HDTenEightyP/NetNews huggingface dataset:
From: bs@gauss.mitre.org (Robert D. Silverman)
Subject: Re: opening lead against 6NT
Organization: Research Computer Facility, MITRE Corporation, Bedford, MA
Date: Thu, 17 Dec 1992 15:38:44 GMT

In article <1992Dec17.145526.17546@walter.bellcore.com> mie@faline.bellcore.com (Martin I. Eiger) writes:
:Matchpoints, opponents vulnerable.
:
:                         You   LHO   Prt   RHO
:S - 9 7                   P     1D    1S    4N       4N = Blackwood
:H - 9 7 2                 P     5C    X     6N       5C = 0 or 4 aces
:D - 9 7                   P     P     X     P
:C - T 9 6 4 3 2           P     P
:
:What do you lead and why?
:
:Please e-mail responses to me, and I'll summarize opinions and present
:all four hands when the dust settles.
 
This is a non-problem.  When partner bids a suit, then subsequently
doubles a NT contract, he is DEMANDING that you lead his suit.
[unless, of course, you play lead inhibiting overcalls]

In the above situation, If partner wanted a CLUB lead [after doubling
5C] he would NOT double the final contract. You would then lead a club.

This is not a matter of opinion.
--
Bob Silverman
These are my opinions and not MITRE's.
Mitre Corporation, Bedford, MA 01730
"You can lead a horse's ass to knowledge, but you can't make him think"
Newsgroups: rec.games.bridge
From: sgm@sgfb.ssd.ray.com (Steven G. Myerson)
Subject: Re: cue-bid or clubs?
Organization: Raytheon Submarine Signal Division
Date: Fri, 11 Dec 1992 16:55:48 GMT

In article <1992Dec10.180513.26050@wuecl.wustl.edu> Giuseppe Bianchi writes:

* I'm sorry if I'm posting too much, but I'm curious to know what the 
* net.experts think of this hand.
* 
* MP; vulnerability unknown; spots small;
* south:
*     -
*     Jxx
*     AKxxx
*     AJ9xx
* 
* E     S     W     N
* p     1D    1S    2H(*)      (forcing)
* p     ???

I would bid out the pattern of my hand.
3C followed by heart support.

* I decided to jump to 3S, and we landed in the following 6H, with north:
*    Axx
*    AK8xx
*    x
*    K8xx
* 
* As you see, 6C is a *much* more superior slam (at least at IMPs it should be
* found). After my 3S bid it was impossible to discovery the 5-4 club fit.
* 
* those are the questions:
*    1) what do you think of the 3S bid?

I would prefer better trumps for the splinter,
unless North was showing 6 hearts.

*    2) what do you bid?

3C.

*    3) which is your follow-up?

If partner rebids 3H, I will bid 3S.
If partner continues with 3N, I will bid 4H.

If partner supports one of my suits, I will show heart support.

*    4) does your bid/follow-up change if playing IMPs?

No.

Steve Myerson (sgm@sgfb.ssd.ray.com)
From: bpwing@phoenix.princeton.edu (Ben Wing)
Newsgroups: rec.games.bridge
Date: 18 Dec 92 00:58:06 GMT
Subject: Re: opening lead against 6NT
Organization: Princeton University
X-Subliminal-Message: You can quit reading news anytime you want.

In article <1992Dec17.153844.10560@linus.mitre.org> bs@gauss.mitre.org (Robert D. Silverman) writes:
|In article <1992Dec17.145526.17546@walter.bellcore.com> mie@faline.bellcore.com (Martin I. Eiger) writes:
|:Matchpoints, opponents vulnerable.
|:
|:                         You   LHO   Prt   RHO
|:S - 9 7                   P     1D    1S    4N       4N = Blackwood
|:H - 9 7 2                 P     5C    X     6N       5C = 0 or 4 aces
|:D - 9 7                   P     P     X     P
|:C - T 9 6 4 3 2           P     P
|:
|:What do you lead and why?
|:
|:Please e-mail responses to me, and I'll summarize opinions and present
|:all four hands when the dust settles.
| 
|This is a non-problem.  When partner bids a suit, then subsequently
|doubles a NT contract, he is DEMANDING that you lead his suit.
|[unless, of course, you play lead inhibiting overcalls]
|
|In the above situation, If partner wanted a CLUB lead [after doubling
|5C] he would NOT double the final contract. You would then lead a club.
|
|This is not a matter of opinion.

