New Delhi, October 15, 2025 – The 22nd HCL International Bridge Championship successfully concluded its nine-day run from October 6-14, 2025, establishing new benchmarks for bridge tournaments globally. The prestigious championship, hosted at The Leela Ambience Convention Hotel in New Delhi, attracted over 146 teams from nearly 10 countries, competing for a historic prize purse of Rs 2.7 Crore (USD 310,000) – the largest ever offered in Indian bridge and among the largest worldwide.
The championship's international roster included elite teams from the USA, Norway, Australia, New Zealand, Poland, Lithuania, Russia, Israel, UAE, Kenya, Sri Lanka, and Bangladesh, creating an unprecedented convergence of global bridge talent in India. The tournament format encompassed five competitive categories: Team of Four Gold, Team of Four Silver, Open Match Point Pairs, IMP Pairs, and Mixed IMP Pairs.
Championship Winners:
In the most prestigious Team of Four Gold category, the Australian powerhouse Team WHAM – comprising Michael Whibley, Sartaj Hans, Andy Hung, and Matt Brown – successfully defended their title from the previous year, defeating Team OLIMP in a closely contested final. Their victory secured a commanding prize purse of Rs 44 lakhs.
The Team of Four Silver event showcased India's emerging talent with Nagpur VI claiming victory and earning Rs 17 lakhs, adding to their championship haul. In the prestigious Open Pairs Gold division, Norwegian maestros Christian Bakke and Tor Eivind Grude demonstrated their class, claiming the Neena Bonarji Trophy and Rs 12.8 lakh prize money. The Open Pairs Silver division winners, Vinay Desai and Raju Tolani, pocketed Rs 2 lakhs, showcasing India's competitive prowess on the international stage.
The Mixed IMP Pairs category witnessed a triumphant Indian showing with Keyzad Anklesaria and Vidhya Patel emerging victorious, securing Rs 2 lakh prize money. Russian partnership Tatiana Nokhaeva and Aleksandr Platkov claimed the IMP Pairs championship and corresponding prize.
The Global Tournament:
Kiran Nadar, Padma Shri and Chairperson of the Organizing Committee, emphasized the tournament's significance for developing Indian bridge talent: "I extend my heartfelt congratulations to all participants for their exceptional performances. It's truly encouraging to see a growing number of young players competing at this level. The future of Bridge in India depends on identifying and nurturing talent early, and hosting an international championship of this scale in the nation's capital offers emerging players a valuable platform to challenge themselves against top global competitors. Events like these are vital to both individual growth and the overall development of Bridge in India."
The 22nd HCL International Bridge Championship received special recognition from the World Bridge Federation, being included in the World Bridge Tour as a 'Category B' event – the highest rating available after world championship events. HCL Group, a US $14 billion global conglomerate, has been a steadfast patron of bridge in India since 2003, demonstrating unwavering commitment to the sport's development and promoting it to world-class standards.
