KARACHI, July 28: Candyland clinched the Aslam Memorial Bridge Tournament in impressive fashion by accumulating 136 Victory Points (VPs) on Sunday evening.

Candyland having Muhammad Ismail, Imran Jaka, Zia Hamid, Hasan Askri and Khalid Mohiuddin in their fold maintained their winning run with superb hands.

They started with a carry over 68 VPs and they stunned Amman-bound Pakistan team Allana 19-11. They defeated Lipton 18-12 and in the sixth round they Mohsin 22-08 to end with 136 VPs.

In the last crucial round, EFU marred their smooth run to the victory when they put up a spirited fight, feeling that Candyland pairs are plying safe and have become in the last few boards.

However, on board seven, when EFU pair failed to bid a spade slam and misdefended a double 3B part contract, EFU virtually tossed the trophy towards candyland.

EFU won this match 21-9 but had to contend to second spot with a total score of 129 VPs. Hasan Sajjad, Mazhar, A.K. Bhurgri and Mustafa Saif played for EFU.

The National team which will represent Pakistan next month in the 12th BFAME Bridge Championship in Jordan, contested with its three regular pairs. Jan-i-Alam Fazli Rehman Allana, Sultan Siddiqui-Rasheed Jafar and Sarfraz Khan- Tehsin Gheewala.

Allana team scored 123 VPs and claimed third position. Allana won five out of seven matches from Mohsin 18-12, Sprinter 2504, Shipyard 16-14, Imad 23-7 and Lipton 16-14, losing two matches to Candyland 11-19 and PSO 14-16.

Mohsin claimed fourth position with a score of 120 VPs, winning four matches.

In fact their unexpected result 10-20 against Abacus cost them heavily.

The team, comprising Shahin Iqbal-Gulzar Bilal, Moshin Chandna and M.A. Ansari had defeated Friends 25-5, Rais 25-5, EFU 18-12 and Lipton 22-8.

Four Bidders comprising M.G. Siddiqui, S.P. Jamal, Taqi Reza, Abid Mumtaz, Mushahid Siddiqui and Syed Ameer Hasan scored 119 V.P. to finish on fifth position. They have defeated Friends 23-7, Rais 16-14, PSO 17-13, drew level with Abacus 15-15 and lost to Shipyard 10-20 and Immad 13-17 VPs.

Earlier in the regular Pair Contest, 26 pairs participated. It was conducted on Mitchell Movement, scoring separately for North-South and East-West directions.

From the North-South position, Syed Ameer Hasan-Taqi Reza interrupted the hat trick attempt of Zia-Hamid, Winning pair scored 65% just a shade above Hamid Mohiuddin Zia which pair scored 64.55 %.

Following are final top ten positions in Aslam Memorial bridge:

Candyland 136, EFU 129, Allana 123, Mohsin 120, Four Bidders 119, PSO 114, Lipton 111, Shipyard 107, Imad 104 and Sprinter 100 VPs.—APP