Nagpur Bridge Duo Stages Remarkable Comeback to Clinch National Silver
In a display of strategic brilliance and resilience, the experienced Nagpur pair of Mahesh Mor and Arun Puranik secured the silver medal at the prestigious All India Open National Ranking Point Bridge tournament. The thrilling event concluded on Sunday at the Institution of Engineers Hall in Nagpur, marking a significant achievement for the local players.
A Dramatic Post-Lunch Surge to the Podium
Playing with calculated precision, Mor and Puranik executed a stunning turnaround after the lunch break, jumping an impressive 10 places in the standings. This remarkable surge propelled them into contention for a medal in the highly competitive Match Point Pairs event. The duo credited their late-session energy boost to the traditional Marwadi cuisine served on the final day, which was enjoyed by all 250 national participants.
The Nagpur pair amassed 437 points during the decisive final session, transforming their position from outside contenders to emphatic podium finishers. Their total score of 852.40 points placed them firmly in second position, though they narrowly missed the gold medal by just 40 points to the second-seeded combination of Sandeep Thakral and Subhash Gupta, who claimed the championship with 892.80 points.
Vidarbha Dominance in the Final Rankings
The tournament showcased exceptional talent from the Vidarbha region, with three local teams securing positions in the top four. The bronze medal was captured by the Hinganghat father-son duo of Basant Kumar and Anurag Mohota, who accumulated 828.10 points. Their performance edged out Saturday's standout Nagpur pair of Shailendra Chhajed and Vijay Deshpande, who finished fourth with 810.80 points.
Of the 28 pairs competing in the final round across 27 boards, the strong showing by Vidarbha teammates highlighted the region's growing prominence in national bridge competitions. The four-day tournament was meticulously organized by the Vidarbha Bridge Association under the guidance of the Bridge Federation of India.
Duplicate Event Champions and Future Tournament Announcement
In the parallel duplicate event, team Tornatae emerged victorious, claiming the Manohar Tarkunde Cup with a 126-102 victory over team Burzen in the championship match. The Tornatae squad featured Prasad Keni, Srinivasan, Animesh Raj, and Sapan Desai, while Burzen was represented by S Dutt, Swapan Some, Samir Basak, and Alok Daga.
The bronze medal in the duplicate event went to Dhampur Sugar Mill, who decisively defeated team Vedic 55-25. Following the competitions, trophies and cash prizes were distributed by representatives from the Tarkunde, Joshan, Agarwala, Sancheti, and Bapuna families.
In a significant announcement for bridge enthusiasts, BFI President Prasad Keni confirmed that Nagpur will host the next All India Open National Bridge Tournament in February 2027. This decision recognizes the outstanding efforts of the Vidarbha Bridge Association and the successful execution of the current event.
The organizing committee, led by chairman Anil Goenka and including members S Hastak, Amit Rewatkar, Anilkumar Mohota, and M Diwan, received widespread appreciation for their dedicated work in ensuring the tournament's smooth operation and competitive excellence.