Well, you can put shit in my ears then, if you don't want to hear what I
say ...

I thought that a double of a NT contract generally demanded an UNUSUAL
lead, i.e. NOT partner's suit, which you would have led without the double.
I don't think a club lead is called for -- the double of 5C may well have
been based on a void.  So ...  how 'bout a diamond lead?

ben
--

"Can't we all just get along?"
Newsgroups: rec.games.bridge
From: bs@gauss.mitre.org (Robert D. Silverman)
Subject: Re: defense agreements
Organization: Research Computer Facility, MITRE Corporation, Bedford, MA
Date: Sat, 12 Dec 1992 01:29:27 GMT

In article <1992Dec11.222724.3198@news.yale.edu> ingvar@doctor.chem.yale.edu (Ingvar Lagerstedt) writes:
:In a club game most pairs missed to take their obvious 5 diamond tricks
:against 3NT, although the suit was normally lead.
:
:The bidding was either (Acol/4CM):
:S/unimportant
:    1NT - 2C - 2D - 3NT (weak NT)
:or  1C  - 1H - 1NT- 3NT (strong NT)
:
:I don't remember the whole layout, but N had 4-4-2-3 13 hcp and S had
:3-3-2-5 14 hcp so there where not many other places to go.
:The diamond situation was:
:            94
:AK753             JT82
:            Q6
:
:Our opponents, LOLs, played: A-4-2-6, K-9-8-Q, 3-x-T-x, and the suit was 
:blocked. At some other tables it went either:
:
:    A-4-2-6, 3-9-8-Q, => 11 tricks
:or  A-4-J-6, switch   => 10 tricks
:
:Thus, we got a very bad score for a 3NT made, when it was unmakeable. 3NT 
:was beaten at only 2/12 tables. So the question is how should E/W proceed 
:to take their 5 tricks on this layout. How can E encourages W to continue
 
You don't give the entire hand, so it is hard to say whether in fact
West  SHOULD be leading the A or K diamonds, rather than LOW.

However, I will assume there is some reason to lead an honor.

Standard practice is that the lead of the ACE calls for partner to
unblock an honor or give count.

To a good player, looking at JT82 with the 9 in dummy, it should be
obvious that they must unblock, otherwise they will be forced to win
the 4th round. When partner plays the Ace, the play of the J [to give
count] is obligatory. The leader must now guess to continue with the K.
I see no way to distinguish partner holding Jx from JTxx unless something
in the bidding might suggest declarer has only 2 diamonds.

However, if partner DOES work out to continue, the rest is routine.
East continues the unblock by playing the T under the K.

Unblocking the suit is the easy part. The hard part is for West to
figure out that he must cash the AK.  This is definitely non-trivial.
--
Bob Silverman
These are my opinions and not MITRE's.
Mitre Corporation, Bedford, MA 01730
"You can lead a horse's ass to knowledge, but you can't make him think"
From: taylor@foraker.NoSubdomain.NoDomain (Eric Taylor)
Newsgroups: rec.games.bridge
Subject: Re: two missed slam
Date: 11 Dec 92 19:22:17 GMT

|> >2) N/S vuln. West dealer.
|> >
|> >     AKJT752     Q843
|> >     52          AKQJ3
|> >     K652        A8
|> >     -           K9
|> >
|> >     At the table west opened 4S followed by 4NT - 5H (RKCB) - 6S. 
|> >     7 spades is of course lay-down. A part from the *criminal* 4S opening
|> >     in first seat (does some net.expert opens 4S in first seat with 
|> >     that hand?) there is a way to bid 7 after the 4S? 
|> >     And how do you bid the hand without the 4S opening?

4S is only criminal if it violates any agreements.
What agreements do you have about what 4S shows?
If you have no agreements, I would assume a hand
with 5 losers.  This hand meets that requirement.

Played from the East's side,East has 6 cover cards.
You should be able to take 14 tricks.

If West has a club control, then you want to be in 7.

Blackwood.  Do your methods allow West to show 
2 key cards and useful void?

Since you need either 3 cards or 2 key cards and a void in
clubs,  Blackwood seems perfect.

