EBL Official Website• Format
This event is to be played online, using the RealBridge platform (RB), under the auspices of the European Bridge League ("the EBL"), starting October 27th till October 30th, with two teams playing the final on November 3rd. The event is a transnational teams event, governed by the Laws of Duplicate Bridge 2017 as amended on 1st January 2024 (“the Laws”), the EBL General Conditions of Contest (“the GCoC”) and relevant Ancillary Documents as published on the EBL website, the Supplementary Conditions of Contest (“the SCoC”) and the separate regulations that will be communicated in letters to the teams. Unless otherwise stated or illogical in context, the definitions used in the GCoC apply also to the SCoC.
- The Championship is a Transnational event – players from all WBF zones are invited to play
- Players must meet the requirements for the Senior category: “a Senior player must have achieved the age of 64 in the year of the Championship in which he is going to play”
- The format of play is 4 rounds (8 boards per round) per day.
- Participants will be able to win EBL Master Points and medals but also they will get the opportunity to gain international experience in the bridge world.
All the teams who have entered play on all 4 days. In first two days – 8 rounds – they compete to determine the teams playing in Knock-out phase. With up to 47 participating teams, 8 teams advance to Knock-out (Quarterfinals). With 48 or more participating teams, 16 teams advance to Knock-out (Round of 16).
The qualification will be played as 8 rounds Swiss, with four rounds per day. In two last days the top 8 or 16 teams compete in a knockout for Gold and Silver medal. The remaining teams, with drop-ins from the knockout R16/Quarterfinals, compete in a Swiss for the 5th place, playing 4 8-boards matches each day.
KNOCKOUT PHASE
With 16 teams in KO:
The team placed 1st at the end of the Qualification Swiss has the right to choose their opponent among the teams placed 9th-16th. These teams will take respectively the numbers 16, 15, 14, 13. Then the remaining teams take the numbers 5-12 according to their rank at the end of the swiss and are paired accordingly (5 vs 12, 6 vs 11 etc.). At that point the bracket is fully formed.
With 16 teams in Knock-out, they play 16(2x8)-board Round of 16 matches (losers go to Round 11 of the Swiss) and 16(2x8)-board Quarterfinal on 29th October, and 32 boards Semifinals on 4th day (30th October). Winners of Semifinal play 32(4x8)-board final on Monday, 3rd November. Losers of Semifinals are awarded with Bronze medals.
With 8 teams in KO:
At the end of the swiss, the top TWO teams (1, 2) pick an opponent from the teams ranked 5-8. These teams will take respectively the numbers 8, 7. Then the remaining teams take the numbers 3-6 according to their rank at the end of the swiss and are paired accordingly (3 vs 6, 4 vs 5 etc.). At that point the bracket is fully formed.
With 8 teams in Knock-out, they play 32 boards Quarterfinals on 3rd day (29th October), and 32 boards Semifinals on 4th day (30th October). Winners of Semifinal play 32(4x8)-board final on Monday, 3rd November. Losers of Semifinals are awarded with Bronze medals.
Carry Over
In R16, QF and SF matches carry over will be 0.1 IMP for the team higher placed in Qualification Swiss. In the Final (4x8 boards) there will be no Carry-Over. In case of tie at the end, it will be solved by 1-board Sudden Death.
SWISS FOR THE 5th PLACE
Carry over will be 50% of VPs from the Qualification Swiss. Losing teams of the Knock-out matches will join the Swiss for 5th Place (according to the rank in the Qualification Swiss.)
After round of 16 drop-ins will be awarded the average of 3rd and 4th team at the end of the 3rd round. After quarterfinal the drop-ins will get the average of 3rd and 4th team after the end of the 6th round.
• Provisional Timetable
All times in CET
As we play 4x8 boards each day, in qualification, play-offs and final, there will be 4 sessions per day, with the following starting times*:
18.30 CET
19.45 CET
21.00 CET
22.15 CET
*In case 48+ teams register, on the third day the timetable will be as follows:
29 October, 2025
17.30 CET
18.45 CET
21.00 CET
22.15 CET
Spectators/Kibitzers
No persons other than the active Players and TDs will be allowed in the playing area. Delayed online kibitzing of all tables will be available, through https://kibitz.realbridge.online.
• Conditions of Contest - Systems
• Entries - Registration
Entries should be submitted electronically via the EBL Website (not by e-mail) at the latest by the 15th of October, 2025. Each captain must ensure that their e-mail address is provided and they should check it regularly for information or queries from the organizers.
Each team can consist of a captain and players belonging to one or more NBOs (i.e. the event is a transnational one). Each member must be in good standing with the NBO and will also be subject to the approval of the EBL Credentials Committee and be registered in the EBL database. Each team is entitled to have up to 8 playing members.
A team may change or add members up to 3 days before the commencement of play. All such changes are subject to the approval of the Credentials Committee. Except with the permission of the Seniors Committee, any such substitute or added player must use one of the systems already filed in accordance with the SCoC.
The players must have been born no later than 31 Dec 1961.
• Systems
The EBL Systems Policy 2023 applies to this Event. The event is classified as a Category 3 event (no HUMs or Brown Sticker methods). Both members of a partnership must adopt the same methods in the auction and in their carding. The systems must be described on System (Convention) Cards and Supplementary Sheets in accordance with Section 11 of the GCoC and the Regulations for the Registration and Use of Systems, and submitted as described below.
Systems have to be registered no later than 5 days before the event start. Captains should ensure that their e-mail address is provided and they should check it regularly so they are available for any queries that may arise concerning a system registered by their team. Note that VP penalties and other restrictions will be applied in accordance with the GCoC for late submission. Minor changes to systems (which may be clarifications, amendments, minor additions and/or cosmetic revisions) will be accepted up to 15th of October 2025. Revisions will be published on the website with the other systems, marked as REV1 or REV2 etc., thus giving captains the opportunity to compare them with the original submission.
Each team will be provided with a link for uploading their system cards. After the team has entered, the captain will be sent instructions. For help with this, please contact support@realbridge.online.
• Entry Fees
The entry fee is €250/team. Entry Fees shall be paid by bank transfer to:
Credit Suisse AG
Rue de Lion d'Or 5-7
CH-1002 Lausanne-Switzerland
Account: EUROPEAN BRIDGE LEAGUE
IBAN: CH88 0483 5135 2558 8200 0
SWIFT/BIC CRESCHZZ80A
