Director, please by David Stevenson

Question (from Illinois): In a club game, I was North and my RHO (West) opened 2NT. The auction proceeded:

The only bid that was alerted was 3D. After East rebid 3S, my partner (pointlessly) asked for an explanation of the alert of 3D and was told by East that it was a response to Puppet Stayman, showing at least one four-card major. Playing that convention, East's 3S rebid shows four hearts but not four spades.

Before passing, I called the director, who disallowed the 4H bid and rolled the contract back to 3NT. I suggested that instead, she allow the deal to be played in 4H, and then adjust the score if my side would have done better in 3NT, but she insisted that we play in 3NT. This worked out worse for my side -- we would have done better defending 4H.

Of course, West had forgotten about Puppet Stayman. When West did not alert the 3S bid, East knew she had forgotten and that she thought his 3S rebid showed four spades. Therefore, she must have hearts for her 3D rebid, so he bid 4H. In fact, West had no four-card major, and they had reached 4H on a 4-3 fit.

I think the director's ruling was incorrect. Instead, my side should have been given a "double shot" by allowing the deal to be played out in 4H. If I had delayed calling the director until after we had played the deal, I believe we would have gotten the double shot -- if the result in 4H was better for them, we would receive an adjustment; if the result in 4H was better for us, we wouldn't have called the director at all. Is my view correct?

Stevenson: Certainly the Director was wrong. Sadly, the Director does not seem to have the slightest idea of what to do in an unauthorized information case. There is no Law allowing her to decide the contract should be played in something else, and a competent Director would merely have said, "Play the deal out, and call me back at the end if you think you might have been damaged.".

This is different from a misinformation case. If you have been misinformed, then the Director will allow your side to take back your last call and change it. Even so, the Director never decides whether any call will be changed.

What the Director should do is to consider adjusting the score at the end. Since one of your opponents had deduced from the lack of alert unauthorised information was definitely used, so the Director may or may not adjust, depending on whether you have been damaged, but certainly should give your East a little talk on following the Laws.

There is too much talk of the "double shot", especially in North America. Nowhere do the Laws say a double shot is illegal. I would not have called the Director until the end.

Incidentally, could you not stop your partner from asking pointless questions? It does not help, and some people will use information illegally gleaned from the answers. It is best to ask all questions at the end of the auction, when the auction is such that you are never going to bid. Always make sure leader leads face down to give partner the chance to ask questions.

Do you have questions about bridge laws, a ruling you received (or made) at a tournament or club game, how to handle an ethical dilemma?

David, who is very knowledgeable on North American bridge, will explain laws and proprieties, share opinions on specific cases and offer advice on any aspect of game direction, rulings, alerting, conventions and other laws-related topics.

Please submit your questions to kwalker2@comcast.net and they will be forwarded to David for answers.

West	North	East	South
2NT	Pass	3C	Pass
3D *	Pass	3S	Pass
3NT	Pass	4H	Pass
Pass

Director, please

by David Stevenson, Liverpool, England