June 2012 - 38
Ruling the Game
Declarer won the trump exit
with the ace, cashed the trump
king, and then crossed to dummy
with the 6. After cashing one
more trump, this was the ending:
-
987
Q8
A
Mike Flader
Associate National
Tournament Director
rulings@acbl.org
Q
What's your take on this
problem?
Dlr: East 9 7 2
Vul: E-W Q J 9 8 7 5 4
Q8
A
10 5
AKQJ3
N
10 2
3
W E
10 9 7
KJ53
S
Q 10 7 5 3 2
K94
864
AK6
A642
J86
West
North
1(2) 4(3)
Pass Pass
East
1(1)
Pass
Dbl
South
Pass
4
All Pass
(1) Strong, artificial, forcing.
(2) 0-7 HCP.
(3) Transfer to hearts.
West led the 10 to East's ace.
East cashed two more high spades,
West discarding the 10 (upsidedown count and attitude) on the
third round of the suit.
38 Bridge Bulletin June 2012
-
N
-
W E
97
S
Q 10 7 5
-
-
A64
J86
-
-
KJ5
K94
Declarer intended to keep running the trumps, but at that point,
East faced his hand, stating he
would hold the K J. South then
demanded that West discard three
clubs, making declarer's J good
at the end.
East-West objected, stating that
pitching the clubs merely to hold
the 9 7 was not rational.
A
If the director ruled that the
defense was entitled to one
trick, he ruled correctly. It
would be irrational for West
to discard three or four clubs.
There are, of course, layouts in
which a defender's choice of discards
is not so clear cut. In those situations,
the director must rule against the
claimer.
Law 70 (Contested Claim or Concession) covers this matter, and in
particular, 70D2 which says, "The
director shall not accept any part of a
defender's claim that depends on his
partner's selecting a particular play
from among alternative normal plays."
The key word is "normal," which the
footnote in the Laws explains as encompassing careless or inferior play
for the class of player involved. To
discard clubs in this ending, however,
and keep two low diamonds would
be worse than careless or inferior: It
would be suicidal, and West cannot be
compelled to defend in this manner
simply because his partner claimed.
Q
I picked up the following hand at a local game
yesterday:
J 7 5 8 Q 10 9 8 7 6 4 3 2
At favorable vulnerability, my
left-hand opponent opened 1NT
(15-17 HCP) and my partner bid
2. RHO doubled.
We play DONT, so 2 should
show five or more clubs and a
higher suit. Well, I know my partner made a mistake: With his five
clubs and my nine clubs, this deck
would have at least 14 clubs.
I was at a loss as what to do, so
I tried 5. That is the bid I would
have made if I didn't know my
partner made a mistake.
What would have been the ethical position to take? Could I have
passed or am I required to believe
partner and raise clubs?
A
You are entitled to take
inferences from the auction
and the cards you hold, thus
you are aware that someone
doesn't have his bid (probably partner), and you came by this information in a manner which is authorized.
You may make whatever call you
choose. You are not limited by unauthorized information, because you
have none.
