The Land of Bridge

Priya Balasubramanian

She eagerly opened the Journalist Times. Her subscription to the Journalist Times on Sundays was one of the few luxuries she allowed herself. Her flat reeked of her relative poverty in masterpoints. The extra supplement in the Journalist Times promised an even heavier main section.

The headline screamed, “Terrorist Trumped,” effectively drowning out the news of the opening of the prestigious AML tourney that evening. The terrorist had the temerity to smuggle 100 boards of the most vicious contraband item in the Land of Bridge - chess boards.

The AML - Above Masterpoints Line Tourney was the biggest event of the year. The winner of the Mixed and Open pair would rule the land of Bridge for a year. The Queen had established an ironclad sole control over the kingdom the last few years, by never playing the mixed and open with the same partner. Whispers of political intrigue and broken partnerships surrounded her but her rule had been largely benevolent.

The Queen had introduced a rigorous system of certification. In the past there had only chaos. Beginners called themselves experts and some had the gall to call themselves world class. Some experts out of ire called themselves novices. Her detailed census and certification system, aptly called “Acedhar,” consisted of a six-part test to certify all citizens. The test was exhaustive from double dummy problems to memory tests to physical fitness. For only a healthy body can house a healthy mind.  The Queen had fortified the kingdom with battalions that were formidable. Whether you came from Texas or from Dhampur you would agree her policies were Ace and thus sh(r)e cemented the glory of the Kingdom.  If you made the prayas to travel from Ganga to Gomti, you would only hear about the Queen’s incredible slams. Meanwhile her elite corp of the Smiling Assassins ensured no citizen was false carding the Government.

The AML tournament would have the usual suspects from the noble families of Das, Shahs and Mukherjis. However, pathshalas had been established and were the key to take the average player from bottom to sum(m)it levels. She was as yet only eligible to play in the BML tourneys - Below Masterpoint Line tourneys. She remembered her father’s words whenever she felt dejected, “You must first have the p(v)yas for it. The results will follow.”

She quickly turned to her page of interest. The Patrimonial ads. Her last partnership had conceded on the first trick. When she had rebuked partner for passing her GF bid, he had quickly countered, “You are no p(k)ista yourself.”Stay tuned for more from the Land of Bridge.

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