[Rebound]

There is one player with whom I play precision, who opened a natural 2 clubs in 3rd seat. I don't recall the actual hands, but this call normally shows 11-15 HCP, 5+ clubs with a possible 4CM. A normal precision 2 clubs, in other words. However, my partner held something more along the lines of a 9-count and 4-1-2-6 distribution.

When asked to explain the 2♣ call, he told the opponents it showed 11-15 hcp and a club suit. Of course, an argument broke out because he told them one thing and held another. He was told in no uncertain terms he should have explained distribution but held his tongue on point values. I don't agree with this.

So, the question, if you psyche, or for that matter, shade a bid, what do you respond when asked for an explanation of the bid?

[the hog]

Your partner gave the correct explanation. That is the system bid for you and that is how you, as his partner, would interpret it. You do not have to tell the opponents that you psyched.

[Rebound]

Hmmm. Makes you wonder why our opps (who apparently couldn't be bothered to read our card) and the TD of the event disagree. Unfortunately, I was not privy to what our opponents may have said to the td. But I doubt they were inaccurate in reporting thier complaint.

[Cascade]

Your obligations are to explain your agreements and to explain your partnership experience.

L75C
"When explaining the significance of partner's call or play in reply to an opponent's inquiry (see Law 20), a player shall disclose all special information conveyed to him through partnership agreement or partnership experience, but he need not disclose inferences drawn from his general knowledge and experience."

In online play I cannot see why this wouldn't apply to explaining your own bids.

L20F1
"During the auction and before the final pass, any player, at his own turn to call, may request a full explanation of the opponents' auction (questions may be asked about calls actually made or about relevant calls available but not made); replies should normally be given by the partner of a player who made a call in question (see Law 75C)."

Therefore you might need to disclose your tendancy to open lighter than your stated agreement.

[EricK]

Would your partnership have opened ♠KT98 ♥2 ♦32 ♣AQT987 with 2♣ in first seat? If so, then his description of 2♣ as showing 11-15 HCP is wrong. He should be saying something like "11-15 HCP in principle, but can be weaker with extra length and/or good suit quality".

If you have agreed (either explicitly or implicitly) that 3rd seat openings can be weaker than first seat openers, then his description is also wrong. He should be saying "9-15 HCP" or whatever the 3rd seat range is.

But if neither of those things apply (so, in effect, you were as surprised as the opps were by how weak his hand was) then there has been no infraction.

Eric

[Rebound]

While it is true that our 3rd seat pre-empts tend to be allowed to be wilder than those in 1st and second, our other openings are usually required to adhere to the bid's description, hence the name Precision. ;-)

So, the latter applies. I had no better idea he was weaker than normal than the opponents did. The fact that I had a 1-count was what kept me from bidding, not that I knew he was weak. This was the point we tried to make at the time but were drowned out by the howling protests of the opposition.

It's a shame it turned into such a big deal, seeing as how the actual hand in question made no difference to final result.

[Free]

It all depends on your agreements. If you open lighter in 3rd seat, then opps should know that. So explaining it as 11-15 while you have less and your partner can know that is wrong. However, you are allowed to lie about your shape and strength, but you don't have the obligation to say what you really have, only what your partner thinks you have.

It looks like a discussion we had about psyching. It would be ridiculous that you tell opps you have 9-15 if partner only suspects 11-15. Opps will see when you explain it as 11-15, when as 10-15, and when as 9-15, so they'll KNOW how strong you really are, but partner will not. This is not the purpose of alerting and explaining...

[inquiry]

Alert 11-15 hcp, 5+ clubs, can be light in 3rd seat

Move on....

The director ruled correctly only if there is evidence that your partner has a tendency to open light and this wasn't made clear.. AND your hand took an action that could be logically based upon the light opening. At least, that is my limited understanding. With 1hcp. you don't do a anything if he is 15 or 8... Result, what ever it is, stands.

Ben

[Rebound]

Thanks. I agree completely. 'Nuff said.