History of the ABCC
In The Beginning
It was in 1978 when Amran Zamzami of the Indonesian Bridge Association (GABSI) suggested that the ASEAN nations conduct an annual bridge tournament among themselves, distinct from the Far East (now APBF) Championships, with the objective of developing the game of bridge in the region. The other bridge leaders of the time, notably Dr. C. C. Lim of Malaysia, Jose Reyes of the Philippines, Michael Ting of Singapore and Maurice Kerr of Thailand, wholeheartedly agreed with Amran's vision.
A simplified set of guidelines was adopted. The ASEAN Bridge Club Championships (ABCC) would be held every year, with the host country rotating among the members. Each ASEAN country would nominate one representative to the ABCC Board. The representative of the host country for that year would assume the Chairmanship of the ABCC, and would be solely responsible for all activities connected with the tournament's organization and operations, including inviting all other members to play.
The growth of the ABCC
In deference to Amran Zamzami, Indonesia was given the honor of hosting the very first ASEAN Bridge Club Championships in 1979. Vice President Adam Malik of the Indonesian Republic was on hand to welcome the participants to Jakarta. There were eight participating teams competing in only three events then: Open Teams, Open Pairs, and Mixed Teams. The very first ASEAN Open Team Championship was won by the VOLTA team of Indonesia (who continued to dominate the Open Teams competition for the next few years), while Singapore won the Mixed Teams Championship.
The 2nd ABCC was held in Manila in 1980. This time, there were 13 open teams (5 each from Indonesia and the Philippines, and one apiece from Malaysia, Singapore and Thailand). Manila organized the first ABCC Women's Team Championships, with 6 participating teams (one each from Malaysia, Singapore and Thailand, and three from the Philippines). The Thailand ladies beat the Philippines Listermint Team in a very close finals match.
At the prodding of Far East Bridge Federation President Jose Reyes, a youth event was also first held in Manila (at that time, youth competition was open to players aged thirty years and below). Five youth teams were entered (one each from Indonesia, Malaysia and Singapore, and two from the Philippines). The Indonesian juniors bested all comers to become the first ABCC Youth Champions. Because of scheduling and logistical constraints, the hosts did not have a Mixed Teams competition.
The 3rd ABCC was held in Singapore in1981. It was in this tournament that the current format of five regular events (Open Teams, Ladies Teams, Youth Teams, Mixed Teams, and Open Pairs) was first adopted, and has become the standard ever since. Starting in 2013, the ABCC will also have a Seniors competition as part of its regular roster of events. The ABCC framework allows host countries to organize other side events, for as long as the five major events are completed, and the over-all tournament duration does not exceed five days.
The ABCC in retrospect
Perhaps the founding fathers of the ABCC never anticipated that this event would grow from its humble beginnings of just eight competing teams, into a major tournament involving several dozens of teams (the last few ABCC tournaments have typically drawn 30-50 teams across all events). Yet despite the large and tough field, the ABCC has developed a unique personality, very different from the other zonal or international tournaments.
Many top ASEAN players have commented that playing in the ABCC is like playing in a friendly local club tournament, in the sense that the camaraderie and personal friendships carry just as much importance as the actual competition. In the typical ABCC, what happens outside the bridge table is perhaps just as important as the actual competition. This involves a lot of smiles and greetings, as good friends see each again after perhaps a year of absence. It is an occasion of much laughter, as jokes, bridge hands, anecdotes, and friendly banter are irreverently shared over informal meals that cut across country boundaries.
So there is really much truth whenever old-timers refer to the ABCC as "your friendly neighborhood tournament". And this is just as well, for the founders of the ASEAN Bridge Club Championships had really hoped to achieve much more than just the development of the game. In truth, they all hoped for fellowship and friendships among good neighbors across the seas, despite the cultural differences, despite the language barriers, despite the political boundaries, all joined together by their common love of the game of bridge.