, 1949, 1950 and 1963.- Life :Gray was the child... , Kenneth Konstam Kenneth Konstam Kenneth W. Konstam , often known as 'Konnie', was an English international bridge player, and in 1955 was one of the only British team to win the Bermuda Bowl. He won more European Open teams championships than any other British player.Konstam, educated at Oundle School, was employed for a time in... , Terence Reese Terence Reese John Terence Reese was a British bridge player and writer, regarded as one of the finest of all time in both fields... , Boris Schapiro Boris Schapiro Boris Schapiro was a British international bridge player. He was a Grandmaster of the World Bridge Federation, and the only player to have won both the Bermuda Bowl and the World Senior Pairs championship... , Joel Tarlo |
||
| 1. | Italy Walter Avarelli Walter Avarelli Walter Avarelli was an Italian bridge player, a member of the famous Blue Team, with whom he won 9 Bermuda Bowls and 3 World Team Olympiads in the period 1956-1972.... , Giorgio Belladonna Giorgio Belladonna Giorgio Belladonna was an Italian bridge player, one of the most famous in bridge history. He won 16 World championship titles with the Blue Team, playing with Walter Avarelli and Benito Garozzo... , Massimo D'Alelio Massimo D'Alelio Massimo D'Alelio neapolitan, was a famous Italian bridge player. He won 10 world championship titles with the Blue Team, playing with Eugenio Chiaradia and Camillo Pabis Ticci.-External links:* *... , Pietro Forquet Pietro Forquet Pietro Forquet is an Italian bridge player, one of the most famous in bridge history. He won 15 World championship titles with Blue Team, playing with Eugenio Chiaradia, Guglielmo Siniscalco and, for the most part, Benito Garozzo. Apart from his excellent play, he was renowned for his nerves of... , Benito Garozzo Benito Garozzo Benito Garozzo is one of the most famous bridge players in the history of the game. He has won 13 world championship titles with the Italian Blue Team, playing with Pietro Forquet and later Giorgio Belladonna... , Camillo Pabis Ticci |
|
| USA Robert Jordan, Edgar Kaplan Edgar Kaplan Edgar Kaplan was an American bridge player and one of the principal contributors to the game. His career spanned six decades and covered every aspect of bridge. He was a teacher, author, editor, administrator, champion player, theorist, expert Vugraph commentator, coach/captain and authority on... , Norman Kay, Arthur Robinson, Bill Root, Alvin Roth Alvin Roth Alvin L. Roth was an American bridge player, considered one of the greatest of all time. He wrote several books on the game, and invented various bridge conventions that have become commonplace, including five-card majors, negative doubles, forcing notrump, and the unusual notrump.-Biography:Roth... |
||
 Canada Gerry Charney, Bill Crissey, C. Bruce Elliott, Sami Kehela Sami Kehela Sami Kehela is a Canadian contract bridge player. A member of the Hall of Fame of both the American Contract Bridge League and of the Canadian Bridge Federation, he is considered, along with his partner Eric Murray, one of the top Canadians ever to have played the game.Between 1966 and 1974,... , Eric Murray Eric Murray (bridge) Eric Murray is a Canadian contract bridge player and co-founder of the Canadian Bridge Federation . Along with his partner Sami Kehela, Murray is considered one of the top Canadians ever to have played the game. The Eric R... , Percy Sheardown |
||
| 1. | Italy Walter Avarelli Walter Avarelli Walter Avarelli was an Italian bridge player, a member of the famous Blue Team, with whom he won 9 Bermuda Bowls and 3 World Team Olympiads in the period 1956-1972.... , Giorgio Belladonna Giorgio Belladonna Giorgio Belladonna was an Italian bridge player, one of the most famous in bridge history. He won 16 World championship titles with the Blue Team, playing with Walter Avarelli and Benito Garozzo... , Massimo D'Alelio Massimo D'Alelio Massimo D'Alelio neapolitan, was a famous Italian bridge player. He won 10 world championship titles with the Blue Team, playing with Eugenio Chiaradia and Camillo Pabis Ticci.-External links:* *... , Pietro Forquet Pietro Forquet Pietro Forquet is an Italian bridge player, one of the most famous in bridge history. He won 15 World championship titles with Blue Team, playing with Eugenio Chiaradia, Guglielmo Siniscalco and, for the most part, Benito Garozzo. Apart from his excellent play, he was renowned for his nerves of... , Benito Garozzo Benito Garozzo Benito Garozzo is one of the most famous bridge players in the history of the game. He has won 13 world championship titles with the Italian Blue Team, playing with Pietro Forquet and later Giorgio Belladonna... , Camillo Pabis Ticci |
