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OKbridge will conduct the second annual Internet World Bridge Championships this year

The championships will be co-sponsored by the World Bridge Federation, the American Contract Bridge League, The Bridge World Magazine and The Bridge Magazine.

The event will be open teams, with all teams representing a specific country. At least two-thirds of the team must be from the country being represented. Teams entered will be divided by number and by team rankings into eight World Regions. Three regions will be from the United States, three will be from Europe, Region 7 will includes Canada, Mexico, Bermuda, Central America, South America, and the Caribbean, and Region 8 will include Africa, Asia, the Middle East, the Far East, and the South Pacific). The champions of each of the eight world regions will be grouped into two divisions, the European Open Division and the North American Division.

The three European regional champions plus World Region 8 will compete within the European Open Division.
The three U.S. regional champions plus World Region 7 will compete for the North American Open Championship.
The North American Open Champion will compete against the European Open Champion in the World Championship final, which will be held in Birmingham, Alabama, USA on Thursday, November 16, 2000.

Each team reaching the final will receive a prize of $5000. Teams may include up to six players plus a non-playing captain. No team may have more than one-third of the team from outside the country from which the team is entered. Teams from within the United States will represent states, and the team captain may designate the state from which the team is entering. However, no team may have more members from a state different from the state entered.

The ACBL will award masterpoints according to the following schedule:
1st place 50 points
2nd place 37.5 points
3rd place 27.50 points
4th place 22.50 points
5th to 8th places 11.25 points

Match awards of two masterpoints will be given to winners of matches beginning with the round of 32. However, only the overall award will be given to members of teams that advance to the Round of 8. Monitors will be required beginning with the Round of 4 in the World Regional Competition. The entry fee will be $50 U.S. per team plus $5 for each player who is not an OKbridge tourney subscriber, or $10 for each player who is not a basic subscriber to OKbridge.

Players on participating teams will be given OKbridge playing privileges from the date the team entry fee is paid until the team is no longer in the competition. IWBC Conventions and Carding Rules are in the process of being drawn in such a way as to allow what is common practice in worldwide competition. These rules will be published and will become a part of the IWBC 2000 Conditions of Contest. If participants play conventions or use carding techniques that do not conform to the IWBC SAYC convention card, the player must complete a convention card and post it on OKbridge for opponents to review 72 hours prior to the match. The matches will consist of 24 boards until the Round of 4 in each World Region. From that point on, matches will consist of 32 board. The finalists will play a 48-board match. The matches within World Regions will be random draw and the World Championship Round of 8 will be seeded into two divisions.

The following have been appointed as officials for the IWBC 2000 event:
Tournament Chairman: Roy G. Green
Chief Tournament: Director Gary Blaiss
Appeals Chairman: Richard Colker
Publicity Chairman: Henry Francis
Deputy Chief Tournament Director: Tony Reus

The Tournament Committee and the Appeals Committee will be composed of a minimum of one individual from each of the eight world regions.

Entries close on March 31, 2000, and play will begin on or about April 10.

To enter the event, go to www.OKbridge.com/iwbc/