Priyanka Gulati
Two paths diverged in the HCL bridge's play,
To play the pro- am or not, what to say,
Opting for the pro-am event, I chose one to attend,
A novice amid pros, the choice I would defend.
Full of nerves, I embarked on the game's direction,
To make unique connection.
With amateurs and pros, each hand in sight,
I traversed the path less taken, though not without a plight.
Hopefully, in future, it will make all the difference in play,
Choosing the pro-am event along the way,
The HCL Bridge stands out as the most esteemed bridge event globally. Summoning my courage, I dared to join the pro-am event, despite feeling jittery due to the presence of highly skilled players registered such as Kiran Nadar, Koushik Mukerjee, Ashok Goel, Uttam Gupta, Arvind Vaidya, Rajeev Khandelwal and all the TDs.
Yet, I took the plunge and registered.
In a daring move that surprised even my partner, I made a brilliant bid that won us the game! Oops but unfortunately that was my dream the previous night…
However, reality set in during the game, where a mix of excitement and imposter syndrome overwhelmed me. In the pro-am, it's like the honeymoon phase of a marriage—no raised voices, just humor and apologies from the amateur partner. (If only all tournaments could maintain this atmosphere without the shouting and blame games 😀.)
The intensity and anticipation in the air were palpable, drawing players from various backgrounds and skill levels, each contributing to the charged atmosphere.
Initially hoping for a European partner, I soon realized the value of a dependable desi partner. Sayantan Kushari, all of 26 years old, with his patience and respect at the table, was the best option. He is poised to become a future world star; a judgment drawn more from my HR experience than my bridge skills.
Seizing the once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to sit among these legendary players, I learned something which I now call emotional learning; which is that if I had not made that silly error- it would not cost us those 9 imps. Converting all errors to emotional baggage, a baggage which hounds for few days.
Playing alongside pros like Zia, who's akin to Roger Federer in tennis, and other intimidating names, I found the pairings intriguing.
Also, when I had a great hand, what was interesting to watch out for was how everyone was bidding and pushing. It was tough to have that room to bid. Honestly there were even times when cards were packed and I had no idea why but everyone knew everyone’s hand.
I owe gratitude to Kiran Nadar for enabling this experience, to Sandeep Thakral for the push to join, and the organizers, and also to Soham Sarkar and Subashree Basu, for their support and cheering. Lastly, a special thanks to my partner for taking on this challenging game with me.
I shall be telling this with a sigh
Somewhere ages and ages hence:
Two roads diverged in HCL, and I—
I took the one less traveled by,
And that has made all the difference.
Disclaimer : All opinions are entirely those of the author and are no reflection of the views of the BridgeFromHome Team.