Indonesia rolls over former world champs

Indonesia rolls over former world champs

The Jakarta Post, Jakarta

The Indonesian ladies contract bridge team put on an impressive
performance by beating the Netherlands, England and the United
States -- all three are former world champions -- on the second
day of the World Bridge Championships in Monte Carlo, Monaco, on
Tuesday.

Indonesia, which fielded Lusje Bojoh/Joice Mandolang and Elita
Sofyan/Amelia Amri in the third round, scraped to a 18-12 win
over the Netherlands.

Holland brought all but one player who gave them the Venice
Cup, the trophy for the ladies team competition, in 2000.

In the fourth round, player-captain Donny Tuerah replaced
Elita/Amelia by Fera Damayanti/Riantini and the decision paid off
as the team beat England 21-9, which was an avenge of its defeat
in 2001.

The lineup was then maintained and the team continued its
consistency to upset USA1 18-12 in the fifth round.

"It was a remarkable achievement by Indonesian ladies given
their past record in which they fell to a crushing 2-15 defeat by
the U.S. team in 2001," Bert Toar Polii, an official of the
Indonesian Contract Bridge Association (Gabsi), said in a
release.

Teams from Zone 6 have shown promising prospects so far with
Chinese Taipei leading with 98 points after five of the scheduled
17 rounds. China was in fourth with 88 points.

Indonesia, though, was still struggling in 10th place with 76
points. The Asian trio are the continent's representatives after
their winning runs in qualification matches in Manila.

Holland, which bounced back to overcome Australia and England,
did not lose ground to follow in second place with 94 points
while USA1, which beat Egypt and drew with Canada, stayed in
third with 92 points.

In the Senior Bowl, Indonesia, which is spearheaded by the
country's number one pair of Henky Lasut/Eddy Manoppo stumbled to
an 8-22 loss to Denmark in the third round.

The team thrashed Monaco 25-5 but it was not enough to keep it
from dropping to fourth place with 75 points with France.

Denmark, USA1 and Australia were the leading trio after four
rounds.

Meanwhile, the Indonesian open team, which is competing in
Bermuda Bowl, has yet to improve its play, ending up in 16th
place among 22 teams after the second day of competition.

Santje Panelewen/Franky Karwur and Robert Tobing/Taufik G.
Asbi won over China 17-13 and Bermuda 19-11.

Robert/Taufik were rested. Supeno/Santoso Sie came off the
bench and the team failed in its match with Sweden, losing 7-23.