Camrose Winner's Comments

7 April 2000

'In my view what won it for Ireland down the stretch was our experience and our total belief in each other as a team. All of our players have a lot of international experience and had played together many times. I believe that the likes of Wales and Scotland will benefit enormously from playing in the Europeans, Olympiads, etc., in the future and I expect both of them to win the Camrose shortly.'

Republic of Ireland v Wales
Match 2, Board 4
Dealer West. Game All

			J 10 8 7 6
			9
			8 6 4 2
			K 9 2
	A 9 4 2	N   W E   S			K Q
	K Q J 8 6 5 4				A 3 2
	9 5				A K Q 7
	-				J 8 7 6
			5 3
			10 7
			J 10 3
			A Q 10 5 4 3

Rory	Gay	1 was 5 card, 2NT showed a heart fit with 15+ HCP balanced or semi-balanced, 4 was a splinter (singleton or void), 4NT was RKC, 6 showed 2 key cards + trump queen + a void (obviously in clubs in this case). 5NT would show 1 KC + void, 6 would show 2KC + void without trump queen.
1	2NT
4	4
4	4NT
6	7

I didn't open 4 because of the spade sidesuit and 2 outside first round controls. I didn't open 4 (8 or 9 playing tricks in hearts) because the hand was marginal and the 2 outside first round controls might be difficult to show.

If I did open at 4 level we will probably only get to 6 unless Gay tries 4NT RKC over which I bid 6 showing 2KC + trump queen + void in the lowest ranking of 2 or more unbid suits. (We can't show the void if it is in a higher ranking unbid suit.). In practice, Gay might ask in clubs over 4 opening and run out of room to check on spade control. Over 4 opening he may try 4 as a general ask and I may not be able to show both 1st round controls in the black suits.

Wales bid as follows: Adrian T. Paul D. 4 4 4 5 6 no I don't know all the nuances of their bidding methods, but maybe 6 instead of 6 by Adrian, might have got them to the grand. 13 Imps to Ireland.