bridgetalk.com forums :: Laws & Rulings :: Question on director's rulings

David Calcutt

Question on director's rulings ( 16:37:31 MonMar 17 2003 )

Country: England

Two questions on rulings.

1. If as a director you are called to the table because attention is drawn to the use of an unlicensed convention,
how do you rule ?

2. Similarly if you are called to the table because a partnership has landed in a contract because one side has forgotten the system, tried to get out of it and in doing so lands in a cold contract that would not ordinarily have been reached. As an example, the sequence 2NT-Pass-3D (Alerted)- Pass- 3H - Pass - 3S - Pass - 4D - Pass - 4H - Pass - 6D - All pass. The partner of the 2NT bidder, was trying (and eventually succeeded) to describe a hand with diamonds and spades, but in the process used a bid documented on their convention card and described by partner as a transfer to hearts. Is this a case of hard luck to the opponents ? (A more realistic bidding sequence would be 2NT - 3C (enquiry either Stayman or Baron) - 3D - 5D).

David

bluejak

427 posts
Forum Host

Reply

Re: Question on director's rulings ( 01:53:59 TueMar 18 2003 )

If a pair use a convention which is not permitted then the Director will give their opponents Ave+ and them Ave- and cancel the board. But he will let them finish the board first to see if the non-offenders get better than Ave+ in which case he will let the result stand.

Note that the term "licensed" was dropped five years ago because it was ambiguous. The EBU licenses tournaments and other things.

As to your other question it is difficult to be sure whether there is an infraction because of unauthorised information. If there is not then the players can do what they like.

However, it is unlikely to be permissible. If a player makes the wrong bid how does he remember? If because of his partner's alert or explanation then he must do everything possible not to take advantage of that alert or explanation, so he cannot try to get out of it.

If he does not have a problem with unauthorised information then he can do whatever he likes to recover from a mistake, and sometimes he will succeed.

To take a silly [but clear] case, consider your second sequece: 2NT - 3

. Now, if he has made an agreement to play 3

as a transfer to hearts [and I do know a pair who play that way] but he has forgotten then an alert from partner will not remind him, because a Stayman 3

is alertable. If he suddenly remembers he can try jumping to 5

and hope to get away with it, and perhaps he will.

But if an opponent asked what the 3

was and his partner's answer reminds him he may not use that information and he will get a score adjusted against him if he tries to recover illegally.

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

RMB

19 posts
bridgetalk member

Re: Question on director's rulings ( 13:21:04 TueMar 18 2003 )

Quote: "David Calcutt"

For example, in the sequence 2NT-Pass-3D (Alerted)- Pass- 3H - Pass - 3S - Pass - 4D - Pass - 4H - Pass - 6D - All pass. The partner of the 2NT bidder, was trying (and eventually succeeded) to describe a hand with diamonds and spades, but in the process used a bid documented on their convention card and described by partner as a transfer to hearts.

David (C), the sequence you give is:


2NT- Pass - 3D*- Pass - 
3H - Pass - 3S - Pass - 
4D - Pass - 4H - Pass - 
6D - All pass

I expected that the hand with diamonds and spades would bid 4D and 6D. Is there a missing bid (3NT?) by the 2NT bidder between 3S and 4D?

Normally, you will gain when opponents make mistakes; sometimes they will use unauthorised information to recover from their mistakes and you will get a favourable ruling; but sometimes they will land on their feet without using unauthorised information and you will get a normal/bad score.

Robin [1 edits; Last edit by RMB at 13:43:07 Tue Mar 18 2003]

David Calcutt

Re: Question on director's rulings ( 10:05:31 ThuMar 20 2003 )

Country: UK

Ah yes Robin, you're quite correct. The 2NT opener bid 4H to give preference to the suits. So the bidding must have proceeded 5D - 5H - 6D (5D and 5H alerted as cue bids)

David

Helen

Re: Question on director's rulings ( 15:12:27 WedApr 16 2003 )

Country: England

If you are called to the table because an illegal convention is on the convention card but it has not yet been used, what do you do?

172 posts
Forum Host

Reply

Re: Question on director's rulings ( 17:16:52 WedApr 16 2003 )

Tell them the convention is not permitted, and require them to amend their CCs.

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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