The Annual Regional Bridge Tournament being held today at the Fairmont Southampton Princess Hotel, should boost January tourism numbers by drawing more than 300 overseas participants to the event.

With an estimated 150 local participants, that means almost 500 players will be competing in the week-long tournament, now in its 44th year. The largest overseas group, numbering 80, are members of a Toronto bridge club. For over 50 of these zealous Canadians, this tournament will be their first trip to Bermuda.

The designation `regional' refers to the geographic zone, administered by the American Contract Bridge League, which incorporates the United States, Canada, Mexico and Bermuda. The Bridge League's newly elected president, Alvin Levy, from Commack, New York will attend the tournament with his wife.

It is partly thanks to Microsoft's Bill Gates that competitive bridge has appeared so frequently in the news spotlight this past year. Competing in various tournaments throughout the year, Mr. Gates appeared at the World Championships in Montreal in August. There, he gave a press conference expressing his enthusiasm for the game and declaring that anyone can benefit from playing bridge because it enhances one's mental activity.

Local players said the Bermuda Bridge Federation is keenly looking forward to the opportunity to play against top North American players.

This is especially important at this time since trials set for February will determine the Bermuda teams which will travel to Martinique to compete in the zonal play-offs for the what the Federation calls the `World Cup of Bridge' - the Bermuda Bowl - being held in Monte Carlo in November.

For this year's tournament, organisers are offering a comprehensive programme of bridge events every morning, afternoon and evening.

The week culminates with a prize-giving and farewell dinner next Saturday. "All in all," said the Bermuda Bridge Federation, "there is a great bridge week shaping up."