Lucknow Bridge Association conducts bridge regular bridge tournaments in Lucknow.There are two regular pair events every week, on Tuesdays and Fridays.On Tuesday matchpoint pair event takes place and on Friday IMP pair event takes place. The entry fee is nominal Rs. 15 per person or Rs. 30 per pair for members. All bridge enthusiast all welcome. The membership of Lucknow Bridge Association is nominal Rs. 250 per annum and all regular players are expected to become members of the association. The venue for these tournaments is Oudh Gymkhana The address is: Oudh Gymkhana,Kaiserbagh, Lucknow.The timings are 6:30 pm onwards in the evening.
Lucknow club where the event used to take place earlier has closed down. Lucknow club was an old building which couldn't sustain the rains this year and the roof of its Badminton court, which was adjacent to the lobby where bridge used to take place, fell. Oudh Gymakhana charges Rs. 2000/- per month for making its hall available for bridge, part of which is being paid by raising the entry fee.
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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.
The 13th Worldwide Simultaneous Pairs event , which in the past have been sponsored by EPSON and Alcatel, took place on June 5 & 6 1998. The event didn't take place in India for the first time since the inception of the event.According to WBF (World Bridge Federation) the BFI (Bridge Federation of India) decided not to participate in this year's event despite having the knowledge of the event three months in advance.
The first Rajendra Chaudhary memorial Knockout duplicate bridge tournament is taking place at Oudh Gymkhana, Lucknow on September 16.This event takes place a day before K.N. Modi bridge tournament at Boat House Club, Nanital which is being held from September 17-20.
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 tests your opening lead skills.
Dealer: North
Vul : None
Lead : ?
| S | Q 10 | |||||||||||
| H | A K Q 6 5 2 | |||||||||||
| D | J 5 | |||||||||||
| C | A 10 9 | |||||||||||
| S | K J 5 4 2 | S | 8 7 | |||||||||
| H | 10 4 3 | H | 8 7 | |||||||||
| D | A Q 7 | D | K 9 8 4 2 | |||||||||
| C | 7 2 | C | J 6 5 4 | |||||||||
| S | A 9 6 3 | |||||||||||
| H | J 9 | |||||||||||
| D | 10 6 3 | |||||||||||
| C | K Q 8 2 |
Bidding
| North | East | South | West |
| 1 C | Pass | 1 NT | Pass |
| 2 H | Pass | 2 S | Pass |
| 3 H | Pass | 3 NT | Pass |
| Pass | Pass | ||
Consider this deal where South is playing 3 NT.
4 hearts is the optimum contract but South has chosen to play in 3 NT.
North had opened Precision 1 Club and simple natural bidding sequence has led to 3 NT which is optimistic bidding since South doesn't have control in diamond suit. In this sequence of bidding 1 Spade by South over 1 Heart would indicate 5 card , this in many other bidding systems may just indicate 4 card Spade suit.
What would you lead if you are West ?
Heart suit is ruled out and so is Spades until unless South has shrewdly made a lead inhibiting bid of 2 Spades. This leaves the choice to Clubs or Diamonds. Here Diamond is the killing lead , Ace or Queen. It is difficult to find this lead for many would choose clubs primarily because Diamond King appears to be with South on the bidding. Why must you lead Diamond ? One partner doesn't have much values as you've 10 HCP and both opponents are positive so your partner must have matching values to defeat the contract. Two, with your long spade suit and a bid by South clearing spades are unrealistic even if partner produces an honour in both spades and hearts.Three, what appears is that North must have a decent heart suit to pass 3 NT which could also mean six quick tricks in hearts which in turn means you have to act fast.Don't be passive this time and try a diamond honour lead.
Is there a way to end the West's agony ? There is , if only East is daredevil and can bid 1 NT with 4 HCP promising minors on strong 1 Club opening. Leading Diamond then is mere formality. Are you such a daredevil? Perhaps you shouldn't be for no one would play 3 NT then and you would lose a swing.
Following very good bridge sites are available for any bridge enthusiast:
Some other bridge sites are: