"The game of bridge is dwindling in the province of Chennai,(formerly known as Madras) despite the best efforts of Madras Bridge Association to generate interest for this international game of intellectual calibre among young generation," says a senior bridge player of Madras Gymkhana Club, C.V.Bhal.

He added that Madras bridge players of the province like A.R. Venkatraman, Prahbakar and R. Krishnan, made a mark earlier while representing national bridge teams of India in international competitions, including Bermuda Bowl. But that is a thing of the past. It may be pointed out that the Madras Gymkhana Club took the initiative of starting a coaching class for bridge that has attracted about twenty five enthusiasts for the game but the players, who have responded, are all above the age of forty, the young ones have stayed away. Now he said the young generation is attracted towards chess even at a tender age and he did not see any future for bridge in the days to come.

This was a regrettable disclosure by a veteran in a province of a large population having over 80 percent literacy rate. Besides, Chennai is one of the four leading cities of India known for its remarkable attainments in different academic fields. It is really a sad and sorry affair that among four major clubs of the city, only Madras Gymkhana Club holds daily bridge sessions, that too on a limited scale. Still the Madras Bridge Association organises weekly bridge tournaments routinely as a formality with decreasing number of participants at the Club. In the tournament held last Tuesday i.e., February 17, the team, Madras Blue, won the top slot having the services of a pair of Albuquerque and Bhal, both of them have represented the Indian national bridge team in the past. A hand played by the pair that outwitted the opponents who stopped at 5 diamonds is reproduced here for its bidding bravado.

{1} Both played five card major suits with reverse bids

West led Jack of spades.

The South limited his hand by his bids. But the North took a shot at small slam for his packed diamond suit holding. Luckily for the South both the vital kings were rightly placed which turned out to be a tally of thirteen tricks in the bargain.

The lead was won in the dummy with the king and the declarer played a small club to the king in hand. Then he pushed a small diamond and finessed the jack in the dummy, that worked. Then Bhal playing a small heart finessed the queen that succeeded. Next came another diamond trapping the king from the West and the trump suit behaving evenly. After that he cashed the ace of clubs and ruffed a small club in hand. Later discarded the last card of clubs in the dummy on the ace of spades that made the dummy good for all the thirteen tricks.

THE BIDDING:

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South     West     North     East

C.V. Bhal Swamy    A.P.J.  Narain

                Albuquerque

1 D {1}   Pass      2 C      Pass

2 NT      Pass      3 D      Pass

3 H       Pass      4 NT     Pass

5H        Pass      6 D      Pass

Pass      Pass

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Dealer South

Both sides vulnerable

NORTH

S K

H 73

D AQJ1093

C A1076

WEST

S J1084

H J108

D K4

C QJ93

EAST

S Q532

H K652

D 62

C 542

SOUTH

S A976

H AQ94

D 875

C K8

GOLDEN TIPS: The element of luck plays its due role for those who dare.

Copyright Business Recorder, 2004