I will correct to 6N if partner shows only 2 keycards.
It is vital to be played from East's side.
From: hampton@ais.org (Kevin Podsiadlik)
Subject: Re: interesting hand
Organization: UMCC
Date: Sun, 13 Dec 1992 20:28:09 GMT

In article <1992Dec13.092129.19590@netcom.com> rudy@netcom.com (Rudy) writes:
>Some interesting hands came up this weekend in Pasadena -- I might post
>a bunch of them later, here's one:
>
>--
>AJTx
>AKxx
>AKQxx
>
>2S  X  4S  5H
>P   5N P   7H
>7S  X ----
>
>What do you think of the auction?

GSF strikes me as unnecessary; can partner have as weak as Kxxxx of
hearts and still have a 5H bid?  The only worry would appear to be in
diamonds.  Unfortunately, my slam bidding methods aren't fine enough
to located third-round diamond control from this point.  All in all,
though, 7H seems at worst a decent gamble, so you might as well bid it
directly over 5H.

>You lead club King and dummy is:
>Qxxxx  xx  QJx xxx  Standard signals, partner plays the Jack.  Your plan?

Cash out what I can.  In order, I try to cash club ace, club queen
(trusting partner's signal), heart ace, diamond ace, diamond king,
and finally out a heart when I run out of things to cash.

Did I miss anything?

-- 
Kevin J. Podsiadlik          | 
Vaporware Engineer 2nd class |    "But, Master, what if we behave badly?" 
E-mail: hampton@ais.org      |    "You go to Detroit."
CompuServe: 71460,3602       |
Newsgroups: rec.games.bridge
From: bs@gauss.mitre.org (Robert D. Silverman)
Subject: Re: Lead Problem
Organization: Research Computer Facility, MITRE Corporation, Bedford, MA
Date: Mon, 14 Dec 1992 20:09:09 GMT

In article <1992Dec13.142359.11412@ramon.bgu.ac.il> avir@chen.bgu.ac.il (Avi Roy Shapira) writes:
:I post this hand as a prelude to a fascinating "How would you rule" problem
:that caused a lot of uproar in the Israeli Bridge community.
:
:The scenario is as follows: An extended match, IMP's opps are vul. Screens
:are used with South and West on the same side of the screen. South deals.
:NS are playing 5CM and weak (12-14)NT with gedgets.
:You hold: Jxx, xxx, Ax, KJxxx
:
:The bidding (E-W silent throughout)
:
:S  1D(0)   1N(1)      2H         3C      4D      6D
:
:N       1H     2D(2)      2N(3)      3N*      4H     pass
:What do you lead?
:
Presumably 2NT was alerted. I am therefore aware of the fact that the
3C bid was forced and that the response to it was conventional.
Hence, I ask what 3NT showed.

Tell me what 3NT showed and I will reply to your lead question.

--
Bob Silverman
These are my opinions and not MITRE's.
Mitre Corporation, Bedford, MA 01730
"You can lead a horse's ass to knowledge, but you can't make him think"
Newsgroups: rec.games.bridge
From: wrblwski@phoenix.Princeton.EDU (Jaroslaw Tomasz Wroblewski)
Newsgroups: rec.games.bridge
Subject: Re: handling slow players
Date: 13 Dec 92 16:24:48 GMT
Article-I.D.: Princeto.1992Dec13.162448.14088
Organization: Princeton University
Originator: news@nimaster

In article <1992Dec13.052113.15638@Princeton.EDU> spencer@phoenix.princeton.edu (S. Spencer Sun) writes:
>In article <1992Dec11.230347.27754@sunova.ssc.gov>, henk@pdsf.ssc.gov (Henk Uijterwaal) writes:
>>
>>B.T.W. How long did the match take?
>
>The whole match took about 2 hrs 45 minutes.  Better than I expected,
>but a bit on the slow side all the same.  After our table played boards
>1 and 2, got 3 from them, and then finally 4, we spent more time waiting
>for them to finish 1 and 2 than we did playing 1-4 ourselves.

What kind of funny stuff is that?

After your postings in r.g.b. we simply decided to have our slow
players sit out and they did. I do not think we delayed the play.
We did not play with clocks so where does the assumption that the delay is
a fault of our team only come from? From the fact that our captain was honest
enough to mention before match that we have 2 slow players? Fine, they
were sitting out.

What does "our table" and "their table" mean? Oddly enough there were
2 players from each team at both tables.

So I guess I was playing at what you call "their table". On one of the
first 4 boards I was preempted 3H looking at 19HCP. Is there a standard
bid to make in this situation or am I allowed to take some time thinking
what to do?

