WORLD TEAM OLYMPIAD

The World Team Olympiad, inaugurated in 1960, was the first competition to be set up by the WBF itself; the Bermuda Bowl already being well established when the WBF was founded in 1958.

Harold S. Vanderbilt , the inventor of modern bridge scoring, endowed the new event with a handsome cup, the Vanderbilt Trophy . His generosity continues to provide replicas for each member of the winning team.

The first Olympiad was held in 1960 in Turin , Italy and from the second in 1964, the two events (Open & Women) have practically the same format as in nowadays. A third series, reserved for senior players (55 or older) was introduced in 2000.

Every member country of the WBF is entitled to participate with one representative (national) team in each of the three series of the competition. Following the fashion of the Olympic Games, the World Team Olympiad is held on leap years only.

In 2008, the World Team Olympiad was incorporated in the World Mind Sports Games, under the new title World Bridge Games.