In this section I would be putting together all the information regarding bridge facilites in the various cities in India.The information may be sketchy at present but would be made comprehensive in future.
Lucknow Allahabad Varanasi Meerut Dehradun Delhi Chandigarh Chennai
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Lee has been constantly updating the software. The latest version he informs is 6.0.1 with enhanced printing features.The software now supports 21 formats and the convention cards of Germany and South Africa are in offing.
In this section I would cover tournaments happening in India and more so the tournaments happening in Northern part of India and in the state of Uttar Pradesh.
UP state championship to select a team and three pairs from state started on 26th February at Allahabad Gymkhana, Allahabad.In the three years that I've been to the state championship , this year has seen the poorest participation in the championship. In all there were only six teams taking part five of which from Allahabad itself. This has rendered this year's chamiponship as a local event. May be not many teams from state want to visit Mt. Abu. Another fact is the timing of the event which occurs just before Holi which might have dissuaded some teams from participating.UPBA must take more effort towards ensuring decent competition to select a team to
represent the state.
Lohia bridge championship would be held at Kanpur in 11-14 March 1999.
State selection to represent one team in duplicate and three in pairs at the summer nationals being held at Mt. Abu from April 9-17
would take place at Allahabad Gymkhana, Allahabad from 26-28 Feb 1999. Pairs would take place on 28th morning.
In this section I would cover one good deal which appeared in the Weekly Bridge Tournaments at Lucknow or in a recent tournament with explanations.
This Week's deal from the UP state championship which started in Allahabad from February 26th.
| Dealer: West Vul: None Lead:  J (Open Room) ,  A (Closed Room) | NORTH 10 6 K 4 Q 10 8 5 2 K Q 6 2 | |
| WEST A 9 2Q 10 9 6 3 2KA 4 3 | EASTK Q J 8 4 3J 5 A J 6 4 3 - | |
| SOUTH 7 5 A 7 8 9 7 J 10 9 8 7 5 |
| West | North | East | South |
| 1 | Pass | 2 | Pass |
| 3 | Pass | 4 NT | Pass |
| 5 | Pass | 6 | Pass |
| Pass | Pass | ||
| West | North | East | South |
| 1 | Pass | 1 | Pass |
| 2 | Pass | 3 | Pass |
| 3 | Pass | 4 | Pass |
| 4 | Pass | 6 | Pass |
| Pass | Pass | ||
This week's problem is essentially of finding the killing lead.
Those who bid precisely would break their heads against the wall looking at the bidding shown here but this is real life and our friends in both the rooms have managed to bid 6 Spades , a contract which shouldn't ever make if the killing lead is found. Those who bid precisely must think that they would face this type of problem when they are playing against opponents who tend to overbid and they must find the precise lead else they would blow up 11 IMPs.
Bidding in open room has been deceptive for only two suits have come into auction. East jump shifts to 2 Spades on West's 1 Heart opening and ends up in 6 spades after West supports Spades via Simple Blackwood giving an impression of either a Heart fit or Heart misfit.The bidding clearly conceals two top losers in Heart suit.
Bidding in the closed room had been more revealing.Here East indicates a two suitor. And after cue bids of 4 Club and 4 Diamond East leaps to 6 Spades obviously assuming Heart controls with West. Not scientific enough but as I have mentioned earlier this has turned out to be more or less a local event and hence players are familiar with opponent's bidding methods and hence East could be fearing a 6 Spade contract.
Now look at what the effect bidding had on the lead. In open room South chose to lead Club Jack assuming a Heart fit with opponents and tried to setup a side suit trick before Hearts are cashed and the contract got made. In the closed room South managed to find the killing lead of Heart Ace but fell from grace when he didn't continue with the Heart suit after his partner followed with Heart 4 on Heart Ace. Beats me for if you reason out a lead of Heart Ace looking at dummy there is no other option but to continue with Heart suit.
Lead is a problem in the open room.Let us look at what the bidding reveals. South knows that one Ace is out and North should also think on similar lines as the Kings are not asked by East.Since quality of Heart suit is unknown with all Aces and fits in two suits an attempt would be made to bid seven. North should almost count his Heart King as a trick untill unless East has singleton Heart. North therefore has a Heart lead directing double of 6 Spade. But this double attracts redouble. So should North be passive and wait for his two tricks or be aggressive ?
The answer lies in what bidding methods are used by NS partners in the closed room. If NS partners bid like they have done in the closed room North should always double. Also if South thinks that his partners in closed room would stop in game contract with two top Heart losers outside then he could choose to lead Heart Ace inspite of assuming a Heart fit with opponents for his Club lead is only a 50 % chance of finding a side suit trick.
So you see duplicate bridge is aint too easy. It is very important to practice together and know the bidding methods of your partners.