[kenrexford]

Another few posts discussed "psychic controls."

I like, in some partnerships, for an unexpected 5NT to be a "Mistake-ic Control," which means, "Partner, either I or you seem to have gone off the tracks somewhere, and I don't have a clue what is going on. Or, I don't remember what I'm supposed to do now. So, either pass or pick a contract knowing that none of my bids may have made any sense." For example, a 5NT response to 4NT does not show any void holding but rather says that maybe I don't know what trumps are, or something.

This is not intended to control a psychic but rather as an escape bid when you know that someone has or is about to make a mistake.

I assume this to be legal.

Then, I wonder if any other "mistake-ic controls" might be available out there.

[Trinidad]

There is nothing in the bridge laws that forbids the use of psychic controls. The bridge laws (80B2f and 40B2a) just give the Tournament Organizer and the Regulating Authority the opportunity to regulate certain agreements. This makes it possible for ACBL or the Bridge club of Lake Wobegon to ban psychic controls or mistakeic controls in its tournaments by publishing regulations.

The ACBL has banned psychic controls, but not mistakeic controls. Therefore, mistakeic controls are entirely legal in ACBL tournaments.

I am not sure about the regulations in the Bridge club of Lake Wobegon.

Rik

[Codo]

In Germany a good player invented the "Weber 3♦".

They play a quite complicated relay system, but whenever somebids 3 ♦ it means: I guess we lost firm ground, switch back to natural bidding and bid what you think we can make.

[kfay]

Trinidad, on Jun 11 2009, 06:49 AM, said:

There is nothing in the bridge laws that forbids the use of psychic controls. The bridge laws (80B2f and 40B2a) just give the Tournament Organizer and the Regulating Authority the opportunity to regulate certain agreements. This makes it possible for ACBL or the Bridge club of Lake Wobegon to ban psychic controls or mistakeic controls in its tournaments by publishing regulations.

The ACBL has banned psychic controls, but not mistakeic controls. Therefore, mistakeic controls are entirely legal in ACBL tournaments.

I am not sure about the regulations in the Bridge club of Lake Wobegon.

Rik

Not sure if this is a slight against the ACBL but they didn't allow psychic controls when I played in the WBF's junior championships either. In fact our team got in some hot water when they thought one of our pairs was using PC.

[andy_h]

Used to have one with a partner a while ago. It was 2NT-3NT-4C-4NT, when he sometimes forgets 3NT isn't a to play bid, but after opener shows interest, and after a few mishaps we decided 4NT over that is "I forgot". But I reckon after we made that agreement, he never forgot it again.

[Trinidad]

kfay, on Jun 11 2009, 08:56 AM, said:

Trinidad, on Jun 11 2009, 06:49 AM, said:

There is nothing in the bridge laws that forbids the use of psychic controls. The bridge laws (80B2f and 40B2a) just give the Tournament Organizer and the Regulating Authority the opportunity to regulate certain agreements. This makes it possible for ACBL or the Bridge club of Lake Wobegon to ban psychic controls or mistakeic controls in its tournaments by publishing regulations.

The ACBL has banned psychic controls, but not mistakeic controls. Therefore, mistakeic controls are entirely legal in ACBL tournaments.

I am not sure about the regulations in the Bridge club of Lake Wobegon.

Rik

Not sure if this is a slight against the ACBL[].

No, it isn't, at least not intentionally. I just wanted to point out that psychic (or mistake-ic) controls are not banned by the Laws, but that the decision is in the hands of Regulating Authorities and tournament organizers.

I just took ACBL and the Bridge Club of Lake Wobegon as examples, but feel free to read "SBF" and "Bridgesällskap Katthult", 'VBL' and "BV 't Pleintje" or "EBU" and "Royal Whist Society of Upper-Uncton" instead.

It wasn't a slight against Lake Wobegon, or its bridge club, either.

Rik