|
| USA Bobby Goldman Bobby Goldman Robert Goldman was an American bridge player, teacher and author. He won three Bermuda Bowls , Olympiad Mixed Teams 1972, and 20 North American Bridge Championships... , Bob Hamman Bob Hamman Robert David Hamman is an American professional bridge player, among the greatest players of all time.... , Jim Jacoby, Mike Lawrence, Paul Soloway Paul Soloway Paul Soloway was a world champion American bridge player. He won the Bermuda Bowl world team championship five times and won 30 national championships. Soloway was inducted into the American Contract Bridge League's Hall of Fame in 2002... , Bobby Wolff Bobby Wolff Robert S. Wolff is an American bridge player and an original member of the Dallas Aces team, which was formed in 1968 to compete against the Italian Blue Team which was dominant at the time. The Aces were successful and won their first world championship in 1970... |
||
| Canada Gerry Charney, Bill Crissey, Bruce Gowdy, Sami Kehela Sami Kehela Sami Kehela is a Canadian contract bridge player. A member of the Hall of Fame of both the American Contract Bridge League and of the Canadian Bridge Federation, he is considered, along with his partner Eric Murray, one of the top Canadians ever to have played the game.Between 1966 and 1974,... , Eric Murray Eric Murray Eric Claude Murray was a South African cricketer who played first class cricket for Derbyshire in 1911 and for Transvaal between 1912 and 1923.... , Duncan Phillips |
||
| 1. |  Brazil Pedro Paulo Assumpção, Sérgio Barbosa, Marcelo Branco Marcelo Branco Marcelo Branco is famous Brazilian bridge player. Among other successes, he was the winner of World Team Olympiad in Monte Carlo 1976, Bermuda Bowl in Perth 1989, and World Open pairs Championship in New Orleans 1978 and Geneva 1990. He is one of 10 players who collected the Triple Crown of Bridge... , Gabriel Chagas Gabriel Chagas Gabriel Pinheiro Chagas Filho is a famous Brazilian bridge player. He was the winner of World Team Olympiad in Monte Carlo 1976, Bermuda Bowl in Perth 1989, World Open Pairs Championship in Geneva 1990, as well as Transnational Teams in Paris 2001... , Gabino Cintra, Christiano Fonseca |
|
| Italy Giorgio Belladonna Giorgio Belladonna Giorgio Belladonna was an Italian bridge player, one of the most famous in bridge history. He won 16 World championship titles with the Blue Team, playing with Walter Avarelli and Benito Garozzo... , Arturo Franco, Benito Garozzo Benito Garozzo Benito Garozzo is one of the most famous bridge players in the history of the game. He has won 13 world championship titles with the Italian Blue Team, playing with Pietro Forquet and later Giorgio Belladonna... , Carlo Mosca, Silvio Sbarigia, Antonio Vivaldi |
||
| Great Britain Willie Coyle, Jeremy Flint Jeremy Flint Jeremy Flint , an English bridge player, author and horse racing enthusiast, was one of the world's leading professional players.- Life & bridge career :... , Tony Priday Tony Priday Richard Anthony Priday is an English bridge player and journalist, who had a longstanding and successful partnership with Claude Rodrigue... , Claude Rodrigue, Irving Rose, Robert Sheehan |
||
| 1. | France Paul Chemla Paul Chemla Paul Chemla is a famous French bridge player.Chemla was born in Tunis. He studied at the École Normale Supérieure in Paris where he took up playing bridge. His wins include three European Pairs Championships , two World Team Olympiads , and the 1997 Bermuda Bowl... , Michel Lebel, Christian Mari, Michel Perron, (Philippe Soulet, Henri Szwarc)* |
|
| USA Fred Hamilton, Bob Hamman Bob Hamman Robert David Hamman is an American professional bridge player, among the greatest players of all time.... , Mike Passell, Ira Rubin, Paul Soloway Paul Soloway Paul Soloway was a world champion American bridge player. He won the Bermuda Bowl world team championship five times and won 30 national championships. Soloway was inducted into the American Contract Bridge League's Hall of Fame in 2002... , Bobby Wolff Bobby Wolff Robert S. Wolff is an American bridge player and an original member of the Dallas Aces team, which was formed in 1968 to compete against the Italian Blue Team which was dominant at the time. The Aces were successful and won their first world championship in 1970... |
||
 Netherlands — Hans Kreijns, Anton Maas, André Mulder, Carol van Oppen, Hans Vergoed, René Zwaan |
||
| 1. |  Poland Piotr Gawryś Piotr Gawrys Piotr Gawryś is a Polish bridge player. Gawrys, WBF Grand Master, has won 3 world championships; World Team Olympics in 1984, Transnational Mixed Teams 2000 and Transnational Open Teams 2005. His other first places include; World Masters Individual in 1992 , European Teams Championships 1993 and... , Krzysztof Martens, Tomasz Przybora, Jacek Romański, Piotr Tuszyński, Henryk Wolny |
