[lamford]

---

This was a genuine hand from the Garden Cities Qualifier last night (board 19 in the top link at http://www.metrobridge.co.uk/), not at my table. I was suprised by the ruling. Against 3NT, South cashed a top heart, and switched to a spade, ducked by North. East won and played a club to the ace, and finessed the jack of clubs. The defence won and cashed out for one off. The contract will always fail on accurate defence. The declarer thought South had fielded the psyche and he asked the director for a ruling, and the TD asked South why she bid Two Spades. South, an English International, stated "it took up more room than double" and the director ruled that even if South doubled, EW would reach 3NT anyway and go off, as North would pull to 2D, and South would correct to 2S. East-West did not want to appeal (their team could not qualify) and the TD's ruling of no adjustment was accepted, but I thought it should have been ruled as a fielded red psyche.

[gordontd]

Was it established that North's opening was a psyche?

[lamford]

gordontd, on 2013-April-12, 07:01, said:

Was it established that North's opening was a psyche?

There was no agreement to open with a hand as light as that, nor was there any such indication on the CC. North stated he would have doubled if holding the South hand.

[billw55]

I am inclined to agree with fielded psyche. South's bid and explanation both seem dubious for an international level player.

Don't really agree with ruling of no damage either, EW might stop below game if warned by the double, or maybe defend for a plus (cashing the minor suit winners doesn't seem excessively difficult).

[Zelandakh]

lamford, on 2013-April-12, 06:11, said:

South, an English International, stated "it took up more room than double" and the director...

...asked him why he wanted to take up extra room when supposedly holding more than half the deck and holding a maximum hand with decent defence.

[TylerE]

I have a lot of sympathy for south here. The 1NT bid announces that NS have at mount no extras for game, and every finnesse rates to be off. AKQx in a side suit isn't really the most inspiring holding, especially in a balanced hand with bad trump.

[ahydra]

TylerE, on 2013-April-12, 08:38, said:

I have a lot of sympathy for south here. The 1NT bid announces that NS have at mount no extras for game, and every finnesse rates to be off. AKQx in a side suit isn't really the most inspiring holding, especially in a 4333 hand with bad trump.

But it is rather good for defending notrump...

I agree with billw55 that it's viable for the auction to stop below game if south doubles, e.g. 1S-1NT-X-XX (if natural); 2D-p-2S-X (T/O); p-3C-out. Perhaps instead of a psyche, this is a CPU (where in 3rd NS can open on 6-counts) and the agreement itself is illegal as well? Either way, I don't think the TD got this one right.

ahydra

[TylerE]

ahydra, on 2013-April-12, 08:57, said:

But it is rather good for defending notrump...

Sure. Using judgement wasn't illegal the last time I checked. Giving the opponents the chance to hang themselves is perfectly fine.

I'm curious about the EW methods. Either E or W are upgrading pretty seriously on this hand.

[billw55]

TylerE, on 2013-April-12, 09:06, said:

Sure. Using judgement wasn't illegal the last time I checked. Giving the opponents the chance to hang themselves is perfectly fine.

I'm curious about the EW methods. Either E or W are upgrading pretty seriously on this hand.

East I would say.

By the way, south does not have the 4333 shape you mentioned.

[paulg]

TylerE, on 2013-April-12, 08:38, said:

The 1NT bid announces that NS have at mount no extras for game, and every finnesse rates to be off. AKQx in a side suit isn't really the most inspiring holding, especially in a 4333 hand with bad trump.

All the more reason to look for +500 from 1NT doubled.

[PhilKing]

TylerE, on 2013-April-12, 09:06, said:

I'm curious about the EW methods. Either E or W are upgrading pretty seriously on this hand.

Looks like they just valued well - 3NT is excellent.

[barmar]

billw55, on 2013-April-12, 09:27, said:

By the way, south does not have the 4333 shape you mentioned.

I made the same mistake when I first looked at the diagram. I blame the fact that ten is shown as "10", since it makes it look like 3 cards in the diamond suit.

[TylerE]

barmar, on 2013-April-12, 10:21, said:

I made the same mistake when I first looked at the diagram. I blame the fact that ten is shown as "10", since it makes it look like 3 cards in the diamond suit.

I've complained about that to Fred on multiple occasions. Drives me bonkers. Maybe you can slip a word in the right ear, since you have some pull around here?

[lamford]

TylerE, on 2013-April-12, 10:33, said:

I've complained about that to Fred on multiple occasions. Drives me bonkers. Maybe you can slip a word in the right ear, since you have some pull around here?

Most dealing programs have an option to use T, but I don't think BBO has that.

[aguahombre]

For the purpose of my questions, let's assume that South fielded something.

1) Isn't your color scheme over there geared to psyches, but extended to misbids?
2) Didn't all jurisdictions relax their natural opening bid regulations for 3rd-seat favorable?
3) Aren't rulings based on coincidence unlawful, unless there is other evidence of UI or CPU?

[campboy]

This is routine under EBU rules.

WB 40.6 said:

Whatever the level of the game, it is unacceptable for a player, hearing his partner open third-in-hand at the one-level, and hearing a natural strong 1NT from RHO, to do otherwise than double with 11 HCP.

EBU regs also say that you adjust the score to ave+/ave- (unless NOS have done better than that), then give an additional PP to the psyching side (which should be in the final form of scoring, perhaps VPs). So whether the TD thinks there was damage is irrelevant.

[barmar]

I'm not sure I agree with the director's opinion that EW would have reached 3NT anyway. South's double should warn West that his partner probably has a minimum for his 1NT (in fact, he's below minimum if their agreement is 15-18) and that finessing through opener is not likely to work as well as usually expected. And if North pulls the double to 2♦, that reduces the value of West's 5-card suit.

So he might just invite rather than force to game, and East surely will decline.

[gnasher]

gordontd, on 2013-April-12, 07:01, said:

Was it established that North's opening was a psyche?

If it wasn't a psyche, presumably it was both an illegal agreement (fewer than 8 points) and a CPU. Paul would have told us if 1♠ had been alerted, and an agreement to play an illegal method certainly passes the test "has a potentially unexpected meaning".

[gordontd]

gnasher, on 2013-April-12, 10:53, said:

If it wasn't a psyche, presumably it was both an illegal agreement (fewer than 8 points) and a CPU.

Indeed, that's why I asked the question.

[gnasher]

Does the combination of a CPU and an illegal agreement have a higher price than a red psyche?