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 Ghaziabad Kanpur Moradabad Delhi Chandigarh Jaipur Mumbai Pune Asansol Bangalore Chennai
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.
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.
We continue this week on leads against small slams.
| Dealer: East Vul: Both Lead:  A | NORTH J 6A 10 9 5 3 2 10 7 9 5 4 | |
| WESTA Q 10 9 7 5 3Q5 4A K 6 | EASTK 2K J 4A Q J 9 6 3J 8 | |
| SOUTH8 48 7 6K 8 2Q 10 7 3 |
| East | South | West | North |
| 1 NT | Pass | 2 | Pass |
| 2 NT | Pass | 3 | Pass |
| 3 NT | Pass | 6 | Pass |
| Pass | Pass |
This deal ocurred in National Team Selection Trials in 1995 at Mumbai.
Jaggy Shivdasani & Santanu Ghose of Teloijan Tea Company were playing against Ashok Ruia's Ashok Ruia & Jimmy Mehta.
Jaggy and Santanu , the ace Indian pair, was NS on this deal and Ashok Ruia & Jimmy ,the two natural players, were EW.
Jimmy opened strong 1 NT Ashok invoked forcing Stayman Jimmy denied Majors with 2 NT and finally Ashok played in 6 Spades.
Santanu Ghose as North was on lead. He chose to lead Heart Ace and the contract got made!
What would you have chosen to lead ?
Robert B Ewen in his book Opening Leads says "As the opening leader, you are working with such limited information that it is impossible to guarantee success all of the time, but you will come out well ahead in the long run if you lead your Ace against small slam in a suit only under the following conditions: 1. You have a certain or probable second trick that needs no establishment. 2. The bidding suggests that you may be able to atke two quick tricks in suit, because partner has either the king or a void or singleton."
What did Santanu know of the bidding ?
West had to have a long Spade suit and East had less than four hearts. And since Jimmy had bid 3 NT on 3 Spades he is bound to hold something in Hearts. So is the Heart lead that good ?
Chances of finding partner with Heart King is the remotest possibility. It would have been better to lead passively through dummy by either leading Diamond or a Club.
The Diamond lead defeats the contract but the club lead isn't.
What is the learning ?
Experts make anti percentage plays.