|
| France Paul Chemla Paul Chemla Paul Chemla is a famous French bridge player.Chemla was born in Tunis. He studied at the École Normale Supérieure in Paris where he took up playing bridge. His wins include three European Pairs Championships , two World Team Olympiads , and the 1997 Bermuda Bowl... , Félix Covo, Hervé Mouiel, Fivo Paladino, Michel Perron, Henri Szwarc |
||
 Denmark Jens Auken, Knud-Aage Boesgaard, Johannes Hulgaard, Peter Schaltz, Steen Schou, Stig Werdelin |
||
| 1. | USA Seymon Deutsch, Bob Hamman Bob Hamman Robert David Hamman is an American professional bridge player, among the greatest players of all time.... , Jim Jacoby, Jeff Meckstroth Jeff Meckstroth Jeffrey John Meckstroth is a multiple world champion in contract bridge, winning the Bermuda Bowl representing the U.S. five times. He is one of only ten players who have won the so-called triple crown of bridge: the Bermuda Bowl, the World Open Pairs and the World Team Olympiad... , Eric Rodwell Eric Rodwell Eric Victor Rodwell is an American professional bridge player. He has won the Bermuda Bowl representing the U.S. five times and is one of ten players who have won the so-called triple crown of bridge: the Bermuda Bowl, the World Open Pairs and the World Team Olympiad... , Bobby Wolff Bobby Wolff Robert S. Wolff is an American bridge player and an original member of the Dallas Aces team, which was formed in 1968 to compete against the Italian Blue Team which was dominant at the time. The Aces were successful and won their first world championship in 1970... |
|
 Austria Heinrich Berger, Jan Fucik, Alfred Kadlec, Fritz Kubak, Wolfgang Meinl, Franz Terraneo |
||
 Sweden Björn Fallenius, Sven-Olov Flodqvist, Hans Göthe, Tommy Gullberg, Magnus Lindkvist, Per Olof Sundelin |
||
| 1. | France Paul Chemla Paul Chemla Paul Chemla is a famous French bridge player.Chemla was born in Tunis. He studied at the École Normale Supérieure in Paris where he took up playing bridge. His wins include three European Pairs Championships , two World Team Olympiads , and the 1997 Bermuda Bowl... , Alain Lévy, Hervé Mouiel, Michel Perron, (Pierre Adad, Maurice Aujaleu)* |
|
| USA Seymon Deutsch, Bob Hamman Bob Hamman Robert David Hamman is an American professional bridge player, among the greatest players of all time.... , Jeff Meckstroth Jeff Meckstroth Jeffrey John Meckstroth is a multiple world champion in contract bridge, winning the Bermuda Bowl representing the U.S. five times. He is one of only ten players who have won the so-called triple crown of bridge: the Bermuda Bowl, the World Open Pairs and the World Team Olympiad... , Eric Rodwell Eric Rodwell Eric Victor Rodwell is an American professional bridge player. He has won the Bermuda Bowl representing the U.S. five times and is one of ten players who have won the so-called triple crown of bridge: the Bermuda Bowl, the World Open Pairs and the World Team Olympiad... , Michael Rosenberg Michael Rosenberg Michael Rosenberg is one of the top bridge players in the United States. He moved to Scotland as a child and returned to New York in 1990 where he lives with his wife Debbie, also a top player.... , Bobby Wolff Bobby Wolff Robert S. Wolff is an American bridge player and an original member of the Dallas Aces team, which was formed in 1968 to compete against the Italian Blue Team which was dominant at the time. The Aces were successful and won their first world championship in 1970... |
||
| Netherlands Wubbo de Boer, Enri Leufkens, Bauke Muller Bauke Muller Bauke Muller is a Dutch bridge player living in Hoorn.Muller was World Champion Open Teams in 1993 and European Champion Open Teams in 2005. In 2007 he won the bronze medal at both the European Open Team Championships in Antalya and the World Open Teams Championships in Shanghai... , Berry Westra Berry Westra Berry Westra is a Dutch bridge professional. At age of 18 Westra made his debut with former bridge world champion Hans Kreijns in the meesterklasse . In 1986 Westra became European champion youth bridge. The world championship in the same category followed a year later... , (Jaap van der Neut, Marcel Nooijen)** |
||
| 1. | France Marc Bompis, Alain Lévy, Christian Mari, Hervé Mouiel, Franck Multon, Henri Szwarc |
|
 Indonesia Franky Karwur, Henky Lasut, Eddy Manoppo, Denny Sacul, (Santje Panelewen, Giovanni Watulingas)*** |
||
| Denmark Morten Andersen, Jens Auken, Lars Blakset, Søren Christiansen, Dennis Koch-Palmund, Lauge Schäffer |
||
