[VixTD]

Swiss Teams:

---

Result: 5♣(S)=, NS +600

EW called me because they thought the (agreed) slow pass from North might have influenced South's bidding. South claimed that she knew from the auction that her partner had some values.

How do you rule?

[ahydra]

This is tricky. On the one hand South has no defence to 2S, three places to play and partner is marked with values. On the other hand NS are vulnerable and North's values could be as little as ♠QJ ♦KQ with a singleton club or something, where 3♣ or 3♥ is doubled and down a painful amount (well, 500 maybe, but still pretty painful against 140). I think vul vs not I would have to adjust the score

ahydra

[billw55]

Pass is an LA (especially at IMPs). Bidding is reasonably suggested by the hesitation. Adjust to 2♠W-2, NS +100, or maybe -3 for +150.

[iviehoff]

VixTD, on 2013-October-14, 07:08, said:

South claimed that she knew from the auction that her partner had some values.

To be exact, South can place N with at least 9 points and at most 5 spades...
The 3C call is the one I'd focus on as most suspicious. I suppose you have to do a poll, but my guess is that plenty of Souths will pass at that point.

[c_corgi]

VixTD, on 2013-October-14, 07:08, said:

...
South claimed that she knew from the auction that her partner had some values.

How do you rule?

The auction suggests that North has at least an 8 count. North might well have had a hand that wanted to double 2S, but lacked the high card strength to do so. The slow pass on the first round suggests that North had the high card strength to double 2S, so the lack of double on the second round suggests a non-defensive hand. I rule that pass was an LA and that bidding was suggested by the UI, so I adjust to 2S.

[gnasher]

c_corgi, on 2013-October-14, 07:56, said:

The auction suggests that North has at least an 8 count. North might well have had a hand that wanted to double 2S, but lacked the high card strength to do so. The slow pass on the first round suggests that North had the high card strength to double 2S, so the lack of double on the second round suggests a non-defensive hand. I rule that pass was an LA and that bidding was suggested by the UI, so I adjust to 2S.

You seem to be assuming that a double of 2♠ would be for penalties. I don't think this is a universal agreement.

[c_corgi]

gnasher, on 2013-October-14, 10:36, said:

You seem to be assuming that a double of 2♠ would be for penalties. I don't think this is a universal agreement.

Correct on both counts. Oops.

[TylerE]

Score stands. If the south hand was one iota worse I'd roll it back, though.

[blackshoe]

What's an iota?

[TylerE]

Well, in this case, a club suit that's any worse, a spade card, pretty much anything.

[chrism]

blackshoe, on 2013-October-14, 13:22, said:

What's an iota?

The unimaginative might think that it meant "a very small quantity", from the name of the Greek letter written as a small subscript in polytonic orthography (wikipedia: iota). However, the more enlightened will be aware in this context that it is an alternate spelling of jota:

Quote

The jota (Spanish: [ˈxota]; Valencian: [ˈdʒɔta];[1] Aragonese: hota [ˈxota] or ixota [iˈʃota]; Asturian: xota [ˈʃota]; Galician: xota [ˈʃɔta]) is a genre of music and the associated dance known throughout Spain, most likely originating in Aragon. It varies by region, having a characteristic form in Aragon, Catalonia Castile, Navarra, Cantabria, Asturias, Galicia, La Rioja,Murcia and Eastern Andalusia. Being a visual representation, the jota is danced and sung accompanied by castanets, and the interpreters tend to wear regional costumes. In Valencia, the jota was once danced during interment ceremonies.

It refers to the practice common in some bridge circles of making a song and dance about one's hand prior to burying partner.

[blackshoe]

ROFL! Outstanding!

[ggwhiz]

I have lots of sympathy for the 3♣ call which I would make on a smooth auction but pass is a LA in my book with a possible misfit out there.

At least they didn't double to cater to whatever the tank was about but I'm rolling it back to 2♠.

[VixTD]

I agreed with the majority and adjusted to 2♠(W)-2.

[mycroft]

I have sympathy with the 3♣ call as well; but South's comment of "partner has values from the auction" is particularly self-serving in a weak NT auction - Give east North's ♦A and the auction is the same. Even then NS can make 3♣ (can't get the club card and stop all the heart ruffs); but that's a function of the nice fit and the nice club layout. And that's not giving North any more defensive-only spade cards.

[TylerE]

I don't think the comment is THAT self serving. Even if EW is on a dead-nuts max, N is marked with at least 8HCP. That counts as "values" in my book.

[barmar]

TylerE, on 2013-October-15, 10:03, said:

I don't think the comment is THAT self serving. Even if EW is on a dead-nuts max, N is marked with at least 8HCP. That counts as "values" in my book.

Although there's a decent chance some of those values are totally wasted opposite your void.

[TylerE]

Some chance, but perhaps a bit less so after the transfer.

Out of curiosity - for those rolling it back to 2♠, would you feel differently if the vulnerability was reversed?

[billw55]

TylerE, on 2013-October-15, 10:51, said:

Some chance, but perhaps a bit less so after the transfer.

Out of curiosity - for those rolling it back to 2♠, would you feel differently if the vulnerability was reversed?

Still IMPs, so no. Give me white at matchpoints, and we'll talk.

Really I guess the correct answer is to do a poll, but I'm not a director so I don't have to do that

[ggwhiz]

TylerE, on 2013-October-15, 10:51, said:

Out of curiosity - for those rolling it back to 2♠, would you feel differently if the vulnerability was reversed?

No. The potential for a misfit might make me lean towards double on a smooth auction but pass is an even bigger LA on this one.