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JohnD

Misinformation? ( 00:13:17 FriJun 21 2002 )

Could you please advise on the following (online bridge) ?

Opponents' bidding:

1N : 2C
2D : 3S!
4S

3S was self alerted and CC indicated they were playing Smolen (5 hearts 4 spades).

It turned out that responder was 5-5 in the majors.

Defender, assuming a 4-3 fit, defended on that basis (hoping to establish a trump trick for his partner) and consequently gave away an overtrick and got a zero on the board.

The director was called but ruled that no adjustment was needed.

Opener said he bid 4S because he misinterpreted the bid - he thought it showed 5 spades and 4 hearts, not the other way around. If he'd "got it right", he would have bid 4H (he had 3 cards in each major) and the issue of "hoping to establish a trump trick for partner" would not have arisen.

Was the ruling correct?

Opener's hand:

KQ10

K94

QJ109

KJ2

Responder's hand:

J7542

AQ1075

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Re: Misinformation? ( 22:52:07 FriJun 21 2002 )

Interesting problem. I'm not too familiar with self-alerting situations (online bridge or f2f with screens) but let me see...

On the face of it, the self alert is not misinformation, it's an accurate description of the partnership agreements. Responder misbid, which is not an infraction. OTOH, if the bid might include 5-5 hands, then that should have been included in the explanation. Since it wasn't, the explanation would be incomplete, which constitutes misexplanation under Law 75 and Law 40. So the TD should have done a little more, IMO, than just look at the CC. Had he done so, he might have ruled differently. Or not, if 5-5 was not a possibility by (explicit or implicit) partnership agreement or by partnership experience.

bluejak

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Re: Misinformation? ( 10:01:54 MonJun 24 2002 )

This looks complex! Let me check: the player with 5-5 self-alerted. Now, did he explain it as 5-4? If so, it looks like clear misinformation to me. But if, as I suspect from your narrative, the opponent did not ask, just checked the card, then it is either misinformation, or they actually play it as 5-4 [which is normal with Smolen] and this player misbid or psyched.

If the player misbid or psyched, then there was no misinformation, and no adjustment is suitable. In fact, if done deliberately as a psyche, this is legal even if he described it as 5-4 but bid it on 5-5, which is a disadvantage of self-explanations.

Suppoe it is misinformation. I might adjust, but it would depend on the play to see whether the defence was really damaged by the misinformation, but it seems quite likely.

---
David Stevenson <laws2@blakjak.com>
Liverpool, England, UK
http://blakjak.com/lws_menu.htm

jay7nt

1 posts
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To bid or not to bid ( 15:05:41 MonJul 15 2002 )

Hi all,

I need your help to settle a bet. We were having a fun game of Rubber bridge last night over a few drinks. Only 20c per hundred so nothing serious but it got fairly heated when the following hand came up.

I was playing with my Regular partner of the last 11 years. Here is the hand

S: AT865
H: T
D: KQJT6
C: 87

1NT (15-17) was opened on my right and I thought for about 20 seconds as to what I should bid on this hand.
We play anti over all NT

2C = Diamonds or Both Majors
2D = Hearts or 4 spades and longer minor
2H = 4 hearts and longer minor
2S = Spades

As you can see, this hand fits none of these bids, so I decided I would show just diamonds (We only need 40 to win the rubber). Possibly partner will bid 3D in response which shows interest in going on if I have majors.

So I bid 2C. Alerted by partner. LHO asked my partner what it is and he was trying to remember when LHO said, it doesn't matter and called 2H which was passed around to me.

After the 2H bid I took a view on the hand and decided to bid 2S. This would show both majors but there is no way partner will convert to hearts after LHO bid them. Again, we only need 40 to win the rubber.

So, after

1NT - 2C! - 2H - P
P - 2S! AP

partner put down

S: QJ932
H: A5
D: 742
C: 532

I rattled home for 10 tricks after the heart lead and the opps got upset. They were claiming that I bid on partners hesitation because I do not have both majors. This is complete rubbish. We have been playing Anti for three years. It took partner a couple of seconds to recall (especially with a few pints taken) but LHO wouldn't wait. My bid is dangerous and paid off but how on earth could anyone think it was based on a delayed response to a question at 2:30am.

Please set my mind at ease on this one. I am a tournament director myself but they won't listen to me.

Jay :smile:

[jmm]

Re: To bid or not to bid ( 15:23:50 TueJul 16 2002 )

I think you are a lucky man. Your LHO has no less than 6 HCP, singleton (probably the K) or void in S, and six cards in H. You are lucky he doesn't bid 4 H on his turn.

May be your bid is not a call covered by your sistem, but it's the hand you have, and I think all players, or at least the 75 % of them, are going to bid like you, especially if you need only 40 to win the rubber, with or without hesitation, hesitation than in fact has no unauthorise information or suggestion about bidding, your partner is just remembering what the call means.

And your LHO is lucky too because you don't bid 2 S which your partner is always going to support at the 3 or 4 level.

Like I director, I think it is clear that you may not bid 3 D, but one thing is sure, if you really have S and H, your are happy to play 2 H (or 2 H doubled). So if you bid in this way you must have a hand like this... It's the only two suits your sistem does not cover.

And last but not least, what has your LHO do to cover himself? Nothing, he doesn't wait to know the meaning of your call, he underbid his hand, and he doesn't rebid.

May be he need only 40 points to win the rubber?

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Re: To bid or not to bid ( 15:21:37 WedJul 17 2002 )

"This is complete rubbish."

Absolutely. I don't know the participants, of course, but I daresay there would have been no controversy if everyone had been sober. :biggrin:

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bluejak

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International Bridge Laws Forum

If you need help with the Laws or rulings from any country in the world, this is the place!Hosted by David StevensonSenior Consultant DirectorEnglish Bridge Union

If you need help with the Laws or rulings from
any country in the world, this is the place!

Hosted by David Stevenson
Senior Consultant Director
English Bridge Union