| 1. | Italy Norberto Bocchi Norberto Bocchi Norberto Bocchi is an Italian bridge player. Bocchi has won four World teams championships along with six consecutive European teams championships and a seventh European in 2010. For many years his regular partner was Giorgio Duboin... , Giorgio Duboin Giorgio Duboin Giorgio Duboin is an Italian professional bridge player. He has won four world teams championships along with six consecutive European teams championships and a seventh European in 2010... , Lorenzo Lauria, Alfredo Versace, (Dano De Falco, Guido Ferraro)* |
|
| Poland Cezary Balicki Cezary Balicki Cezary Balicki is a Polish bridge player holding the title of World Grand Master. Balicki won the World Transnational Open Teams in 2000 and 2009, European Open Teams in 1989 and 1993 as well as the prestige London Sunday Times Invitational Pairs in 1994. His team finished second in the 2000 World... , Krzysztof Jassem, Michał Kwiecień, Jacek Pszczoła, Piotr Tuszyński, Adam Żmudziński Adam Zmudzinski Adam Żmudziński is a Polish bridge player holding the title of World Grand Master. Żmudziński won the World Transnational Open Teams in 2000 and 2009, European Open Teams in 1989 and 1993 as well as the prestige London Sunday Times Invitational Pairs in 1994. His team finished second in the 2000... |
||
| USA David Berkowitz, Larry N. Cohen, Steve Garner, George Jacobs, Ralph Katz Ralph Katz Ralph Katz is an American bridge player.Domestically, he has won 20 North American Bridge Championships and twice the Open Team Trials. Internationally, he has many top finishes, highlighted by a win in the 2009 Bermuda Bowl... , Howard Weinstein |
||
| 1. | Italy Norberto Bocchi Norberto Bocchi Norberto Bocchi is an Italian bridge player. Bocchi has won four World teams championships along with six consecutive European teams championships and a seventh European in 2010. For many years his regular partner was Giorgio Duboin... , Giorgio Duboin Giorgio Duboin Giorgio Duboin is an Italian professional bridge player. He has won four world teams championships along with six consecutive European teams championships and a seventh European in 2010... , Fulvio Fantoni Fulvio Fantoni Fulvio Fantoni is an Italian international bridge player. He is a six-time world champion, a World Grand Master of the World Bridge Federation , and the WBF first-ranked player as of April 2011... , Lorenzo Lauria, Claudio Nunes Claudio Nunes Claudio Nunes is an Italian bridge international. He is a five-time world champion, a World Grand Master of the World Bridge Federation , and the WBF second-ranked player as of April 2011... , Alfredo Versace |
|
| Netherlands Sjoert Brink, Bas Drijver, Jan Jansma, Ricco van Prooijen, Maarten Schollaardt, Louk Verhees |
||
 Russia Alexander Dubinin, Andrei Gromov, Jouri Khokhlov, Max Khven, Georgi Matushko, Vladimir Rekunov |
||
| 2008 Beijing Beijing Beijing , also known as Peking , is the capital of the People's Republic of China and one of the most populous cities in the world, with a population of 19,612,368 as of 2010. The city is the country's political, cultural, and educational center, and home to the headquarters for most of China's... , China 71 teams |1. |
Italy Giorgio Duboin Giorgio Duboin Giorgio Duboin is an Italian professional bridge player. He has won four world teams championships along with six consecutive European teams championships and a seventh European in 2010... , Fulvio Fantoni Fulvio Fantoni Fulvio Fantoni is an Italian international bridge player. He is a six-time world champion, a World Grand Master of the World Bridge Federation , and the WBF first-ranked player as of April 2011... , Lorenzo Lauria, Claudio Nunes Claudio Nunes Claudio Nunes is an Italian bridge international. He is a five-time world champion, a World Grand Master of the World Bridge Federation , and the WBF second-ranked player as of April 2011... , Antonio Sementa, Alfredo Versace |
|
 England David Gold, Jason Hackett, Justin Hackett, Artur Malinowski, Nicklas Sandqvist, Tom Townsend |
||
 Norway Terje Aa Terje Aa Terje Aa is a Norwegian bridge player, WBF World Life Master, and regular member of the Norwegian team since 1993. Teams on which he was a member have placed in the top three of the World Bridge Federation European and World Championships 11 times between 1984 and 2008.In 1993, Aa debuted as the... , Glenn Grøtheim Glenn Grøtheim Glenn Grøtheim is a Norwegian bridge player, WBF World Grand Master, winner of the 2007 Bermuda Bowl and a regular member of the Norwegian team since 1987.... , Geir Helgemo Geir Helgemo Geir Helgemo is a Norwegian professional bridge player. As of April 2011 he ranks number 11 among Open World Grand Masters.... , Tor Helness, Jørgen Molberg, Ulf Håkon Tundal |
