Dear friend / fellow bridge player.

      I refer you to my earlier email which was sent some months ago. The Commonwealth Nations Bridge Championships will be held in New Delhi from October 24th to October 29th, 2010. A preliminary and informative note was also published in the Daily Bulletin (Sept.11, 2009, page 11) at the recently held World Championships at Sao Paolo, Brazil.

      Making it more attractive and appealing for visitors from so many countries, we have decided to hold our annual prize money tournament, sponsored by HCL (an internationally-recognized company, and one of the leading companies in India in the field of information technology), starting on Oct.31th and ending on Nov.1st , 2010. This is the biggest and most popular prize-money tournament in India, offering approximately $30,000 in prize money in team and pair events. In preceding years it has attracted as many as 75 of the top Indian teams and up to 180 pairs from all over the country.

::: A note that prize money may be increased or no. of prizes may be increased in due course. The sponsors will take the final decision soon.

The proposed schedule for both events is attached.

     All efforts are being made to make your visit to our country as enjoyable and comfortable as we can. With that in mind, I would like to make the following points:

• Transport will be arranged on arrival and departure of the teams.
• The venue will be a 5-star hotel.
• All foreign teams will have access to a 6/8-seater vehicle with a driver for the entire duration of the Commonwealth Nations Bridge Championships at no additional cost.
• Appropriate accommodation (hotel or other) will be arranged at minimum possible cost, as per the requirements of the various teams.
• Morning excursions will be arranged for those willing to venture out and get a feel for this historic city. Shopping trips will also be arranged as per the wishes of our visiting friends.
• Lunch will be served at the venue along with tea/coffee and snacks all day at no additional cost.
• You will certainly get a taste of Indian hospitality on as many evenings as possible.

    The entry fee for the Commonwealth Nations Championships will be US$1,500 based on a 6-person team. Should teams send non-playing captains, coach and/or manager, there may be some surcharge.

   The teams which are relatively less affluent , especially from Africa , may apply to be partially subsidized in their entry fee and possibly cheaper accommodation.

   The entry fee for the HCL Teams and Pairs will be posted on the website: www.hcl-bridge.com closer to the date. It will be approximately US$180 per Team and US$80 per pair.
which will cover Lunch , cocktail and dinner on Oct.31st and daily tea/ coffee/ snacks.

   You are cordially invited to send one official team and inform us as soon as possible regarding the players’ names, date of arrival, date of departure, type of accommodation required (cost can vary from as little as US$70 to $300 per room – 5-star hotels being most expensive), intention to play the main event only or HCL as well.

   I have been requested by some players in India as well as some other countries to allow an additional team (either youth or women’s team as a second team) from those countries. Any decision about this will be taken soon. However, it does become easier to decide to allow extra teams like this once countries have confirmed their participation (or declined to participate). So I would like to make the following request:

Please inform us of your decision to participate (or not) as soon as possible.

   Should the committee decide to allow an additional team from some countries, it will be subject to certain conditions – to be specified. The absolute minimum condition will be that two teams from the same country ( if both qualify from the round robin ) cannot play each other in the final. They will have to face each other in the semi-finals.

Both the championships will be webcast live on BBO from October 24th onwards .

We will be keeping in touch but for the time being please send all your communications ONLY to:

Subhash Gupta                                   sgupta07@rediffmail.com.        Mobile: +91 9811 079 843

with a copy to: Mr.T.C.Pant                 tcpant@hotmail.com                 Mobile: +91 9811 094 407

With warm personal regards ( and on behalf of the organising committee )

Subhash Gupta
Organising Secretary