For bridge, environment is the key word. Not the architectural kind that gets you across rivers, but a card game that is played across tables. Picture a hall of 30 to 40 people, a space where beginners can fumble through spades and diamonds without fear. A group of beginner bridge players will gather soon for a civil competition. “Bridge is an intellectual game. It’s the world’s most popular mind game, incidentally,” Kalyanasundaram, engineer, retired businessman, and bridge evangelist shares. The only thing more persistent than his love for the game is his determination to make others love it too. “This is, of course, a hobby,” he says. “We have been organising beginner events for the last five years. We want people who have learned the game recently to get exposed to a bridge tournament.”
The trick to friendship through bridge is simply inviting people to a table and dealing 13 cards each. He begins by teaching about the pack of 52 cards, and the four suits. This is followed by hand valuations, bidding, and the slow, process of learning through trial, triumph, and the occasional gentle critique. “It’s like a puzzle. Every deal is new. You solve this puzzle by getting into the right contract and making the contract. That’s the essence of the game,” he says.
This year’s tournament is set to be a highlight in Chennai’s bridge calendar, with support from key figures like Ishwar Achanta, vice president of MGC, and MS Arun, sub-secretary of MGC. “They’ve encouraged learning and regularly conduct tournaments,” he says. For everyone eager to try this out, Kalyanasundaram says, “You don’t need to be young to begin. You just need to begin.”
Beginners’ Bridge Tournament will be held on April 27 at Madras Gymkhana Club from 10 am onwards.
Entry fee: `150 per person |`300 per pair (includes lunch and prizes)
Registration: https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSfXxtETZE98qB_trgctB4AR7pctFt9ytDoUC8nWaW4qVS77Xw/viewform?usp=sharing
Call: 9840017607, 9940472726