There Comes a Time

Priyanka Gulati

The evolution of humanity and bridge though not guaranteed, has displayed remarkable progress, marked by periods of slow development and frustrating stagnation. Amidst dark ages and decline, there have been spectacular epochs of advancement. To quote Shakespeare

There is a tide in the affairs of men, which, taken at the flood, leads on to fortune; Omitted, all the voyage of their life Is bound in shallows and in miseries.

We have all gone through the frustrating moments in bridge where all you look for is that light, where the human spirit is bigger than the crisis.

Bindiya Kohli is such story that exemplifies inspiration, perseverance, and hope, showcasing the triumph of the human spirit.

She was a bit frustrated with the game and its demands and had declared that this tournament was her last as she had already registered. Having registered, she had decided that she would give it her best.

To use her own words

I knew it was a 6 day tournament and mental endurance was critical. For some weeks before the event, we daily played online tournaments totaling a minimum of 50+ boards during the week to build up my mental stamina - Ramani of course can play in his sleep🙃.
Furthermore, we had an understanding that his role was to keep me focused on the present deal - hence no discussion on my errors in prior boards unless I asked for any clarification.

And the rest is history as she, along with her partner TV Ramani, claimed the winner's trophy in the Prime Mixed Pairs.

My other heroine of the event is Monica Jajoo. Not only did she finish runners up in the Prime Mixed Pairs event with her partner, Sumit Mukherjee, but was also part of the team that won the Prime Mixed Teams tropy. Her mantra is practice - practice. We have all heard of the rule of 11, but what have you heard of the rule of 10,000?

The "10,000-hour rule" was popularized by Malcolm Gladwell's book "Outliers" and asserts that the key to achieving true expertise in any skill is simply a matter of practicing, albeit in the correct way, for at least 10,000 hours. Monica Jajoo, the queen of the moment at the Bombay Gymkhana bridge tournament, rightfully has displayed the rule.

In the roller coaster of emotions that is bridge, maintaining composure and focus is the key to victory. Balance and Practice - the mantra to success.

Their performance, akin to a perfectly balanced apple pie served the in gymkhana club, demonstrated the right mix for success, the sugar blending in perfection with the cinnamon to give that winning combination.

So are you ready to be a Bindiya or a Monica?

Congratulations to all winners, and gratitude to the organizers for introducing a mixed teams event in India for the first time.

Last, but definitely not the least, a huge thank you to N. Jayakumar, Managing Director of Prime Securities who sponsored the event. Prime Securities is an investment banking company with activities that include debt and equity syndication, buy-backs and open offers, restructuring, and early stage financing, something as complicated as bridge bidding!

Disclaimer : All opinions are entirely those of the author and are no reflection of the views of the BridgeFromHome Team.