* Soulet–Szwarc in 1980, Adad–Aujaleu in 1992, and De Falco–Ferraro in 2000 did not play enough boards to qualify for the title of World Champion** Van der Neut and Nooijen in 1992 did not play enough boards to qualify for third place*** Panelewen and Watulingas in 1996 did not play enough boards to qualify for second place
Women Teams
Teams representing eight different countries won the Olympiad series for Women during its twelve renditions, led by the United States with four. England won the first rendition as part of the World Mind Sports Games, beating host China by one IMP in 2008.| Year, Host, Entries | Medalists | |
|---|---|---|
| 1. |  UARHelen Camara, Aida Choucry, Samika Fathy, Loula Gordon, Josephine Morcos, Suzanne Naguib |
|
| | France Nadine Alexandre, Annie Chanfray, — Gary, Geneviève Morénas, Esmerian Pouldjian, — Rouvière |
||
| Denmark Otti Damm, Annelise Faber, Rigmor Fraenckel, Lizzie Schaltz, Gulle Skotte |
||
| 1. | Great Britain Dimmie Fleming, Fritzi Gordon Fritzi Gordon Fritzi Gordon was one half of the most famous and tempestuous female partnership in bridge. She was the second woman to attain the rank of World Grand Master, her partner Rixi Markus being the first. She won four world titles, seven European championships and numerous other tournament victories... , Jane Juan, Rixi Markus Rixi Markus Rixi Markus MBE was an Austrian and British international contract bridge player. She won five world titles, and was the first woman to become a World Grand Master within the World Bridge Federation... , Mary Moss, Dorothy Shanahan |
|
| USA Agnes Gordon, Muriel Kaplan, Alicia Kempner, Helen Portugal, Stella Rebner, Jan Stone |
||
| France Suzanne Baldon, Annie Chanfray, Marguerite de Gailhard, Geneviève Morénas, Marianne Serf |
||
| 1. | Sweden Britt Blom, Karin Eriksson, Eva Mårtensson, Rut Segander, Gunborg Silborn, Britta Werner |
|
 South AfricaThelma Beron, Gerda Goslar, Rita Jacobson, Petra Mansell, Elfreda Sender, Alma Shnieder |
||
| | USA Hermine Baron, Nancy Gruver, Emma Jean Hawes, Dorothy Hayden Dorothy Hayden Truscott Dorothy Hayden Truscott was the top-ranked woman in bridge for many years and authored or co-authored books on the game.-Career:... , Sue Sachs, Rhoda Walsh |
||
| 1. | Italy Marisa Bianchi, Luciana Canessa, Rina Jabès, Maria Antonietta Robaudo, Anna Valenti, Maria Vittoria Venturini |
|
| South Africa Thelma Beron, Janie Disler, Gerda Goslar, Rita Jacobson, Petra Mansell, Alma Shnieder |
||
| | USA Mary Jane Farell, Emma Jean Hawes, Marilyn Johnson, Jacqui Mitchell, Peggy Solomon, Dorothy Hayden Truscott Dorothy Hayden Truscott Dorothy Hayden Truscott was the top-ranked woman in bridge for many years and authored or co-authored books on the game.-Career:... |
||
| 1. | Italy Marisa Bianchi, Luciana Capodanno, Marisa D'Andrea, Rina Jabès, Maria Antonietta Robaudo, Anna Valenti |
|
| Great Britain Charley Esterson, Nicola Gardener Nicola Smith Nicola Smith MBE has been a leading English bridge player for over thirty years, with many successes in international competition to her credit. She was a member of the British teams which won the Venice Cup, the women's world championship, in 1981 and 1985, and which finished second in 1976... , Fritzi Gordon Fritzi Gordon Fritzi Gordon was one half of the most famous and tempestuous female partnership in bridge. She was the second woman to attain the rank of World Grand Master, her partner Rixi Markus being the first. She won four world titles, seven European championships and numerous other tournament victories... , Sandra Landy, Rixi Markus Rixi Markus Rixi Markus MBE was an Austrian and British international contract bridge player. She won five world titles, and was the first woman to become a World Grand Master within the World Bridge Federation... , Rita Oldroyd |
||
| USA Mary Jane Farell, Emma Jean Hawes, Marilyn Johnson, Jacqui Mitchell, Gail Moss, Dorothy Hayden Truscott Dorothy Hayden Truscott Dorothy Hayden Truscott was the top-ranked woman in bridge for many years and authored or co-authored books on the game.-Career:... |
||
| 1. | USA Mary Jane Farell, Emma Jean Hawes, Marilyn Johnson, Jacqui Mitchell, Gail Moss, Dorothy Hayden Truscott Dorothy Hayden Truscott Dorothy Hayden Truscott was the top-ranked woman in bridge for many years and authored or co-authored books on the game.-Career:... |
|
| Italy Marisa Bianchi, Luciana Capodanno, Marisa D'Andrea, Enrichetta Gut, Andreina Morini, Anna Valenti |
||
