Bridge Championship
Formidables seize lead after 7th round of Swiss League at Ruia Gold Cup Bridge Championship
Kolkata/IBNS: The battle for supremacy intensified at the 67th Ashok Ruia Memorial Winter National Bridge Championship on Saturday as the formidable team Formidables, led by veteran icon Kiran Nadar, continued their commanding run at the Biswa Bangla Convention Centre in New Town.
With 96.02 Victory Points (VPs) at the end of the seventh round of the Swiss League in the prestigious Ruia Gold Cup Team Event, Formidables remained firmly in front, showcasing consistency and composure in a fiercely competitive field.
The team featuring Bachiraju Satyanarayana, Rajeshwar Tewari, Shubham Acharya, Kaustubh Bendre and Kaustabh Nandi held their ground as one of the strongest contenders for the title.
With one more round left before the knockout stage, only the top eight teams will progress to the quarterfinals.
Formidables may be leading, but they face stiff competition from their closest challengers.
Team Mohota trails with 90.86 VPs, while Team Monica Jajoo follows closely behind with 88.74 VPs.
Defending champions Indian Railways ‘A’ remain in the race, securing the fourth spot with 86.87 VPs.
Speaking on the expanding scale of this year’s championship, Debasish Ray, General Secretary of the Bridge Federation of India (BFI), highlighted the overwhelming participation in the upcoming Phoenix Market City IMP Pairs event.
“As many as 160 pairs will compete this year—the highest at a National Meet in recent times. It reflects the growing popularity and recognition of bridge as a mind sport across the country,” he said.
The day also witnessed a special moment of pride and celebration.
Kiran Nadar, a towering figure in Indian bridge and the 74-year-old captain of Formidables, was honoured with the Lifetime Achievement Award by the BFI.
A Padma Shri awardee and a champion at multiple international tournaments—including the Bridge Federation of Asia and the Middle East (BFAME) events—Nadar was felicitated for her decades-long contribution to nurturing and elevating the sport both in India and abroad.
As the Ruia Gold Cup moves closer to its knockout phase, all eyes are on Formidables—whether they can maintain their momentum, or whether the chasing pack will close in to reshape the leaderboard in the final stretch.
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