Asia Cup Bridge 2025: Three Indian teams reach semifinals in Goa
Synopsis
Host nation India has three teams in the semifinals of the 5th Asia Cup Bridge Championships in Goa — and the Seniors B side goes in as group toppers. With the Men's and Women's A squads also through, Friday's knockout sessions at the Taj Cidade de Goa Horizon could set up an all-India final in at least one division.
Key Takeaways
India A (Men) , India A (Women) , and India B (Seniors) all advanced to the semifinals of the 5th Asia Cup Bridge Championships in Panaji, Goa .
India B (Seniors) finished first in the Swiss league standings and face Japan in the last four.
India A (Men) qualified third with 186.47 VPs and will play Hong Kong China A in the semifinals.
India A (Women) qualified third with 105.39 VPs and face Indonesia in the semifinals.
India B (Mixed) narrowly missed qualification, finishing fifth with 135.90 VPs .
Semifinals take place on Friday ; the Grand Finals are scheduled for Saturday .
India secured a strong foothold at the 5th Asia Cup Bridge Championships in Panaji, Goa, with three national squads — India A (Men), India A (Women), and India B (Seniors) — advancing to the semifinals after the conclusion of the round-robin stages at the Taj Cidade de Goa Horizon on Thursday, 25 June. The host nation now enters the knockout stage with genuine medal prospects across multiple divisions.
Seniors Division: India B Top the Table
India B (Seniors) enters the knockout rounds as the top-ranked team in the division, having finished first in the Swiss league standings. The squad — featuring accomplished players including Hemant K. Jalan, Sukamal Das, Rajesh Dalal, Jitendra Solani, Anil Padhye, and Raju Tolani — will face Japan in the semifinals on Table 31. On the other side of the draw, Australia takes on Bangladesh at Table 32. India Seniors A, meanwhile, concluded their campaign in sixth place with 142.70 Victory Points (VPs) after a difficult final day.
Men's Division: India A Face Hong Kong China A
In the Men's event, China topped the round-robin standings with 218.31 VPs, followed by Hong Kong China A at 196.72 VPs. India A secured third place with 186.47 VPs, setting up a semifinal clash against Hong Kong China A on Table 2. Bangladesh B (173.66 VPs) edged out India B (172.03 VPs) by a narrow margin to claim the fourth qualifying berth. A win for India A would book a place in the Men's final against the dominant Chinese side.
Women's Division: India A Take On Indonesia
Defending champions China led the Women's Division with 124.66 VPs, while Indonesia finished second with 108.23 VPs. India A qualified in third place with 105.39 VPs, and Japan came through in fourth with 89.14 VPs. The semifinals pair China against Japan on Table 11 and Indonesia against India A on Table 12, with the Indian women looking to maintain their impressive run through the tournament.
Mixed Division: India Miss Out Narrowly
In the Mixed Division, China A (169.23 VPs) and China B (163.02 VPs) secured the top two positions, with Hong Kong China A (155.43 VPs) and Australia A (141.14 VPs) completing the four-team semifinal lineup. India B finished fifth with 135.90 VPs, missing qualification by a narrow margin despite a strong final-segment performance. India A ended eleventh in the division.
Semifinal Schedule and What's Next
All semifinal sessions across the four divisions are scheduled for Friday, played across three sessions: 09:30–11:45, 12:45–15:00, and 15:20–17:35 IST. The Grand Finals are set for Saturday. With three squads still in contention, India will be looking to convert at least one of those semifinal berths into a gold-medal appearance on the final day.
Point of View
But the real test is conversion. India B (Seniors) going in as group toppers is the standout story — that ranking carries expectation, not just momentum. The Men's and Women's A sides face tougher draws against Hong Kong China A and Indonesia respectively, both of whom have been consistent performers at the Asian level. Bridge rarely gets the national spotlight it deserves; a gold at a home championship could change that, at least briefly.
NationPress
25 Jun 2026
Frequently Asked Questions
Which Indian teams have qualified for the semifinals at the 5th Asia Cup Bridge Championships?
Three Indian teams qualified: India A (Men), India A (Women), and India B (Seniors). All three advanced following the conclusion of the round-robin stages at the Taj Cidade de Goa Horizon in Panaji on 25 June.
Who are the key players in India B (Seniors) at the Asia Cup Bridge 2025?
India B (Seniors) includes Hemant K. Jalan, Sukamal Das, Rajesh Dalal, Jitendra Solani, Anil Padhye, and Raju Tolani. The team topped the Seniors Swiss league standings and will face Japan in the semifinals.
When are the Asia Cup Bridge semifinals and finals scheduled?
The semifinals across all four divisions are scheduled for Friday in three sessions — 09:30–11:45, 12:45–15:00, and 15:20–17:35 IST. The Grand Finals are set for Saturday.
How did India perform in the Mixed Division at the Asia Cup Bridge Championships?
India B finished fifth in the Mixed Division with 135.90 VPs, narrowly missing the semifinal cut despite a strong final-segment performance. India A ended eleventh in the same division.
Who are the defending champions in the Women's Division at the Asia Cup Bridge?
China are the defending champions in the Women's Division. They topped the round-robin standings again with 124.66 VPs and will face Japan in the semifinals, while India A take on Indonesia.