| | Great Britain Nicola Gardener Nicola Smith Nicola Smith MBE has been a leading English bridge player for over thirty years, with many successes in international competition to her credit. She was a member of the British teams which won the Venice Cup, the women's world championship, in 1981 and 1985, and which finished second in 1976... , Sandra Landy, Rita Oldroyd, Sally Sowter, (Michelle Brunner Michelle Brunner Michelle Brunner was a British bridge player, writer and teacher. She was a member of the British team that won the 1985 Venice Cup, the biennial world championship for women national teams. She also once finished second and twice third in the women's event at the World Team Olympiad... , Pat Davies)* |
||
| 1. | USA Betty Ann Kennedy, Jacqui Mitchell, Gail Moss, Judi Radin, Carol Sanders, Kathie Wei |
|
| Great Britain Pat Davies, Sally Horton, Sandra Landy, Nicola Smith Nicola Smith Nicola Smith MBE has been a leading English bridge player for over thirty years, with many successes in international competition to her credit. She was a member of the British teams which won the Venice Cup, the women's world championship, in 1981 and 1985, and which finished second in 1976... , (Sarah Scarborough, Gillian Scott-Jones)** |
||
| Netherlands Marijke Erich, Petra Kaas, Laura Lor, Marijke van der Pas, Elly Schippers, Bep Vriend Bep Vriend Brechiena Vriend is a Dutch contract bridge player. As of April 2011, she ranks number 8th among Women World Grand Masters.... |
||
| 1. | Denmark Trine Dahl, Bettina Kalkerup, Judy Norris, Charlotte Palmund, Dorthe Schaltz, Kirsten Steen Møller |
|
| Great Britain Michelle Brunner Michelle Brunner Michelle Brunner was a British bridge player, writer and teacher. She was a member of the British team that won the 1985 Venice Cup, the biennial world championship for women national teams. She also once finished second and twice third in the women's event at the World Team Olympiad... , Pat Davies, Sandra Landy, Liz McGowan, Sandra Penfold, Nicola Smith Nicola Smith Nicola Smith MBE has been a leading English bridge player for over thirty years, with many successes in international competition to her credit. She was a member of the British teams which won the Venice Cup, the women's world championship, in 1981 and 1985, and which finished second in 1976... |
||
 BulgariaNevena Deleva, Maria Garvalova, Albena Krasteva, Matilda Poplilov, (Margarita Halatcheva, Steliana Ivanova)* |
||
| 1. | Austria Maria Erhart, Doris Fischer, Barbara Lindinger, Terry Weigkricht, (Herta Gyimesi, Jovanka Smederevac)*** |
|
| Great Britain Pat Davies, Michele Handley, Sandra Landy, Liz McGowan, Sandra Penfold, Nicola Smith Nicola Smith Nicola Smith MBE has been a leading English bridge player for over thirty years, with many successes in international competition to her credit. She was a member of the British teams which won the Venice Cup, the women's world championship, in 1981 and 1985, and which finished second in 1976... |
||
| France Danièle Avon, Véronique Bessis, Anne-Claude de l'Epine, Élisabeth Delor, Colette Lise, Sylvie Willard |
||
| 1. | USA Jill Blanchard, Juanita Chambers, Lynn Deas, Gail Greenberg, Irina Levitina Irina Levitina Irina Solomonovna Levitina is a Russian-American chess and bridge player. In chess, she has been a World Championship Candidate and gained the title Woman Grandmaster. In contract bridge she has been five times the World Champion.-Chess career:In 1973, she tied for 2nd-5th in Menorca... , Shawn Quinn |
|
 ChinaGU Ling, SUN Ming, WANG Hongli, WANG Wenfei, ZHANG Yalan, ZHANG Yu |
||
| Canada Francine Cimon, Dianna Gordon, Rhoda Habert, Beverly Kraft, Sharyn Reus, Barbara Saltsman |
||
| 1. | USA Mildred Breed, Petra Hamman, Joan Jackson, Robin Klar, Shawn Quinn, Peggy Sutherlin |
|
| Canada Francine Cimon, Dianna Gordon, Rhoda Habert, Beverly Kraft, Martine Lacroix, Katie Thorpe |
||
 GermanyDaniela von Arnim, Sabine Auken, Katrin Farwig, Pony Nehmert, Andrea Rauscheid, Barbara Stawowy |
||
| 1. | Russia Olga Galaktionova, Victoria Gromova, Natalia Karpenko, Maria Lebedeva, Tatiana Ponomareva, Irina Vasilkova |
|
| USA Marinesa Letizia, Jill Meyers, Randi Montin, Janice Seamon-Molson, Tobi Sokolow Tobi Sokolow Tobi Sokolow is an American bridge player. As of April 2011 she ranks number 15 among Women World Grand Masters.... , Carlyn Steiner |
||
| England Sally Brock, Michelle Brunner Michelle Brunner Michelle Brunner was a British bridge player, writer and teacher. She was a member of the British team that won the 1985 Venice Cup, the biennial world championship for women national teams. She also once finished second and twice third in the women's event at the World Team Olympiad... , Heather Dhondy, Rhona Goldenfield, Nicola Smith Nicola Smith Nicola Smith MBE has been a leading English bridge player for over thirty years, with many successes in international competition to her credit. She was a member of the British teams which won the Venice Cup, the women's world championship, in 1981 and 1985, and which finished second in 1976... , Kitty Teltscher |
