Nandu Oke Memorial Swiss Pairs

Bridge From Home, along with a few close friends of Nandu Oke, is proud to bring you this tournament in memory of one of Mumbai's finest players. People from Mumbai will remember that a live tournament used to be conducted in his memory annually. We are hoping to kick start an online version of this event. Below is a small tribute to his memory by Dr. Subir Roy, himself a player par excellence and one of our country's best bridge writers.

Nandu Oke was an extremely brilliant player and one of my friends during my formative years of bridge. He also was a splendid organizer who managed the annual tournaments at the Lokmanya Seva Sangh and the weekly Willingdon Catholic Gymkhana Pairs.

He was one of the most fair and kind people I have met. Nandu enjoyed his occasional glass of beer and was a good raconteur of tales. One of his favorite tales comes from the menagerie of Lokmanya Seva Sangh, when we were all greenhorns, discovering bridge, and involves one of his very close friends, the indomitable Anil Padhye.

Describing Anil's adventures in card play, Nandu loved elaborating Anil's superior skills in dummy play "First he ruffed the diamonds from the dummy in his hand. Later he ruffed the diamonds from his hand in dummy." In the same deal! And got away!!

Nandu Oke was part of a nostalgic international event we played in Geneva in 1990. He had two partners for the event, one being Jitu Solani and the other being me (who was his driver). Left hand drive was like playing reverse carding for the first time in your life. You tried to put on the headlights and the wipers came on! Nandu diligently guided me during turns - His, "Small right and big left," still echoes whenever I go to Europe.

Nandu is in a situation that he loves most - where he is right now - .... Non Vulnerable! Go for it Nandu. Sky's the limit (you can sacrifice upto seven. You are in Seventh Heaven)..

The Nandu Oke Memorial Swiss Pairs, featuring a minimum prize pool of Rs. 75,000, will be played between Friday, April 9 and Sunday, April 11.

The event will be played on RealBridge.

Scoring will be Match Points converted to VPS

Qualifying rounds will be played on Friday evening and Saturday. On Sunday, qualifying pairs will compete in the Gold Final and non-qualifying pairs will compete in the Silver Final. There will be carryover from the qualifying rounds.

Entry Fee Rs. 900

Schedule*

* The organizers reserve the right to modify the schedule based on participation as well as speed of play.

• This event will be played with screens
• Players must have functional video and audio to be eligible for prizes
• Withdrawals during the event are not permitted.
• Players may participate as a trio.
• BFI Federation Masterpoints will be awarded.
• Click here for conditions of contest.
• Supplemental conditions of contest (Revised)

Registration closed

The prizes have been sponsored my a multitude of friends of Nandu who have really appreciated the revival of what used to be an annual tourney in his memory. This is just a small token of the love and affection all of us hold for Nandu.

Qualifying Rounds

Gold

Silver