By Lynn Little

24 young men will be representing the United States in the World Cyber Games, one of the biggest video game tournaments of the year.

About 700 players representing 62 countries are expected to compete for cash and bragging rights at the Bill Graham Civic Auditorium in San Francisco.

The annual tournament, first held in South Korea in 2000, will award $420,000 in cash prizes this year. The five-day event begins Wednesday evening with the opening ceremony at the Civic Center Plaza. More than 200 reporters and TV crew members from at least 10 countries will be covering the games.

This week, the competitors will play each of the six PC games and two Xbox console titles, which range from car racing to strategic war games. Individuals or teams play against each other, with the winners moving on in the bracket. The top three are given gold, silver and bronze medals, along with cash prizes that top out at $50,000 for team games and $25,000 for single-player games.