[Phil]

At a local club they run an evening Swiss on Mondays. There are four matches of six boards each. The director acts as the caddy, but unfortunately the tables are no more than 20' apart. To make matters worse, separating A1 and B1 are empty tables.

Early in the match you hear a teammate (whom you chastise later) say, "I had eleven cards in the blacks and a four count". You cannot put this out of your mind.

On the 5th board you pick up and hear this bidding:

---

At this point you cannot take it anymore and go to speak privately with the director and tell him your problem with the UI. He says "just ignore the comment" (LOL?) and he comes over to the table to watch. So you crack 3N. LHO pulls to 4♣, doubled by partner. We chalk up +500.

Comments?

[bluejak]

Why did you not speak to the TD at the time of the comment as the Law requires?

[Phil]

bluejak, on 2010-November-16, 10:24, said:

Why did you not speak to the TD at the time of the comment as the Law requires?

True, I should have.

I will go out on a limb and guess that his answer would be the same.

Is pulling the board an option if I had?

[ggwhiz]

Seems very much like when I arrived at a table after a skip to find the wrong E/W pair in the middle of the auction.

The Director told us to play the board and if it proved impossible to achieve an honest result, he would adjust. Probably the same advice you would get if you called earlier.

The auction doesn't look like it was influenced by this info and unless the defence was artificially inspired for an extra down trick the result would stand. Who knows? Maybe your teammates went for 800.

[Phil]

ggwhiz, on 2010-November-16, 11:19, said:

The auction doesn't look like it was influenced by this info and unless the defence was artificially inspired for an extra down trick the result would stand. Who knows? Maybe your teammates went for 800.

No my teammates were plus 140 on their 6-2 spade fit (don't ask me why dummy didn't correct to 4♠ with Tx QJ9xx AKJxx Kx). Win 12.

[gordontd]

Did you really double 1♥ with this hand?

[Phil]

gordontd, on 2010-November-16, 15:48, said:

Did you really double 1♥ with this hand?

Yes - lol?

[gordontd]

Phil, on 2010-November-16, 15:59, said:

Yes - lol?

Yes - I had to check four times to be sure I hadn't misread it.

Did you like your short hearts, or did you think you were too strong for 1NT?

[nigel_k]

Double is fine.

The hand is worth less than 15 (possibly less than 14) due to the shape, lack of intermediates and honours in short suits. RHO's heart bid makes it even worse. But you have support for the other suits and sufficient values for a double. If NT is correct it should be played from partner's side. You could pass I suppose but I would definitely double.

[crazy4hoop]

I'm not sure this is legal but could you have told the director that you had UI without specifying what that UI was and have him fill in on the board?

[blackshoe]

Players do not get to tell the director how to deal with an irregularity. So no.

[gordontd]

crazy4hoop, on 2010-November-16, 18:54, said:

I'm not sure this is legal but could you have told the director that you had UI without specifying what that UI was and have him fill in on the board?

Appointing a substitute player was, in the 1997 laws, one of the things that the director could do if correctly informed about the presence of UI. It's not in the 2007 laws, but the director can adjust positions at the table if that helps, and can allow play to continue and decide later whether an adjustment is called for.

[bluejak]

Just to summarise, there were various things the TD could have done if correctly informed at the right time. By not telling him until later you took some of his options away. He then decided to let you play on, probably his best ruling at that moment. You produce a somewhat speculative double of 3NT which is made easier for you because of the UI - the knowledge it is a four-count. The TD now has to rule under Law 16C2C as to whether an adjustment is required.

I would, as ever, consult and consider, but I expect I would adjust. You are not the non-offending side here by calling the TD at the wrong time and because it is your team-mates' actions that have caused this.

Mind you, it is tricky to know which option the TD should have done if he had been told at the correct time since it was not clear which board was relevant. But, who knows, he might have cancelled the board.

My comments on the double of 1♥ are not in the public domain.

[wyman]

bluejak, on 2010-November-17, 06:16, said:

You produce a somewhat speculative double of 3NT which is made easier for you because of the UI - the knowledge it is a four-count.

How many points are in the deck? He has 15 and partner took a free 2D bid.

[Phil]

crazy4hoop, on 2010-November-16, 18:54, said:

I'm not sure this is legal but could you have told the director that you had UI without specifying what that UI was and have him fill in on the board?

He volunteered! I'd rather pull my fingernails out with pliers than let him play my cards. My partner would agree.

[Phil]

wyman, on 2010-November-17, 07:05, said:

How many points are in the deck? He has 15 and partner took a free 2D bid.

I've used up my quota of LOL's in this thread, but NO KIDDING. I am playing against two fish that are bidding their heads off in an absolute misfit.

@Bluejak: No real way to know if the double of 3N is clear-cut (I think it is!) without a poll is there?

[bluejak]

Phil, on 2010-November-17, 10:06, said:

I've used up my quota of LOL's in this thread, but NO KIDDING. I am playing against two fish that are bidding their heads off in an absolute misfit.

@Bluejak: No real way to know if the double of 3N is clear-cut (I think it is!) without a poll is there?

I think we go overboard on polls now. TDs make judgements based on knowledge and experience and discussion. Polls help judgement: they do not [should not, anyway] replace judgement.

Yes, I had not noticed partner had shown four points. Less speculative, then.

[gwnn]

Phil, on 2010-November-16, 11:57, said:

No my teammates were plus 140 on their 6-2 spade fit (don't ask me why dummy didn't correct to 4♠ with Tx QJ9xx AKJxx Kx). Win 12.

because he had 14 cards

[Phil]

gwnn, on 2010-November-17, 11:25, said:

because he had 14 cards

remove a diamond please