Win At Last!

Finally, at the 14th time of asking, the team from Uruguay has won their first match at these championships. Congratulations to them. The victory came against Australia. Rumour has it that Australian npc, Ishmael Del’Monte may have had a modest wager on the outcome of this match (the second rumour, that having watched his team for the past week he bet against them, is entirely without foundation). Unlucky, Ishmael.
The following boards were the key to Uruguay’s success.

Board 4. All Vul. Dealer West.
	ª Q 8 7 2 © A 8 5 ¨ A Q J 8 3 § 8
ª J 10 6 5 4 © J 4 3 ¨ K 9 2 § 7 6		ª K 9 3 © K Q 10 7 ¨ 6 § J 10 9 3 2
	ª A © 9 6 2 ¨ 10 7 5 4 § A K Q 5 4

West	North	East	South
Wyner	Vi.Chediak	Krochmalik	Carve
Pass	1¨	Pass	2§
Pass	2¨	Pass	4¨
Pass	5¨	Pass	6¨
All Pass

West	North	East	South
Salaverri	Abraham	M.Chediak	Wilkinson
Pass	1©	Pass	2§
Pass	2¨	Pass	3NT
All Pass

Virginia Chediak and martin Carve bid the excellent diamond slam that defeated the rest of the field. Chediak falied to cuebid over 4¨ because she did not like the club misfit but carve guessed to play her for a heart control anyway, being reasonably confident that there would be a good play for twelve tricks if they could survive the opening lead. Right he was. The play was straightforward and Chediak chalked up +1370.

In the other room 1© showed four plus spades and less than an opening 1§ (14+). Two Diamonds was natural and Michael Wilkinson saw no reason to look for slam facing a limited opening and with most of his values likely to be opposite shortage; +720 after a spade lead to the king and ace and East pitched clubs to keep his hearts intact; 13 IMPs to Uruguay.

Board 5. N/S Vul. Dealer North.
	ª J © J 5 4 3 2 ¨ A J 9 6 § 6 4 2
ª A K 8 2 © 8 ¨ K 10 2 § A K 10 8 5		ª Q 9 © K Q 10 9 7 6 ¨ 7 5 § Q 7 3
	ª 10 7 6 5 4 3 © A ¨ Q 8 4 3 § J 9

West	North	East	South
Wyner	Vi.Chediak	Krochmalik	Carve
	Pass	2¨	Pass
2NT	Pass	3§	Pass
4©	All Pass

West	North	East	South
Salaverri	Abraham	M.Chediak	Wilkinson
	Pass	2©	Pass
2NT	Pass	3§	Pass
3NT	All Pass

The respective Easts launched their weak two bid in different manners but the key decision fell to the West players. Josh Wyner chose to play 4© while Maria Salaverri preferred to try her hand at 3NT because she held only a singleton heart and had a possible alternative source of tricks in the club suit.

Against Wyner's 4©, Virginia led her singleton spade and Wyner won the ace to play a heart to the king and ace - not that the choice of heart plays made a great difference to the outcome. A diamond switch went to the king and ace and the defence had to come to a second diamond and two more heart tricks; down two for -100.
Salaverri's decision to play in no trump proved to be the winning one when her partner turned up with a very useful club fit. Mark Abraham led a low diamond to the queen and king. Salaverri ran her nine winners and gave up; +400 and 11 IMPs to Uruguay.

Board 14. None Vul. Dealer East.
	ª 9 2 © Q 6 3 ¨ 10 8 7 3 § 8 5 4 3
ª K J 8 5 3 © J 10 7 5 4 ¨ - § A 9 7		ª 10 7 4 © A K 9 ¨ A Q J 6 § J 10 6
	ª A Q 6 © 8 2 ¨ K 9 5 4 2 § K Q 2

West	North	East	South
Wyner	Vi.Chediak	Krochmalik	Carve
		1NT	Pass
2©	Pass	2ª	Pass
3©	Pass	3ª	Pass
4§	Pass	4¨	Pass
4ª	Pass	5ª	All Pass

West	North	East	South
Salaverri	Abraham	M.Chediak	Wilkinson
		1¨	Pass
1©	Pass	1NT	Pass
2ª	Pass	3©	Pass
4©	All Pass

Salaverri and Maria Chediak outbid their counterparts when they stopped safely in 4©. Salaverri won the club lead and played a heart to the ace followed by the ¨A for a club pitch and the ¨Q, covered and ruffed. She crossed to the ©K and threw her remaining club on the establishe ddiamond then played on spades, coming to ten tricks for +420.

Daniel Krochmalik opened a strong no trump and Wyner transferred then showed his second suit. Having received preference to spades, he cuebid and Krochmalik cooperated. Krochmalik liked his heart holding sufficiently to invite slam with a raise to 5ª, asking for good trumps, over Wyner’s 4ª sign-off. Five Spades is dangerously high looking at the two hands, but it appears that the major suits lie so favourably that declarer should get home safely. However, after the lead of the king of clubs to dummy’s ace, declarer lost his way and went one down; –50 and 10 IMPs to Uruguay, who ran out winners by 52-46 IMPs, 16-14 VPs.