The word "bridge'' will be associated with much more than river-crossing after next week's card championships -- thanks to a partnership between international business and the Department of Tourism.

International Advisory Services president David Ezekiel spoke during Hamilton Rotary's weekly luncheon at the Bermuda Underwater Exploration Institute about the Orbis World Bridge Championships to be held on the Island next week.

The event, which Mr. Ezekiel said originally started in Bermuda in 1950, is expected to bring substantial tourism dollars to the Island.

And he noted that the Fairmont Southampton Princess hotel was sold out for the event.

Mr. Ezekiel said a committee has been organising the event for about two years, and cited the support of former Tourism Ministers Jim Woolridge and David Dodwell as well as current Minister David Allen.

And Mr. Ezekiel emphasised the importance of Orbis Investment Management Ltd.'s "seven-figure sponsorship''.

Orbis pumped in $1 million into the championship, which is considered to be one of the most prestigious events in bridge.

Mr. Ezekiel told members of the Hamilton Rotary Club that although the idea of competitive bridge was "foreign'' to most people, it is an event that requires a great deal of stamina.

"Harvard did a study and ranked bridge one of the most stamina-sapping games at a competitive level,'' he said. "Think about sitting at a table for ten-and-a-half hours per day, knowing if you lose your concentration for five seconds, you're dead -- it's brutal.'' Mr. Ezekiel said there are some people who are able to make a career out of playing bridge competitively -- despite the fact not much prize money is available.

He said a number of good amateur players are willing to pay professionals between $2,000 and $25,000 per week to play with them and help them improve.

And he noted a few incidents where bridge was "in the news'', including a situation in 1931 where a wife became annoyed with her bridge-partner husband and ended up shooting him.

"She was acquitted of the murder -- the judge seemed to think he should've made the hand as well,'' said Mr. Ezekiel.

And he spoke about the mea- `Think about sitting at a table for ten-and-a-half hours per day, knowing if you lose your concentration for five seconds, you're dead -- it's brutal.' ---- David Ezekiel sures that had been put into place to stop cheating after the "Foot Soldier's Incident'' where a player was caught "tapping out a sort of Morse code'' onto the shoes of his partner.

He said the event, now in its 34th session, was dominated by Italy and the US.

David Ezekiel