Some of the best players in the world like Zia Mahmood of USA, Boye Brogeland of Norway, Mikael Rimstedt of Sweden and the oldest Indian medallist in the recent Asian Games in Hangzhou, the 65-year-old Jaggy Shivdasani, will be in action in the 20th HCL international bridge championship to be staged at the Leela Ambience here from October 31 to November 6.
The championship will offer a total prize purse of Rs.2.6 crore.
About 800 players in 140 teams are expected to compete from USA, Norway, Sweden, Poland, Bulgaria, Italy, Australia, New Zealand,, Israel, Indonesia, Thailand, Kenya, Bangladesh, Sri Lanka, and host India.
“This championship is not just a competition, it is a celebration of the boundless power of the human mind. It is a platform that elevates the sport, placing it on the global map”, said Kiran Nadar, an internationally acclaimed player who has been instrumental in the development of the game, especially through the HCL championship, over the years..
The championship will have four main events. The Team of Four gold, the Team of Four silver, along with Open Pairs and IMP Pairs events. To mark the 20 years of the championship, there will be a ProAm event on the last day, with amateurs participating in combination with professionals.