||
| 2008 Beijing Beijing Beijing , also known as Peking , is the capital of the People's Republic of China and one of the most populous cities in the world, with a population of 19,612,368 as of 2010. The city is the country's political, cultural, and educational center, and home to the headquarters for most of China's... , China 54 teams |1. |
England Sally Brock, Heather Dhondy, Catherine Draper, Anne Rosen, Nevena Senior, Nicola Smith Nicola Smith Nicola Smith MBE has been a leading English bridge player for over thirty years, with many successes in international competition to her credit. She was a member of the British teams which won the Venice Cup, the women's world championship, in 1981 and 1985, and which finished second in 1976... |
|
| China Ling GU, Yi Qian LIU, Ming SUN, Hongli WANG, Wenfei WANG, Yalan ZHANG |
||
| USA Mildred Breed, Marinesa Letizia, Sylvia Moss, Judi Radin, Janice Seamon-Molson, Tobi Sokolow Tobi Sokolow Tobi Sokolow is an American bridge player. As of April 2011 she ranks number 15 among Women World Grand Masters.... |
* Brunner–Davies in 1980 and Halatcheva–Ivanova in 1988 did not play enough boards in order to qualify for third place** Scarborough and Scott-Jones in 1984 did not play enough boards in order to qualify for second place*** Gyimesi and Smederevac in 1992 did not play enough boards in order to qualify for the title of World Champion
Senior International Cup
Teams representing the United States won both renditions of the Senior International Cup. From 2008 the World Bridge Federation continues the tournament in conjunction with the World Mind Sports Games although it is not a WMSG event.Currently "a bridge a player belongs to the 'Seniors' category if he has
at least his 60th birthday in the calendar year in question." For the next rendition (2012) players born in 1952 or earlier will be eligible. (The threshold increased one year annually from 2005 to 2010.)
| Year, Host, Entries | Medalists | |
|---|---|---|
| 1. | USA John Mohan, Dan Morse, Steve Robinson, John Sutherlin, Bobby Wolff Bobby Wolff Robert S. Wolff is an American bridge player and an original member of the Dallas Aces team, which was formed in 1968 to compete against the Italian Blue Team which was dominant at the time. The Aces were successful and won their first world championship in 1970... , Kit Woolsey Kit Woolsey Kit Woolsey is an American bridge and backgammon player. He graduated from Oberlin College in 1964. He earned a master's degree in mathematics from the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign in 1965.... |
|
| France Pierre Adad, Maurice Aujaleu, Claude Delmouly, François Leenhardt, Christian Mari, Jean-Marc Roudinesco |
||
| Sweden Lars Alfredsson, Lars Backström, Sture Ekberg, Hans Göthe, Hans-Olof Hallén, Anders Morath |
||
| 1. | USA Leo Bell, Neil Chambers, Marshall Miles Marshall Miles Marshall Lauren Miles is an American bridge player and author.-Bridge career:Miles' crowning achievement was winning the World Senior Teams Olympiad in Istanbul in 2004... , John Onstott, Jim Robison, John Schermer |
|
| Netherlands Willem Boegem, Nico Doremans, Onno Janssens, Jaap Trouwborst |
||
| Germany Hans Humburg, Reiner Marsal, Göran Mattsson, Werner Schneider, Dirk Schroeder, Horst-Dieter Uhlmann |
||
| 2008 Beijing Beijing Beijing , also known as Peking , is the capital of the People's Republic of China and one of the most populous cities in the world, with a population of 19,612,368 as of 2010. The city is the country's political, cultural, and educational center, and home to the headquarters for most of China's... , China World Mind Sports Games non-medal event 32 teams born 1950 or earlier |
1. |  Japan Hiroya ABE, Makoto HIRATA, Masayuki INO, Yoshiyuki NAKAMURA, Kyoko OHNO |
| USA Grant Baze, Billy Eisenberg Billy Eisenberg William Eisenberg is an American bridge and backgammon professional. In bridge, Eisenberg has won five Bermuda Bowl world team titles and in backgammon he won the world title in 1975... , Russ Ekeblad, Matt Granovetter, Sam Lev, Reese Milner |
||
| Indonesia Michael Bambang Hartono, Henky Lasut, Eddy Manoppo, Denny Sacul, Munawar Sawiruddin, Ferdinand Robert Waluyan |
World Mind Sports Games
After the 2004 Olympiad, the WBF and the world governing bodiesSport governing body
A sport governing body is a sports organization that has a regulatory or sanctioning function. Sport governing bodies come in various forms, and have a variety of regulatory functions. Examples of this can include disciplinary action for rule infractions and deciding on rule changes in the sport...
