13 nations to vie in int’l bridge

Thirteen countries led by host Philippines are set to compete in the 2003 Pacific Asia Bridge Championships set from Aug. 29 to Sept. 7 at the Dusit Hotel in Makati City.

The 10-day event, used as a zone 6 qualifier to the prestigious World Championship or Bermuda Open in Monte Carlo this November, was formally launched yesterday by the Philippine Tournament Bridge Association headed by retired Navy Commodore Justo Manlongat at Dusit.

"We’re really excited hosting this event because it’s been a long while since we last hosted it," said Manlongat, who was accompanied by PTBA’s Publicity Committee members composed of chairman Sylvia Lopez Alejandro, The STAR columnist Isagani Cruz and Allen Tan.

Other countries seeing action are China, Hong Kong, Macau, Chinese Taipei, Indonesia, Japan, Korea, Singapore, Thailand, Malaysia and guest teams Australia and New Zealand.

Manlongat said RP is fielding teams in all four divisions—open, ladies, youth (25 years old and below) and seniors (55 years old and above).

Participating in the open divisions are Bridge Life Masters Tan, Zeya Hoda, Phoebe Lin, Albert Quioge, George Soo and K.T. Yang while the women’s squad is composed of Alejandro, Angelina Cockrell, Menchie Cu-Unjieng, Midori Kaneko, Helen Tubangui and Rose Unson.

The youth team is composed of Eleazar Cabanilla, Anna Liza Castro, Jehran Gehran Chua, Andrew Falcon, Joseph Roman Maliwat III and Michael Samson while Manlongat leads the seniors team.

Top three placers in the open, ladies and senior sections will represent Asia Pacific in the Bermuda Cup in Monte Carlo, the strongest tournament in bridge. — Joey Villar