RI into semifinals of bridge's Rosenblum Cup

The Jakarta Post, Jakarta

The Indonesian team at the Rosenblum Cup in Montreal, Canada, has secured a place in the semifinals of the international bridge tournament, a report said on Tuesday.

In the quarterfinals, Indonesia defeated Attanasio of Italy 169 to 135.

The Indonesian team, led by manager Amran Zamzami and comprised of nonplaying captain Munawar Sawiruddin and couples Henky Lasut and Eddy Manoppo, Denny Sacul and Franky Karwur, and Robert Tobing and Taufik G. Asbi, defeated each of the Italian couples 52-25, 61-26, 17-49 and 39-35.

The Indonesian team's next opponent will be Burgay of Poland, which defeated Moncahan of England 164-123 in the quarters.

The Polish team consists of 1998 world champions Kwiecien and Pszczola, its top-rated couple of Zmudzinski and Balicki, and third couple Burgay and Mariani.

Bridge observer Bert Toar Polii said on Tuesday the Indonesian team had a chance against the Polish team, especially because Zmudzinski and Balicki had always avoided meeting Indonesia's Henky Lasut and Eddy Manoppo, citing the 2000 Bridge Olympiad in Maastricht, the Netherlands, when the Polish couple opted to face world champion France rather than Indonesia.

The Polish team also has a weakness in its third couple, he added.

In other semifinal matches, Lavazza of Italy will meet the Swedish team. Lavazza previously defeated Kowalski of Poland and the Swedish team defeated Schwartz of the United States.

The semifinal matches will be held at noon local time (late Tuesday night in Indonesia).