r
Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of June 2012
Viewpoint - Brent Manley
Letters to the Editor
From the CEO - Robert Hartman
Philadelphia hosts the Summer NABC
Report from the Memphis NABC (part 2)
Amoils Teams wins Vanderbilt
Bessis, Del'Monte win Mott-Smith Trophy
Double Trouble - Larry Cohen
Pre-Balancing - Larry Cohen and Frank Stewart
The Bidding Box
It's Your Call
Ruling the Game - Mike Flader
For Newer Players
Puzzle Page
Ask Jerry - Jerry Helms
Bridge Players Survival Kit - Redouble trouble - Leslie Shafer
Mike's Bridge Lesson - Mike Lawrence
Upgrading Your Game - Lynn Berg
Play & Learn - Which finesse? - Pat Harrington
A Game for All Ages
For Intermediate Players
Boehm on Bridge - August Boehm
The Real Deal - Larry Cohen
Misplay these Hands With Me - Down under - Mark Horton
Better Bridge with Bergen - Splinter bids - Marty Bergen
Chalk talk - Eddie Kantar
East hands for The Bidding Box
Log on for Bridge
For Advanced Players
My Bridge and Yours - Frank Stewart
Bidding Matters - 12 habits - Karen Walker
Test Your Play - Eddie Kantar
Mike's Advice - Mike Lawrence
Solutions to Test Your Play
West hands for The Bidding Box
Bridge with the Abbot - David Bird
Dear Billy - Billy Miller
George's World - George Jacobs
In Memoriam
Obituary - Hazel (Nickerson) Smith (1914-2012)
Obituary - Bob Carteaux (1934-2012)
Board Meeting Highlights
ACBL-wide Charity Game/Senior Pairs winners
Club News
Big Games
Life Master Milestones
New Life Masters
Tournament Directory
June 2012 - 1
June 2012 - 2
June 2012 - 3
June 2012 - 4
June 2012 - 5
June 2012 - Letters to the Editor
June 2012 - 7
June 2012 - 8
June 2012 - From the CEO - Robert Hartman
June 2012 - Philadelphia hosts the Summer NABC
June 2012 - 11
June 2012 - 12
June 2012 - 13
June 2012 - Report from the Memphis NABC (part 2)
June 2012 - 15
June 2012 - 16
June 2012 - 17
June 2012 - Amoils Teams wins Vanderbilt
June 2012 - 19
June 2012 - 20
June 2012 - 21
June 2012 - 22
June 2012 - 23
June 2012 - 24
June 2012 - Bessis, Del'Monte win Mott-Smith Trophy
June 2012 - Double Trouble - Larry Cohen
June 2012 - 27
June 2012 - Pre-Balancing - Larry Cohen and Frank Stewart
June 2012 - 29
June 2012 - 30
June 2012 - The Bidding Box
June 2012 - 32
June 2012 - 33
June 2012 - It's Your Call
June 2012 - 35
June 2012 - 36
June 2012 - 37
June 2012 - Ruling the Game - Mike Flader
June 2012 - Puzzle Page
June 2012 - Ask Jerry - Jerry Helms
June 2012 - 41
June 2012 - Bridge Players Survival Kit - Redouble trouble - Leslie Shafer
June 2012 - Mike's Bridge Lesson - Mike Lawrence
June 2012 - Upgrading Your Game - Lynn Berg
June 2012 - Play & Learn - Which finesse? - Pat Harrington
June 2012 - A Game for All Ages
June 2012 - Boehm on Bridge - August Boehm
June 2012 - The Real Deal - Larry Cohen
June 2012 - Misplay these Hands With Me - Down under - Mark Horton
June 2012 - Better Bridge with Bergen - Splinter bids - Marty Bergen
June 2012 - Chalk talk - Eddie Kantar
June 2012 - Log on for Bridge
June 2012 - My Bridge and Yours - Frank Stewart
June 2012 - Bidding Matters - 12 habits - Karen Walker
June 2012 - Test Your Play - Eddie Kantar
June 2012 - Mike's Advice - Mike Lawrence
June 2012 - West hands for The Bidding Box
June 2012 - Bridge with the Abbot - David Bird
June 2012 - Dear Billy - Billy Miller
June 2012 - George's World - George Jacobs
June 2012 - Obituary - Bob Carteaux (1934-2012)
June 2012 - Board Meeting Highlights
June 2012 - ACBL-wide Charity Game/Senior Pairs winners
June 2012 - Club News
June 2012 - Big Games
June 2012 - Life Master Milestones
June 2012 - 67
June 2012 - New Life Masters
June 2012 - Tournament Directory
June 2012 - 70
June 2012 - 71
June 2012 - 72
June 2012 - 73
June 2012 - 74
June 2012 - 75
June 2012 - 76
June 2012 - 77
June 2012 - 78
June 2012 - 79
June 2012 - 80
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