Two bridge pairs secure slots in training center
The Jakarta Post Jakarta
Senior pairings of Taufik G. Asbi and Robert Parasian Tobing and Stefanus Supeno and Santoso Sie have secured places in an initial lineup of the national team.
The pairs were the winners and runners-up at the just concluded national selection here, which featured 26 pairs in the preliminary round.
Taufik and Robert have paired for around two years and have experience in international tournaments. However, Robert conceded of the high competitiveness in the selection that he could have slipped.
"It was really tough out there," Robert told The Jakarta Post here on Tuesday. Taufik/Robert's latest performance in the national team was their role in helping the country take the silver at the 2002 Rosenblum Cup in Montreal, Canada.
At the selection tournament, Taufik/Robert registered 375 points from 16 wins and eight losses, while Stefanus/Santoso scored 372.5 points from 16 wins, seven losses and one draw.
Bert Toar Polii, deputy secretary-general of the Indonesian Contract Bridge Association (Gabsi), said the two pairs would carry out a training center along with perennial members of Eddy Manoppo/Henky Lasut and Denny Sacul/Franky Karwur.
The three-week training session is scheduled to begin on April 3, at the end of which the four will be pitted each other for three places in the team.
The team will go to the Pacific Asia Bridge Federation (PABF) championship in Manila in June, which serves as the qualifying field for the Bermuda Bowl in Monte Carlo, Monaco, in November.
"We will fight for three places provided at the tournament," said Bert.
The championship will see participants from the countries grouped in Zone 6. The zone comprises Cambodia, Indonesia, Malaysia, Myanmar, the Philippines, Singapore, Thailand, China, Japan, Macau and South Korea.
Indonesia will also send a female team for the Venice Cup and a veteran team for the Seniors Bowl in Monte Carlo also in November, while a junior team will head to Beijing in late June.
The last three teams will also have to qualify through the Manila meet.