Just a few weeks, and then the third European mahjong championship will break loose. An interview with Otto Myslivec, secretary to the Organizing Committee. About the possible winners - ‘the young French and Danes are very dangerous’ -, the problems of sponsorship, and a personal plea for less international championships: “The tournaments are very expensive for the participants.”

• the first official World Champion, Li Li from China.
• the ruling European Champion, Martin Wedel Jacobsen from Denmark.
• the winner of the OEMC 2005, Masato Chiba from Japan.
• the number one of the EMA ranking list, Luca Gavelli from Italy, and 39 players of the top 50 of that list.

Otto: “Until now, we had 42 international tournament winners in Europe. 35 of them will start at Baden. Six of the best ten players of the WMC 2007, including the best European player Désirée Heemskerk from the Netherlands, will also play.”
Hence, his conclusion: “OEMC 2009 will be the strongest mahjong tournament that Europe has ever seen.”
Still, some favorites: “All these players will be able to win, but also many, many others. I think the young French and Danes are also very dangerous. And maybe it is immodest, but we are hoping that one of us Austrians will be the next champion.”