of three other games established the International Mind Sports Association
International Mind Sports Association
The International Mind Sports Association is an institution of the world governing bodies for contract bridge, chess, draughts , and go, namely the World Bridge Federation , World Chess Federation , World Draughts Federation , and International Go Federation...
and initiated its first priority, the quadrennial World Mind Sports Games
World Mind Sports Games
The first World Mind Sports Games were held in Beijing, China from October 3 to 18, 2008, about two months after the Olympic Games. They were sponsored and organised by the International Mind Sports Association with the General Administration of Sport of China and the Beijing Municipal Bureau of...
. The first WMSG were held in Beijing
Beijing
Beijing , also known as Peking , is the capital of the People's Republic of China and one of the most populous cities in the world, with a population of 19,612,368 as of 2010. The city is the country's political, cultural, and educational center, and home to the headquarters for most of China's...
October 2008, about two months after the summer Olympic Games
Olympic Games
The Olympic Games is a major international event featuring summer and winter sports, in which thousands of athletes participate in a variety of competitions. The Olympic Games have come to be regarded as the world’s foremost sports competition where more than 200 nations participate...
.
Thus a WBF initiative to integrate bridge with the Olympics was abandoned in favor of a long-term goal, advancing the WMSG as a "stepping stone on the path of introducing a third kind of Olympic Games (after the Summer and the Winter Olympics)". The multi-event "World Team Olympiad" was discontinued in favor of participation in the WMSG but the constituent events of the Olympiad continue—Teams championships in Open and Women categories as part of the WMSG; in Seniors and Transnational categories as non-medal side events.Bridge at the WMSG officially comprised, among other events, the two "series which used to be part of the Olympiad (Open and Women national teams). ... The Seniors competition for national teams, held along the lines of the Olympiad Open and Women series, and the World Transnational Mixed Teams championship were also held in Beijing, although, officially, they were not part of the World Bridge Games"; that is, not WMSG medal events. World Bridge Games makes an impressive debut, 1st World Mind Sports Games contemporary coverage, 2008, World Bridge Federation. Page 1.
See also
- Bermuda BowlBermuda BowlThe Bermuda Bowl is a trophy awarded to the winners of the Open series in the World Team Championship in contract bridge and is named for the site of the inaugural tournament held in 1950...
- Venice CupVenice CupThe World Teams Championship in contract bridge for women players only is also known as the Venice Cup, because the first edition was held in Venice, Italy in 1974.It is held every two years, in parallel to the Open World Teams Championship, the Bermuda Bowl....
- Senior BowlSenior Bowl (bridge)Senior Bowl, also known as the d'Orsi Senior Bowl, is a bridge competition held at the same venue as Bermuda Bowl and Venice Cup. This event first started in 2000 as an exhibition contest before growing into a World Seniors Championship in 2001. It is contested every odd-numbered year...
- Bridge at the 1st World Mind Sports GamesBridge at the 1st World Mind Sports GamesThe first World Mind Sports Games convened in Beijing, China, 3–18 October 2008. They were sponsored by the International Mind Sports Association and organised by the General Administration of Sport of China and the Beijing Municipal Bureau of Sport....
External links
- World Team Olympiad at the World Bridge FederationWorld Bridge FederationThe World Bridge Federation is the world governing body of contract bridge. The WBF is responsible for world championship competition, most of which is conducted at a few multi-event meets on a four-year cycle...
- World Bridge Games at the World Bridge Federation —Bridge at the World Mind Sports GamesWorld Mind Sports GamesThe first World Mind Sports Games were held in Beijing, China from October 3 to 18, 2008, about two months after the Olympic Games. They were sponsored and organised by the International Mind Sports Association with the General Administration of Sport of China and the Beijing Municipal Bureau of...