World Bridge Federation
Encyclopedia
Sport 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 contract bridge
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...
. The WBF is responsible for world championship competition, most of which is conducted at a few multi-event meets on a four-year cycle. Probably the most prestigious championships are those for national teams in Open, Women, and Seniors categories: 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...
, Venice Cup
Venice Cup
The 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....
, and Senior Bowl
Senior 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...
(jointly the biennial "World Teams Championships"), and the quadrennial World Team Olympiad
World Team Olympiad
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...
s, incorporated in 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...
beginning 2008.
The World Bridge Federation was founded August 1958 by delegates from Europe, North America, and South America (now Zones 1 to 3). It is incorporated under the laws of Switzerland as a 'non-profit' organization. The current president is Gianarrigo Rona of Italy, effective October 2010.
WBF membership now comprises 123 National Contract Bridge Organizations (NBOs) with about 700,000 affiliated members, most of whom participate in bridge competitions locally, if not nationally and internationally. Most of the NBOs belong to the "zonal organization" in one of eight geographic zones.
Harold Stirling Vanderbilt
Harold Stirling Vanderbilt
Harold Stirling Vanderbilt was an American railroad executive, a champion yachtsman, a champion bridge player and a member of the Vanderbilt family.-Background:...
was made the first honorary member of the WBF for his work developing the game.
Each National Contract Bridge Organization agrees to fulfil certain requirements, such as opening its ranks to all its citizens and residents and upholding a standard of ethics acceptable to the WBF.
The World Bridge Federation has a Congress to which each NBO is entitled to send one delegate. The Congress meets every second year, at Team Olympiads and at World Championships.
The WBF is administered by an Executive Council which is assisted by the various Committees and Consultants it appoints.
External links
World Mind Sports Games, International Mind Sports Association, 2008 or earlier. Posted at usgo.org American Go Association. Confirmed 2011-08-31. (Second copy at World Bridge Federation.)World Bridge Federation
- WBF zonal organizations — official websites if available
- Zone 1: European Bridge League
- Zone 2: American Contract Bridge League
- Zone 3: Confederacion Sudamericana de Bridge
- Zone 4: Bridge Federation of Asia & the Middle East
- Zone 5: Central American & Caribbean Bridge Federation
- Zone 6: Pacific Asia Bridge Federation —there is no PABF website linked to information provided by the WBF; some annual websites for PABF Championships remain active (example, PABF 2005, Seoul)
- Zone 7: South Pacific Bridge Federation —there is no SPBF website linked to information provided by the WBF; consult Australia Bridge Federation
- Zone 8: African Bridge Federation —obsolete?
- Asia Pacific Bridge Federation (pabf.org) with members from WBF Zones 6 and 7 and affiliates from Zone 4 —rooted in the old "Far East" region