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 Mumbai Moradabad Jaipur Pune Kanpur Asansol Ghaziabad Bangalore
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.
Amity Bridge Championship took place at Golf course NOIDA from April 2 - 4 1999. The tournament was sponsored by Amity Bridge Club of Amity Business School. Amity Business School intend to introduce Bridge in the curriculum, this is something unheard of in India.
Kunwar Murli Manohar Memorial All India Bridge Tournament would be held from 6th-9th May 1999 at The Claridges-Corbett Hideway-Garjia
(Corbett National Park).This is a leisure cum serious bridge event. The entry is restircted to 28 teams only, the entry fee is Rs.12000/- per team
of four.The entry fee takes care of boarding,lodging,tournament entry fee & entertainment.
World Wide Simultaneous Pairs Championship scheduled to be held on June 4 & 5, 1999 has been cancelled by WBF.
The tournament ,which is still known by its first sponsors Epson, didn't take place in India in 1998 also due to
non-participation by BFI.
Dehradun holds two state level tournaments every year during this time of the year. This year only one tournament is expected to be held.
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 is not for accomplished players.
| Dealer: East Vul: NS Lead:  Q | NORTH 9 8 6 A 5 3 Q 10 8 5 3 28 | |
| WESTQ 10 7 5 4 28 77A 6 5 3 | EAST3K Q 10 4 2K 6 4Q J 10 4 | |
| SOUTHA K JJ 9 6A J 9K 9 7 2 |
| East | South | West | North |
| 1 | X | Pass | 2 |
| Pass | 2 | Pass | 2 NT |
| Pass | 3 NT | Pass | Pass |
| Pass |
This week's deal shows a defensive strategy known as Merrimac Coup.
North is playing in 3 NT after East has opened a thin 1 Heart. South has made a take out double of 1 Heart to which North's response of 2 Diamond promises at least 4 cards in Diamond. South's values are less for a cue bid of 2 Heart which leads to a contract of 3 NT by North.
East doesn't lead Heart and instead leads Club Queen. The contract can only be defeated if East or West can smell danger of a long Diamond suit with North and attack Heart suit immediately.
East would have to give up a trick in Heart suit by knocking off the side entry of North, the Heart Ace. Now the diamond suit can not be set up and the contract would be defeated.
This startgey of giving up a sure trick to knock off a side suit entry ,where a long suit is threatening to get established, is known as Merrimac Coup.
It is not easy as it seems as in this deal the key cards , long diamond suit and the side suit entry Heart Ace, has to be placed exactly.
This deal was played 3 years back in an pairs event and 3 NT got scored as the Heart suit wasn't attacked by East or West.
East after leading Club Queen continued with Clubs which was covered by South.After West won Club Ace being short in Diamonds didn't see the danger of long Diamond suit and continued Clubs. East after winning the third Club also didn't play Heart King and North was able to score the contract.