Kolkata, Dec 4 (IANS) Displaying fine form, S D Associates, represented by Vijay R. Phatarfekar, R. Sridharan, Anand Keshav Sakharam Samant, Praksh G. Hegde, Subir Majumdar and Sujit Kumar Bhattacharjee, emerged champions for the Seniors Team Event (for sixty years above) in the final of 67th Ashok Ruia Memorial Winter National Bridge Championship in Kolkata on Thursday.

S D Associates defeated COGITO by 60-43 International Match Points ( IMPs) in the event being played at Biswa Bangla Convention Centre in New Town.

Earlier in the semifinals, S D Associates beat the favourite Team Hemant Jalan by 71.5-50 IMPs while COGITO beat Easy Bridge by 98-62 IMPs.

In the final of the Seniors Event, S D Associates surged to a convincing lead in the first segment, scoring 37 IMPs against 17 by COGITO. Though COGITO maintained a slender lead in the next two segments, earning 16 and 10 against 15 and 8 by the Associates, which, however, was not enough for them to overcome the deficit they conceded in the first segment.

The Open Team Events for Ashok Ruia Gold and Silver Cups will begin on December 5, with 29 top teams from different parts of the country staking their claims for the top honours in the Gold Cup.

The first Winter National Championship was held in 1959 in Bombay with the Ruia Trophy and Holkar Open Pairs.

The Ruia Trophy, considered a symbol of bridge supremacy in India, started in 1959 in memory of Late Shri Ram Niwas Ruia. It is a running trophy given to the Team of Four champions in the Winter National Bridge Championship. The winner and runners-up get an entry to the Indian Selection Trials. Since 2005, the trophy has been called the Ruia Gold Trophy. Nowadays, two events for Team of Four are held simultaneously, with an additional trophy – the Ruia Silver Trophy.

–IANS

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