LAHORE, Dec 2: Twenty-six teams, including two each from Jordan and United Arab Emirates, along with 22 from Pakistan will take part in the Balijee International Bridge Championship to be held at Lahore Gymkhana from Dec 11 to 14.

Chief organiser Ihsan Qadir, said on Tuesday that from Pakistan 12 teams from Lahore, eight from Karachi and two from Rawalpindi would contest.

Ihsan said that the invitations were also extended to India, Bangladesh and Sri Lanka. The Indians were unable to travel to Pakistan due to non-availability of flight while no reply was received from Bangladesh and Sri Lanka, he added.

He said that all the players would have free boarding and lodgings facilities with no entry fee to play.

A cash prize of Rs 540,000 would be distributed among the top position holders of the team and pairs events.

The winning team will get Rs 120,000 and the runners-up Rs 70,000. The third, fourth and the fifth position holders will receive cash prizes of Rs 45,000, Rs 22,000 and Rs 14,000, respectively, he said.

The tournament consists of two types of matches, the pairs and the teams.

The pairs contest spread over three sessions and the team matches would be played on Swiss Movement of eight matches of sixteen boards, each.

First sessions pairs would be played at 9:30 on the opening day.

The team event would start from Dec 12, spread over two and half days.

The results of the Swiss would determine five open team winners and five ladies team winners.