Contract bridge team to hold international warm up

JAKARTA (JP): The Indonesian Contract Bridge Association (GABSI) is holding the Bermuda Bowl and Venice Cup bridge simulations as a warm up for men's and women's national teams prior to both international events.

The Bermuda Bowl team manager, Lutfi Hamid, told a press conference on Wednesday that the team -- comprising of Hengky Lasut and Eddy Manopo, Denny Sacul and Franky Karwur, and Santje Panelewen and Robert Tobing -- will compete in the simulation using the format as used in the Bermuda Bowl, which will take place from Jan. 8 to Jan. 21.

"They will compete with 20 boards in the round-robin. The best eight teams will reach the quarterfinals which will use a knockout system and be played in 64 boards. The semifinals will be played in 96 boards with the final in 128 boards," he said.

The team warmed up in Boston, Massachusetts, last month and won the charity bracket KO team and the bracketed KO team titles at the Palm North American Bridge Championships.

Lutfi said Indonesia would face the United States, France, Italy, Australia and Sweden as toughest rivals in the championships, which had been staged for 50 years and would this year be held in the Bermuda Islands.

"We only expect them to reach the quarterfinals. But frankly speaking, we hope they can reach the semifinals," he said, adding that Indonesia's best performance was in 1995 when the team finished seventh in the championships in Beijing.

The simulation will take place at the Senayan bridge center from Dec. 9 to Dec. 18. The tournament is offering Rp 36 million (US$5,020) in prize money.

Indonesia will also send a women's team -- comprising of Lusje Bojoh and Joice Mandolang Tueje, Sartje Suoth Pontoh and Elvita Kuhu Lasut, and Elita Syofian and Uki Tedjo -- to the Venice Cup, which takes place at the same place and time.

Women's team manager, Juniarto Hadimartono, said the team was also expected to reach the quarterfinals.

"Hopefully, next year our women's team can reach the semifinals. We have to admit that our women's performance is not as good as the men's team," he said.

GABSI official in charge of athletes development, Amiruddin Jusuf, said the association had to cancel its plan to groom athletes in the United States.

"There are some problems. Firstly, we have to consider of our athletes' physical condition as they will have food problems during their stay abroad. Secondly, all athletes prefer to celebrate Christmas at home with their families. Thirdly, we question the benefit of warming up with the United States teams. We're afraid if they don't field the same players as in the competitions," he said.

GABSI will also stage a one-day tournament celebrating its 46th anniversary on National Bridge Day on Dec. 12, which is to take place at Panti Perwira, Central Jakarta. (yan)