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.
HINDALCO bridge tournament is taking place at HINDALCO,Renukoot from July 30-Aug 1, 1999.
K.N. Modi bridge tournament is taking place at Boat House Club, Nainital from Sept 30-Oct 3, 1999.
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 on defence.
| Dealer: West Vul: None Lead:  7 | NORTH 10 9 4 3J 4 2 4 3 2 J 4 3 | |
| WESTA K J 6 29 5 39 6 5A 10 | EAST8 5K 10A K Q 8Q 8 7 5 2 | |
| SOUTHQ 7A Q 8 7 6J 10 7K 9 6 |
| West | North | East | South |
| Pass | Pass | 1 | 1 |
| 2 | Pass | 2 NT | Pass |
| 3 NT | Pass | Pass | Pass |
If you are alert you can give declarer a good guess with imaginative defence shows this week's deal.
West deals and passes with 12 HCP and 5 card Spades ,which many normally would open 1 Spade, in an evening duplicate session at Lucknow. East opens 1 Diamond, South overcalls 1 Heart.Now West bids 2 Spades showing maximum for pass and East plays the contract in 3 NT.
South leads a small Heart which is won by declarer's King.
Now declarer looks at his options.
If Spades break there are nine top tricks for him. Spade finesse has to Work but if Spades don't break he would need four tricks in Diamonds.
Accordingly he plays Diamond Ace and then Diamond King. On second Diamond South throws Diamond Jack!
A very alert and smart piece of defensive manoeuvre by South which gives impression of South holding doubleton diamonds.
Since EW cards have both 9 and 8 of Diamonds, declarer legitimately thinks of finesse in Diamond suit and unblocks 9 of Diamonds.
Now declarer takes finesse in Spades and finds about bad break in the suit, four tricks in Diamonds become necessary.
As South had thrown Diamond Jack the second round, declarer takes finesse of Diamond 8 and goes down in the contract.
If you notice that even if South plays 10 of Diamonds the second round there is guess but there is a chance due to restricted choice that South may hold Jack of Diamonds.But when South plays Jack you have to be certain that South indulges in such plays for you to not take finesse.
That is what declarer explained after the deal for his defeat of the contract!
Said declarer who plays his cards fairly well, since we play against each other frequently in the evening sessions he hasn't seen player sitting South doing such act before. So he was more or less convinced that South's Diamond holding was doubleton Jack.
Well done South.