Contract bridge team to hold international warm up

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)