Panaji: India established a foothold in the seniors category while remaining in contention across all premier divisions at the conclusion of the second day of the fifth Asia Cup Bridge Championships at Dona Paula. Nearly 300 elite players across 46 teams from 16 nations are participating in the championship.India A seniors anchored the first round robin at the top of the leaderboard with 87.25 Victory Points (VPs), maintaining an edge over second-placed Thailand on 77.48 VPs. Australia sits in third with 77.24 VPs. India B finished the day outside the top tier in sixth place with 75.60 VPs, tracking within striking distance of Chinese Taipei on 75.50 VPs. Both Indian squads remain contenders for semifinal qualification as the second round robin begins on Wednesday.In the Open division, China continues to lead with 100.88 VPs. Hong Kong China A hold second with 100.20 VPs, while India B squad are third place with 97.15 VPs. India A sit behind in fourth with 90.40 VPs. Japan on 87.80 VPs and Korea on 87.40 VPs remain locked in the chasing pack.The mixed teams standings saw China A and China B consolidate their dominance at the top with 106.98 VPs and 102.31 VPs. Hong Kong China A remain safe in third with 96.25 VPs.In the women’s category, defending continental force Indonesia leads with 84.31 VPs, followed by China on 79.85 VPs. Hong Kong China B hold third with 67.77 VPs, while India A and Japan are locked in a contest for the remaining semifinal tickets with 63.00 VPs and 62.60 VPs.
