The Opening Ceremony will take place on Saturday 29 September 2007, at the invitation of the Chinese Contract Bridge Association.

The Bermuda Bowl, Venice Cup and Senior Bowl Round Robin will start on Sunday 30 September and finish on Saturday 13 October, with the final knockout stages starting on Sunday 7 October.

In these three events, the Quarterfinal will end before the start ot the GENERALI Transnational Open Teams on Monday 8 October, allowing people who want to play this event to be able to do so.

The Closing Ceremony, which will include the prize giving followed by a Victory Banquet or Cocktail, will take place on Saturday 13 October.

In accordance with the provisional schedule, play will start daily at 10.00 to 10.30 and finish at 19.30 to 20.30, except on Monday 8 October when play will be extended to 23.00 to 23.30 hrs.

The 6th GENERALI World Transnational Open Teams Championship is a prestigious and most enjoyable event. Being transnational, it is open to teams composed of players from different countries, nominated by their National Bridge Organisation and approved by the WBF Credentials Committee.

It is a great opportunity for players to participate in a wonderful bridge tournament while at the same time having a unique opportunity to experience all the atmosphere and excitement of the final stages of the Bermuda Bowl and Venice Cup and watch some of the greatest players in the world on the first class vugraph presentation. Players wishing to compete in this Championship should contact their NBO and request nomination by the end of July 2007. There is no quota, and NBOs may nominate as many teams as they wish to compete in this great tournament.

Players eliminated from the Round Robin of the Bermuda Bowl and Venice Cup, as well as those from the Senior Bowl will be able to enter the GENERALI World Transnational Open Team Championship free of charge, if they register as a complete team. If they join players who are coming to Shanghai just to play in this event, then a substantial discount on the entry fee will be offered.

The GENERALI World Transnational Open Teams will take place during the second week of the Championships, starting in the late afternoon on Monday 8 October. The format will be Swiss Teams. It is normally played as 10-board matches (3, 4, or 5 per day) for 15 qualifying rounds (150 boards). The Quarterfinal will start on Thursday late afternoon, the Semifinal will be played on Friday 12 October and the Final will end on Saturday 13 October.

The Entry Fee is: $1,000.

Registration of Teams deadline - Bermuda Bowl / Venice Cup / Senior Bowl 15 June - GENERALI World Transnational Open Teams 1 September Registration of Players' Names deadline - Bermuda Bowl / Venice Cup / Senior Bowl 1 July - GENERALI World Transnational Open Teams 15 September VISAs Visitors who need an invitation letter in order to obtain a visa to enter China must fill out the attached form and send by email to Lillian Sun (sunchengmo82@yahoo.com.cn) no later than 31 July 2007.   All entries must be sent to: World Bridge Federation 40 rue François 1er F-75008 Paris France   cfrancin@worldbridgefed.com

Registration of Systems deadline - Bermuda Bowl / Venice Cup / Senior Bowl 10 August Payment of Entry Fees per team - Bermuda Bowl / Venice Cup / Senior Bowl $3,500 - GENERALI World Transnational Open Teams - (for 4 or 6 new players) $1,000 Players & NPCs (not Coaches) from the Bermuda Bowl, Venice Cup and Senior Bowl may participate in the GENERALI World Transnational Open Teams free of charge if they enter as a complete team of such players. This applies even if they are from different countries or series. If players from the main Championship events join players coming to Shanghai to participate in the GENERALI WTOTC the following discounts on the entry fees will be offered: •  For teams containing 1 player/NPC who participated in the Championship events: $850 •  For teams with 2 such players: $750 •  For teams with 3 such players: $500 •  For teams with 4 such players: $350 •  For teams with 5 such players: $200

For Bermuda Bowl, Venice Cup and Senior Bowl, the conditions of contest will give full details of systems regulations and registration, but players should note that it will be a requirement that all systems are registered in advance via email to Anna Gudge: anna@ecats.co.uk.

No HUM, or Brown Sticker conventions will be permitted at any stage of the Round Robin in either the Bermuda Bowl or Venice Cup nor will they be permitted at any stage of the Senior Bowl.

Pairs wishing to register Brown Sticker systems for use in the KO phase must register these, together with the relevant BS forms, by August 10, 2007. No extension to this deadline will be accepted.

For more information please contact:

World Bridge Federation Christine Francin 40 rue François 1er F-75008 Paris France   +33-1-5323 0315       cfrancin@worldbridgefed.com