>
>-----
>sss/PU'94 Dept of CS (spencer@phoenix.princeton.edu)/JvNCnet (spencer@jvnc.net)
>"Horror?  Steckle, it's ignorance we fear.  Since when did truth and
>knowledge become a horror?"
>


-- 

Jarek (Jaroslaw Tomasz Wroblewski) ,   E-mail jwr@math.Princeton.EDU
Newsgroups: rec.games.bridge
From: daveshao@leland.stanford.edu (David Shao)
Subject: Re: interesting hand
Originator: daveshao@leland.Stanford.EDU
Organization: DSG, Stanford University, CA 94305, USA
Distribution: world 
Date: Sun, 13 Dec 92 21:28:17 GMT

In article <1992Dec13.210057.13459@netcom.com> rudy@netcom.com (Rudy) writes:
>In article <Bz7sv0.C8v@ais.org> hampton@ais.org (Kevin Podsiadlik) writes:
>>>--
>>>AJTx
>>>AKxx
>>>AKQxx
>
>>>You lead club King and dummy is:
>>>Qxxxx  xx  QJx xxx  Standard signals, partner plays the Jack.  Your plan?
>>

Perhaps I'm missing something--is this IMPs or MPs and what is the 
vulnerability?  What is the level of the opposition?
While this may have little to do with the play,
I would like this information to assess the auction.





Newsgroups: rec.games.bridge
From: adam@irvine.com (Adam Beneschan)
Subject: Re: To 4SF or not to?
Organization: Irvine Compiler Corp., Irvine, California, USA
Date: Tue, 15 Dec 1992 00:48:28 GMT

In article <1992Dec14.133217.22575@eua.ericsson.se> ttllarsa@eua.ericsson.se 
(Lars Andersson) writes:

>   Assumptions:
>   ============
>   You are playing SA (no Flannery). Your partner opens 1H, you bid 1S and 
>   your partner 2D.
>
>   Questions:
>   ==========
>   What do you do now playing
>   a. 4SF?
>   b. not 4SF?
>   c. Your favourite method?
>
>   (I assume you met your partner 10 minutes before playing time in a. and b.)

For me, (a) and (c) are the same, so I'll respond to (a) and (b).

Part of my problem here is that when not playing 4SF, I'm not sure which
rebids are invitational and which ones are forcing.  It's been a long time
since I haven't played 4SF, but even before that, I still was never sure 
which was which.  That's one thing I like about 4SF---it clears up some of 
those questions.  I'm assuming below that 3H and 3S are invitational if
playing 4SF, forcing otherwise.

>   1. (I bet you recognize this one)
>   AQxxx/AQ/xxx/xxx            a. 3C   b. 3H
I don't like 3H but I like other bids even less.  If 3H isn't forcing,
I'm stuck.

>   2.
>   AQxxx/AQx/xx/xxx            4H in both cases

>   3.
>   AQxxx/AQxx/xx/xx            4H in both cases.  I would have started 
                                with 2NT (forcing raise, Jacoby) if
                                available.

>   4.
>   AQxxx/AQxx/Kx/xx            a. 3C  b. 3H

>   5.
>   QJxxxx/x/xxx/Kxx            2S

>   6.
>   KQJTxx/x/Kxx/xxx            a. 3S  b. 2S

>   7.
>   AQJTxx/x/KJx/xxx            a. 3C  b. 4D.  In both cases, will follow up
                                with 4S if partner doesn't support spades,
                                something stronger if he does.

>   8.               
>   AQxxxx/x/KJx/Axx            3C in both cases

>   9.
>   Qxxx/x/xxxx/AQxx            3D in both cases

>   10.
>   Axxx/x/Kxxx/Axxx            a. 3D  b. 3C

>   11.
>   Qxxx/x/AKxx/AJxx            3C in both cases

>   12.
>   KJxx/Qx/Qxx/Kxxx            2NT

>   13.
>   KJxx/Qx/AQx/Kxxx            3NT in both cases

>   14.
>   AJxxx/xx/xx/AQxx            a. 2NT (yuk)  b. 3C

>   15.
>   AQxxx/Qx/xx/AKxx            3C in both cases

>   16.
>   KJxxx/xx/xx/Qxxx            2H

>   17.
>   Axxxx/Kxx/Qxx/xx            2H

>   18.
>   AQxxx/Kxx/Qxx/xx            a. 3H  b. 3D.  If I'm in a confident mood,
                                I might just bid 4H in either case.

