ISLAMABAD, Jan 24: Tufail Shaikh and Saeed Akhtar top scored a field of 32 pairs in both sessions to claim the top spot in the Coca Cola Open Pairs Bridge Championship with an aggregate score of 410.36 match points here at the Islamabad Club.

The Open Pairs contested was a 54-board play off in two stanzas, based on match point scoring. The winners overwhelmed the contest scoring 58.26 percent in the first stanza and left the field far behind to take the championship with a high 63.26 percent in the second stanza.

Both rich in experience, Tufail has the distinction of representing Pakistan in the 1992 World Team Olympiad while Saeed has long anchored the Pindi Force team to fame on the national bridge circuit.

M.A. Ansari and Shauq Hussain, who trailed the eventual winners in the first session by less than a percent score, failed to harness their international experience scoring 57.42 in the second stanza and took the runners-up position with 387.55 points. Close behind at 384.68 points Ihsan Qadir-Waheed Khan and Zia Haider-Ahsan Qureshi tied for third place. Both pairs are of the Lahore circuit.

Mrs Saeed Akhtar-Mrs Farida Masud posted the next best score with 381.55 points and also claimed the best ladies pair award.

At the conclusion of the Open Pairs contest, the main event Open Teams contest got under way. Asif IV comprising Asif Ali, Sarwar Khan, Qamar Kiyani and Khawar Ansari lead the championship after three rounds with a tally of 61 Victory Points (VPs).

In their three matches, Asif IV defeated U-Four 16-14, overwhelmed Vanity Fair 24-6 and set aside Electra 21-9. Candyland, fielding Ziaullah Baig, Hamid Mohiyuddin, Khalid Mohyuddin and Hasan Askari, is at second place, a solitary VP behind Asif IV.

Candyland in their first encounter walloped Tariq Aces by 71 IMPs, drew 15-15 with Lums and won 20-10 against Potohar Force. Lums, represented by Ihsan Qadir, Waheed Khan, Noman Ahmad, Ahsan Qureshi and Zia Haider, is at third place with 52 VPs.

The winner will emerge after seven rounds of 16 board matches.