Here is the text of an email that Joe Stokes, USBF Junior Coordinator, has sent to all Juniors for whom USBF has email addresses about the upcoming World Junior events:
Earlier I wrote to tell you about two upcoming international bridge events for juniors: 1) The Second World Youth Congress (WYC) in Opatija, Croatia, August 21-30, 2011, and 2) the World Mind Sports Games (WMSG; AKA World Championships), August 11-25, 2012 (location to be determined but likely England). The trials for the 2011 WYC will be for pairs (events at the WYC are Swiss Teams, Board-A-Match teams, and matchpoint pairs); the trials for the WMSG will be for teams of 4 to 6 players.
For the WYC event, the information I sent previously has not changed. The USBF will send two teams, U21 and U26. Three pairs will be selected for each of our two teams in a qualifying event on Bridge Base Online (BBO; BridgeBase.com). The qualifying for the U26 team (born in 1986 or later) will be April 30-May 1; April 1, 2011 is the deadline for entering the U26 trials. For the U21 team (born 1991 or later), the online trial is May 21-22; April 22, 2011 is the deadline for entering the U21 trials.
For the WMSG in 2012, there have been changes, the most significant of which is the addition of an under-28 (U28) group for players born in 1985 or later. To determine the USA’s representative for this U28 event, four teams will be invited to participate in trials in Detroit, June 10-11, 2011, coincident with the USBF trials for our Women’s and Senior Teams. If more than four teams enter this event, we will hold a qualifying on BBO April 23-24, 2011, to reduce the field to four teams. The deadline for entering the U28 event is April 8, 2011 (note well).
The U26 teams (born in 1987 or later) competing to represent the USA in the 2012 WMSG will play online on BBO on August 13-14, 2011, if more than four teams enter. Four teams will qualify for a face-to-face trials at the Fall NABC in Seattle, exact dates to be determined (the nationals in Seattle are Nov 24 – Dec 4, 2011). The deadline for entering the U26 team trials is August 2, 2011.
The U21 (born in 1992 or later) team trials for the 2012 WMSG will begin with an online event on BBO June 18-19, 2011. Two teams will qualify to play the face-to-face finals at summer NABC in Toronto, July 31, the day after the Youth NABC ends. See addendum below sent by Joe Stokes on June 2, regarding change in this event's trials.
The USBF covers expenses for the international competitions and charges no entry fees for the online and in-person trials. Players are responsible for their own travel expenses for the in-person trials at the nationals and in Detroit.
To enter any of these events, you will need to log in to the USBF website and complete an entry form. Each player in any of these events must have registered on the USBF website, by clicking on "JOIN" and completing the registration form. Also, please send me an email (
Be aware that for trials on BBO, players must arrange a place to play (ideally at an ACBL bridge club) and to have a monitor present in person to oversee the competition. If you decide to enter any of these events, please start early to find a monitor and a suitable place to play.
Good luck to all.
Joe Stokes
USBF Junior Program Coordinator
Message sent on June 2, 2011 regarding the 2012 U21 selection:
We are still waiting to hear the dates for the World Mind Sports Games (WMSG) in England in 2012. We think we will know these dates by late June or early July.
Because of this delay, we will NOT hold trials for the U21 team (Damiani Cup) for the 2012 WMSG as originally scheduled on BBO (June 18-19), nor will we have the finals at the end of the Toronto nationals as originally planned.
Once we have firm dates for the event, we will set a new deadline for entering the U21 team trials. Once we know who is entered, we will make a plan for playoffs to determine the U21 team that represents the USA. We may still use some sort of trials on BBO and/or we may have a playoff at a regional or sectional tournament.
Meanwhile, please go ahead and enter your team at USBF.org (click "2011 Junior Trials" on the left, then "2012 U21 teams"). I apologize for this confusion and appreciate your patience.