>   19.
>   AQxxx/KQx/Kxx/xx            a. 3C  b. 4H

>   20. 
>   AQxxx/xx/AKxxx/x            a. 3C  b. 5D

>   21. 
>   AKxxx/KQxx/Axx/x            a. 3C  b. 3H.  I would have bid 4C on the
                                first round.

                                -- Adam
Newsgroups: rec.games.bridge
From: sgm@sgfb.ssd.ray.com (Steven G. Myerson)
Subject: Re: The multi horror
Organization: Raytheon Submarine Signal Division
Date: Tue, 15 Dec 1992 21:25:20 GMT

In article <1992Dec15.073023.18669@nntp.hut.fi> Janne Veikko Petteri Kallunki writes:

* Dealer North/N-S vulnerable/IMPs
* You as a south hold KJT9xxxx/7x/8/9x.
* Your partner starts with 2D which is multi 
* (6+card major -11 points or 21-22 points balanced).
* East pass.
* What's your bid?

A forcing bid in spades. If 2S is forcing, that's the bid. Otherwise, 3S.

* I did 3 spades.
* West pass and my partner's bid is 3 NT.
* Now, what should I do?

Check for aces (and possibly kings) and bid the appropriate number
of spades or, notrump if you can count enough tricks.

* I did 6 spades and my partner raised it to 7.
* Which cards had she?

Peeking ahead, I dare say not the right ones.

* She had AQ8/AK/ATx/ATxxx so it was one down and we lost
* 17 imps.
* 
* What should I have done?

Berate partner for bidding 7? :-)

* Don't tell me that 6 spades wasn't a good bid because I know that.

Take control of the hand by asking for aces and (as it happens) kings.
Once you know that there are 12 tricks off the top, you can bid 6N.

Steve Myerson (sgm@sgfb.ssd.ray.com)
Newsgroups: rec.games.bridge
From: rudy@netcom.com (Rudy)
Subject: Re: interesting hand
Organization: Netcom - Online Communication Services (408 241-9760 guest)
Date: Sun, 13 Dec 1992 21:00:57 GMT

In article <Bz7sv0.C8v@ais.org> hampton@ais.org (Kevin Podsiadlik) writes:
>>--
>>AJTx
>>AKxx
>>AKQxx

>>You lead club King and dummy is:
>>Qxxxx  xx  QJx xxx  Standard signals, partner plays the Jack.  Your plan?
>
>Cash out what I can.  In order, I try to cash club ace, club queen
>(trusting partner's signal), heart ace, diamond ace, diamond king,
>and finally out a heart when I run out of things to cash.
>
>Did I miss anything?
>
Yes, the chance for +1700 to beat the 1510's -- trusting partner's
signal -- what does that mean?  Are you assuming that partner has
2 clubs?
From: mbrgw@s-crim1.dl.ac.uk (R.G. Walters)
Newsgroups: rec.games.bridge
Subject: Re: How would you rule?
Date: 18 Dec 92 18:19:26 GMT
Organization: Daresbury Lab., Warrington, U.K.
NNTP-Posting-Host: seqnet.dl.ac.uk

Oops! My last posting could be taken as rubbishing the sender of the 
problem, rather than a bit of self-depracation. Herewith one calarification:

'Twas _my_ comments that were perhaps "ill-informed" :-)

Robin.
Newsgroups: rec.games.bridge
From: mie@faline.bellcore.com (Martin I. Eiger)
Subject: opening lead against 6NT
Reply-To: mie@faline.bellcore.com (Martin I. Eiger)
Organization: Bellcore MRE
Date: Thu, 17 Dec 92 14:55:26 GMT

Matchpoints, opponents vulnerable.

                         You   LHO   Prt   RHO
S - 9 7                   P     1D    1S    4N       4N = Blackwood
H - 9 7 2                 P     5C    X     6N       5C = 0 or 4 aces
D - 9 7                   P     P     X     P
C - T 9 6 4 3 2           P     P

What do you lead and why?

Please e-mail responses to me, and I'll summarize opinions and present
all four hands when the dust settles.

Martin Eiger
mie@thumper.bellcore.com
From: c85perwe@IDA.LiU.SE (Per Westling)
Subject: Bidding problem
Reply-To: c85perwe@und.ida.liu.se
Organization: CIS Dept, University of Linkoping, Sweden
Distribution: rec
Date: Sun, 13 Dec 1992 17:03:44 GMT

Some bidding problems from Okbridge.  They occured recently so if you
intend to play there you might want to skip this.

