RI bridge stars eye top three at Cup Volmac

JAKARTA (JP): Indonesia's highest-rated bridge pair, Henky Lasut and Eddy Manoppo, expects to scale the podium in next week's Cup Volmac tournament, in which only 16 pairs enter the fray.

"Eddy and I were runners up in the 1996 tournament and were in the top three in 1995," Henky commented yesterday about his chances in the tournament, scheduled for Jan. 15 to Jan. 20 in The Hague, the Netherlands.

"We could have won the tournament last year but we could not perform in the last session because Eddy was ill," said Henky, as quoted by Antara.

Henky was optimistic that the duo would be able to reach their target as they have met their rivals in many international events.

Henky and Eddy, whose names are used for the bridge school in their hometown of Manado, North Sulawesi, represent Asia in the event, together with a Chinese tandem.

The country's duo reached the final of the 10th Bridge Olympiad on Rhodes Island, Greece, in early November, where they lost to France.

Organizers of the Cup Volmac tournament only invite 16 of the world's best bridge pairs. They have all come in the top three in a variety of international tournaments. (yan)