HONG KONG, Aug. 8, 2024 /PRNewswire/ — The "Geely Automobile Inter-City Bridge Championships 2024" officially kicked off yesterday (August 7). The event is organized by the Hong Kong, China Contract Bridge Association (HKCBA) and will be held at the Crowne Plaza Hong Kong Kowloon East from 7 to 11 August 2024.
Mr. Kenneth Fok Kai-kong JP, Vice President of the Sports Federation & Olympic Committee of Hong Kong, China and Legislative Council Member officiated the opening ceremony. He mentioned that in the past two Asian Games, the Hong Kong, China bridge team had achieved brilliant results, won six medals and brought glory to Hong Kong, China. He was also delighted to learn that the HKCBA has been dedicated to the development of bridges in recent years and has even set up a clubhouse for competitions and training. He hopes that the HKCBA will continue to work hard to promote the sport of bridge.
The invitational Avia Financial Celebrities Bridge Tournament 2024 was completed on the evening of August 6, with participating players including notable public figures as well as six current Asian Games gold medalists (Mr. Dicky Lai, Mr. Abby Chiu, MH, Mr. Alan Sze, MH, Mr. Bubble Ho, Mr. Gordon Ho, Mr. K. F. Mak). After an intense battle, Mr Patrick CHOY, Mr JU Chuan Cheng, Mr WANG Da De and Ms LIU Yan emerged as the winner.
This year’s championship will include three major events: the " Xiashun Open Teams ", the " Inter-City Mixed Teams ", and the " President’s Cup Youth Teams ". In addition, the championship will also host 7 other events, including the " Speedball Pairs ", " IMP Pairs", " Memorigin 3-Bid Cup ", "Swiss Team Event", "Geely Auto Open Pairs Preliminary", "Mixed Pairs", and "Swiss Pairs", and victory dinner and prize presentation will be held on August 11.
Mr. Derek Zen, President of the HKCBA, has been deeply involved in bridges for over 50 years and has already integrated bridges into his life. President Zen said: "We are delighted to host this annual grand bridge championship, allowing bridge enthusiasts from all walks of life to gather and challenge their ‘brain fitness’. Bridge not only tests intelligence but also cultivates teamwork and logical thinking skills – we look forward to this event attracting more citizens to join this inspiring intellectual sport." Over the past 20 years, the HKCBA has always emphasized talent cultivation, organizing bridge competitions in the academic sector in addition to regular exchanges among members, allowing young people to focus on and participate in this sport.
The tournament is supported by the "Arts and Sport Development Fund" of the Culture, Sports and Tourism Bureau, and is endorsed by partners including Geely Auto, Avia Financial, Memorigin, Xiashun Holdings, Infinite D Technology Limited, and Crowne Plaza Hotel Kowloon East. This event has attracted over a hundred teams from around the world and Hong Kong, competing for 11 prestigious titles, and will be a spectacular display of intellectual prowess and strategic gameplay, further consolidating Hong Kong’s position as a premier hub for high-level intellectual sports. Interested parties can enter free of charge to watch, and for more information and registration for some events, please visit the official website https://www.hkcba.org/intercity/2024/.
About Bridge/Hong Kong Contract Bridge Association/Hong Kong City Bridge Championship
Bridge originated in the late 19th century. Its predecessor was a game called Whist. In the 1890s, the modern form of bridge began to gain popularity in the UK and the US. The Hong Kong, China Contract Bridge Association (HKCBA) was established in 1951 and has been dedicated to promoting the development of bridges in Hong Kong. The 1st Hong Kong City Bridge Championship started in 1980, with a history of over 40 years, and is one of the important events in the Asian region.
Appendix 1: Schedule
Date
Time
Event
Participants
6 August
16:00 – 20:00
Teams Registration
For details, please visit: https://www.hkcba.org/intercity/2024/
7 August
09:00 – 10:30
Teams Registration
10:30 – 11:00
Captains Meeting
11:30 – 13:30
Opening Ceremony & Welcome Luncheon
14:00 – 18:15
Xiashun Open/Inter-City Mixed/President’s Cup Youth Teams Qualifying
19:45 – 22:00
Speedball Pairs
8 August
09:15 – 17:30
Xiashun Open/Inter-City Mixed/President’s Cup Youth Teams Qualifying Round
19:45 – 23:30
IMP Pairs
9 August
09:15 – 18:30
Xiashun Open/Inter-City Mixed/President’s Cup Youth Teams Qualifying
19:45 – 23:30
Memorigin 3-Bid Cup
10 August
09:15 – 18:30
Xiashun Open Semi-Final 1 & Inter-City Mixed/President’s Cup Youth Teams Final 1v
10:30 – 18:30
Swiss Teams
19:45 – 23:30
Geely Automobile Open Pairs Qualifying
11 August
09:15 – 17:30
Xiashun Open Teams Final 1
10:00 – 18:30
Geely Automobile Open Pairs Final
12:30 – 18:30
Swiss Pairs
12:30 – 18:30
Mixed Pairs
19:30 – 22:30
Victory Dinner & Prize Presentation
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