Anyway, playing SA, how would continue bid this after opening 2C
(West).  Don't ask me why my partner choose 2C with just 20 HCP.

WEST          EAST
AKQJ          T9x
KTxx          AQx
Q             xxx
KQ9x          Axxx


Another hand, where you once more hear partner, WEST, open 2C:

EAST
xx
QJT9xxxx
x
xx

You decide that 4H is a descriptive bid, and your partner bid 4S.
What do you bid now?

--
Per Westling              |
Mardtoprsgatan 15         |  c85perwe@und.ida.liu.se
S-582 48 LINKOPING        |  In praise of Idleness -- Bertrand Russel
SWEDEN                    |
Stuff regarding DPP may be sent to x90perwe@ida.liu.se instead.
Newsgroups: rec.games.bridge
From: jschuler@dcs.simpact.com
Newsgroups: rec.games.bridge
Subject: Pasadena KO Trump Suit
Date: 17 Dec 92 14:05:06 PDT
Organization: Simpact Associates, San Diego CA


Your in 4 Spades and
your trump suit is:

	K	Declarer has 2 hearts, dummy 3+. The defense
	J	start with a diamond to Easts Ace, the King of Hearts,
	7	a Heart to Wests Ace, Heart ruffed by East with the
	6	Eight and overruffed with your Ace. A trump to dummy
		draws the Nine from West and you play the ???????
	A
	5
	4
	3
	2


This problem was given to me by Jon Wright.
From: katzman@math.lsa.umich.edu (Mordechai Katzman)
Newsgroups: rec.games.bridge
Subject: Re: The multi horror
Date: 17 Dec 1992 03:21:42 GMT
Organization: University of Michigan, Mathematics Department, Ann Arbor
NNTP-Posting-Host: procyon.math.lsa.umich.edu

In article <1992Dec15.073023.18669@nntp.hut.fi> m36150p@kaira.hut.fi (Janne Veikko Petteri Kallunki) writes:
>
>Dealer North/N-S vulnerable/IMPs
>You as a south hold KJT9xxxx/7x/8/9x.
>Your partner starts with 2D which is multi 
>(6+card major -11 points or 21-22 points balanced).
>East pass.
>What's your bid?
>
>I did 3 spades.
>West pass and my partner's bid is 3 NT.
>Now, what should I do?
>

3 spades has a systemic meaning in multi-2d: IT SHOWS GOOD HEART
SUPPORT and tolerance for spades! You are urging parter to preempt
to 4h if thats his/her suit.

In this case, looking at your hand you may well suspect that partner has
a strong balanced hand. Just bid 2h and wait! When partner bids 2n
use  your favourite gadget to show a long spade suit, inquire about
controls and  place the final contract.

You may ask "what if partner passes 2h"? Well that would give your
opponents around 30Hcp's and in that case they are surely going to give you a
chance to mention your spades.



Newsgroups: rec.games.bridge
From: rudy@netcom.com (Rudy)
Subject: Re: Who should be on committees? was Re: How would you rule 
Organization: Netcom - Online Communication Services (408 241-9760 guest)
Date: Fri, 18 Dec 1992 08:00:39 GMT

In article <1992Dec17.223645.20790@sunova.ssc.gov> henk@pdsf.ssc.gov (Henk Uijterwaal) writes:
>  Why was he(she) a kibitzer at this table? Most players select a table because
>they know the players at that table OR because the match is interesting in itself. 

I disagree here.  There is a major National event going on.  Any table
you kibitz will have good bridge.  Many people (good players) might evedn
pick a table based on how few kibitzers there are (you won't see any
Nationals champions kibitzing Zia -- too big a mob!_

>   In this case the committee member was also needed as a witness. Nobody would
>consider putting a witness in the jury of a trial, so why would you consider
>him as a committee member? 

It was neither clear if he was needed, nor known in advance.

>   Why did the committee meet at 3 in the morning? Why  didn't they wait until
>the next morning. Then they could have easily called the player in question,
>ask him what had happened and decide on the appeal based on the facts and not
>what a kibitzer, even if he is world champion, happens to remember.

Well, the match is over about 1am.  The losing team wants to appeal TWO
boards.  This is the second one.  That's how it got to be 3 am.  Some
people need to know before gametime whether they will be playing that
day and in which event.  Bridge players aren't really morning people. :)
Newsgroups: rec.games.bridge