2025 IBPA Awards: Return to the Traditional Format in Hainan

Source: IBPA Bulletin No. 737

The International Bridge Press Association (IBPA) is pleased to announce that the 2025 IBPA Awards will officially return to their highly successful, pre-COVID-19 format. This transition is made possible through the generous sponsorship organized by Mr. Zhu and the Hainan Bridge Federation.

The annual awards celebrate outstanding achievements in bridge journalism and gameplay, offering official recognition and sponsored cash prizes to the winning journalists and players.

The International Bridge Press Association (IBPA) is a member-based global organization dedicated to bridge journalism, authorship, and media coverage. Established to support and connect professionals who write about, broadcast, or commentate on the game of duplicate contract bridge, the IBPA serves as a vital link between the sport and its worldwide audience. Through its monthly bulletins, digital archives, and high-profile annual awards, the association fosters journalistic excellence, promotes the global growth of bridge, and preserves the history of the game’s most brilliant plays, strategies, and personalities. You can become a member, click here.

Award Categories

The IBPA panel, selected by the designated awards committee, will confer prizes across the following current categories:

• IBPA Book of the Year (Sponsored by Masterpoint Press)
• IBPA Personality of the Year
• Best Played Deal (Sponsored by the Lall Family and Bob Hamman)
• Best Bid Deal
• Best Defended Deal
• Junior Hand of the Year Award
• The IBPA John H. Lindsey II Bridge-Analysis Award

Adjudication and Selection Process

The shortlists for the four major deal categories have been finalized. The final selection meeting will take place in Hainan on 9–10 November 2026, where the winning deals will be determined.

The judging panel will comprise representatives from all global regions, chosen by the IBPA award committee under the leadership of Chairman David Stern. The sponsors will provide the judges with flights, hotel accommodations, meals, and a daily per diem.

The 2025 Awards Ceremony and Tournament

The 2025 Awards Ceremony will be held in Hainan from 27 February to 2 March 2027. The ceremony will be followed by an exclusive tournament to which all winners and executives are invited.

To encourage international attendance, the sponsors are offering supplementary financial incentives. Winning journalists and the players featured in the winning articles who attend the ceremony in person will receive additional cash prizes and travel allowances.

Attendance-Based Prize Structure

Please note: These specific cash bonuses and travel allowances are contingent upon personal attendance at the ceremony and are awarded in addition to the standard sponsored category prizes.

During the event, all hospitality costs—including hotel and meals for the laureates—will be fully covered by the host sponsors. The subsequent tournament will also feature independent cash prizes.

The IBPA and its partners look forward to delivering a distinguished and memorable event for the global bridge community.

Explaining the Timeline

1. The Achievement Year (2025)

The “2025 Awards” specifically honor the bridge deals that were played, and the journalism articles that were published, during the 2025 calendar year. Because great bridge hands can be played right up until December 31, 2025, the award cycle cannot even begin processing nominations until 2026.

2. The Judging Year (2026)

Throughout 2026, the IBPA committee collects submissions from around the world, translates articles, and narrows them down to the official shortlists. This extensive process culminates in the international judging panel meeting in Hainan on 9–10 November 2026 to vote on and select the final winners.

3. The Ceremony Year (2027)

Once the winners are chosen in late 2026, the organizers need time to coordinate international travel for the winners, executives, and guests. This brings us to 27 February – 2 March 2027, which is the earliest optimal time to host the physical gala and the subsequent celebratory tournament.

Study the Greats: The IBPA Award Booklets

Want to see exactly what it takes to win an IBPA award? You can download the official IBPA Award Booklets! Available directly on the IBPA website, these digital booklets are a treasure trove of bridge mastery. They contain detailed profiles of the winners, deep dives into the exact winning hands, and plenty of extra insights. Whether you want to study past winners or just appreciate some brilliant bridge, they are absolutely worth a read.

Official 2025 Shortlists (Published June 2026)

As published in the June 10, 2026 edition of the IBPA Bulletin (No. 737), the official nominees and recording journalists for the four major deal categories covering the period of January 2025 to December 2025 consist of the following:

Dick Freeman Award for Junior Hand of the Year

• Nominee: Nikolaj Hammelev | Journalist: Charles Pedersen (Article: “Just like Zia”)
• Nominee: Alex Goss | Journalist: Brad Coles (Article: “Australian Open Playoff”)
• Nominee: Nicolai Heiberg-Evenstad | Journalist: Knut Kjærnsrød (Article: “Norwegian talent in action”)
• Nominee: Olivia Schireson | Journalist: Sally Brock (Article: “Four-IMP vulnerable game swing”)
• Nominees: Marius Dalemark Austad & Ida Marie Øberg | Journalist: Knut Kjærnsrød (Article: “Norwegian talent in action”)

Gidwani Award for Best Defence

• Nominee: Michał Klukowski | Journalist: Jos Jacobs (Article: “Klukowski kills the squeeze”)
• Nominee: Arlene Dalley | Journalist: Michael Courtney (Article: “Point of view”)
• Nominees: Eldad Ginossar & Chris Willenken | Journalist: John Carruthers (Article: “The 2025 JAYCEES”)
• Nominee: Zachary Grossack | Journalist: Barnet Shenkin (Article: “Great vision”)
• Nominee: Vincent Demuy | Journalist: Barnet Shenkin (Article: “Unique defence”)

The Juan-Carlos Ventin Bidding Award

• Nominees: Zygmunt Marczyński & Michel Lorber | Journalist: Mark Horton (Article: “Hidden Gems”)
• Nominees: Rajath Shourie & Gavin Wolpert | Journalist: John Carruthers (Article: “The 2025 JAYCEES”)
• Nominees: Zia Mahmood & Michael Kamil | Journalist: John Carruthers (Article: “The 2025 JAYCEES”)
• Nominees: David Gold & Zia Mahmood | Journalist: Barry Rigal (Article: “Scientific auction”)
• Nominees: Daniel Korbel & Roger Lee | Journalist: Barry Rigal (Article: “The impossible king”)
• Nominees: Henrik Noberius & Tobias Törnqvist | Journalist: Micke Melander (Article: “Swedish Bridge Festival”)

Justin Lall Play Award

• Nominee: Boye Brogeland | Journalist: Knut Kjærnsrød (Article: “Winter Games”)
• Nominee: Aaron Jones | Journalist: Mark Horton (Article: “Memory Lane”)
• Nominee: Martin Schaltz | Journalist: Charles Pedersen (Article: “The Danish Team Championship”)
• Nominee: Lian Yong | Journalist: Jerry Li (Article: “Great play”)
• Nominee: Irene Baroni | Journalist: Mark Horton (Article: “The smiling assassin”)
• Nominee: Danny Miles | Journalist: Neil Kimelman (Article: “Neil Kimelman”)
• Nominee: Boye Brogeland | Journalist: Mark Horton (Article: “Diamond cut diamond”)

Notice for Nominated Journalists

The committee intends to contact all involved players and journalists. However, nominated journalists are strongly encouraged to contact the subjects of their articles directly at their earliest convenience to facilitate coordination and ensure representation.