It appears that bridge is on the decline in the Silicon Valley of India, as diverse IT and industrial activities in the city of Bangalore spare little time for leisure for intellectual sport. This is an initial impression of any visitor to the social clubs of the beautiful crowded city. However, a good measure of enthusiasm was witnessed at Bangalore Club, which is the premier institution in the city for social and sporting activities.

For a long time the club has played a leading role as venue for international bridge events and now it has better facilities to offer for all sporting events with many-sided renovated areas.

An evening with club bridge players was an interesting experience. By and large the players follow two systems of bridge in their approach to the game with some handy conventions. One is Precision and the other is Strong Club and Diamond opening bids. In course of further bids there are some undefined bidding sequences that are bound to create misunderstanding between the partners. But somehow they manage to minimise the complications to obviate dangerous consequences. One hand that was played by senior bridge players of the club is reproduced here that reflects their simple bidding style.

(1) Strong 15/16 unbalanced hand artificial Diamond

When the dummy came down the declarer saw there was a distinct possibility of making the contract. After examining both hands, the South ruffed the queen in the dummy and came to hand with the queen of clubs and played the Jack of spades. West won the ace and finding himself in a corner, he exited with small heart which the South allowed it to come to his hand having the queen. East played the jack and won the trick with the queen. With that move it looked as though the end of the story as he could at this stage had to lose only to the queen of spades. Later the South played two more rounds of trumps and ran the club suit for East to pick up the trick by ruffing with the queen of spades at his sweet will.

And the diamond return from the East was won by South in hand by ruffing and confidently finessed the 10 of hearts and finally conceded a heart trick to the opponents and made the contract. The point in this hand was to show how the Bangalore club bridge players follow their system and conventions of the game.

The bidding:

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North     East     South     West

1 D (1)   Pass      1 S      Pass

4 S       Pass     Pass      Pass

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Dealer North

Both side vulnerable

North

S K972

H A1065

D ==

C AKJ96

West

S A

H K974

D QJ85

C 10842

East

S Q543

H J3

D A9632

C 73

South

S J1086

H Q82

D K1074

C Q5

Golden tips: Playing methodology vary from country to country

Copyright Business Recorder, 2004