THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: Some of the best bridge players in the state will converge at the capital city this weekend for an annual tournament.
The annual Kerala Open Bridge Championships will be held on Saturday and Sunday at the Trivandrum Tennis Club. The tournament consists of the main event where teams of four players will vie for the K V Mathai Memorial Trophy. The second is a pairs event for the Dr K V Jacob Memorial Trophy. Next is a team of four progressive duplicate events which will be held for the N Kaleeswaran Memorial Trophy.
Around 100 players from all over the state are expected to participate in the open championships. The total prize money on offer is `1 lakh, the organisers said.
Along with chess and scrabble, bridge is one of three games that form the World Mind Sport Federation. In India, the sport is governed by the Bridge Federation of India and the Kerala Bridge Association is affiliated to the Sports Council.
" In the west, many schools have included bridge in their curriculum since the sport stimulates the brain and is challenging and exciting," the organisers said in a statement.
Sports and Youth Affairs director Sanjayan Kumar will inaugurate the tournament at 9.30 am on Saturday.