Prasidha Cup attracts top stars
SURABAYA (JP): Indonesia's contract bridge world beaters, including Fredy Waluyan, Denny Sacul, Franky Kawur, Bert Polii and Hengky Lasut, are among a field of more 200 participants in the 12th Prasidha Pahlawan Cup Bridge Championship, which started here yesterday.
However, unlike in major international events when they played as a team, this time they are fighting against each other for the top honors for their respective teams.
Denny is playing for defending champion Pupuk Kaltim from East Kalimantan, Fredy for a Jakarta team, and Hengky Lasut, Indonesia's most seasoned player, is the backbone of the Pelatnas team, the national training team.
East Java, which has been named to host the 15th National Games in three years time in which the brain sport will be contested, is keen to make the event a success as part of its preparations for the Games.
So many world-class players coming here for the two-day championship after a year's lapse, "is a proof of how serious East Java is in its efforts to win the bridge title in the next Games," said Indonesian Contract Bridge Association (GABSI) secretary-general Frans Waleleng.
The World Bridge Federation has chosen Indonesia to host two of world's most prestigious championships, the Bermuda Bowl (a men's team event) and the Venice Cup (a women's team event) in 2001.
"I hope this Pahlawan Cup championships will also mark part of our serious preparation for the world championship in three years time," said GABSI president General Wiranto in his speech read by Frans.
"I also appreciate the involvement of the Prasidha Group as the main sponsor of the championships, for its commitment to help develop the sport in Indonesia," Wiranto, who is the Army Chief of Staff, said.
The widely diversified Prasidha Group is sponsoring the championships as part of its efforts to revive the previously annual event that was not contested last year because of no sponsor was found.
The group's instant coffee plant, one the biggest in the Southeast Asian region, in Surabaya which began operations last March.
"Being myself a former avid bridge player who once was also a national player, I am honored to help organize such a prestigious competition. It is a pity there was no competition last year," Mansjur Tandiono, the Prasidha Group president told The Jakarta Post.
Mansjur said it was a good arena for East Java's contract bridge players to compete against world beaters.
"Through such important tournaments we can gauge how high are the skills of the East Javanese players."
The opening round is being played in five sessions. From the quarterfinals the competition will take on a knock-out format, with each round being played over 24 boards.
Until the fourth session concluded at 6 p.m. last night, the Prasidha Team shared the lead with Pertamina I, each with 83 Victory Points with the players Chris Patty and Indra Kusuma.
In third was the Pattimura II team with 81 VP and the Pelatnas team with 75 VP in fourth. (rsl)