From: sgm@sgfb.ssd.ray.com (Myerson)
Subject: Re: Misalert
Organization: Raytheon Company
Date: Wed, 15 Apr 1992 18:04:11 GMT

atleung@troy.uucp (27354-leung) writes
in article <1992Apr14.202126.28049@porthos.cc.bellcore.com>:

* This is for imp for Flight A Swiss.
*
* My hand (south) is  Q10876, x, x,  K109xxx
* 
* Partner (North) is the dealer 
*     N      E      S     W
*    1NT(0)2C(1)   2H(2)  pass
*    2S    pass    3C     pass
*    3NT   pass    pass   pass
* 
* (0) 15-17 HCP
* (1) Alert as heart and a minor
* (2) Transfer to spade (it was properly alerted)
* 
* When I was informed by W that 2C showed heart and an minor (though
* he did mention that he was not entirely sure).  I was almost
* positive that the minor is a diamond (it couldn't be clubs).  

But if your partner has a doubleton club, East *could* have a
5-card club suit.

* I sensed a good fit with my partner in the black suits.

Or a good fit with *West* in the black suits if partner has the reds.

* Before my partner bided 2S, she examined the opponent's card which
* was marked correctly (though I was not aware of it during the entire bidding).

You were not aware of the card or you were not aware that it was
marked correctly? Not being aware of a card seems like a pretty
flimsy excuse. By the way, when the alert occurred, why didn't you
first look for the convention card rather than ask?

* I passed the 3NT because with E holding diamonds and hearts.  There was an
* excellent chance that the clubs would run (since E has at most 2 clubs and
* W's clubs could be finesse).   

And if your partner has a small doubleton club, West is going to be getting
some number of club tricks should North go after clubs.
Although no sane player would try this.

* Even with 15 HCP, my partner could have held  Kx, KQxx, KJxx, QJx
* 
* Even if it goes down, I don't expect to go down more than 1 in 3NT.

How about a red suit lead, West gets in with the ace of clubs,
and shoots back whatever suit was led. That's four tricks in the
led suit, plus 3 other aces. Down 3.
Besides, I think a minus score for NS on this hand rates to be a poor result.

* Anyway, it turned out that 2C was actually a 1 suiter, and 3NT was
* down 5 (she played the hand badly).

She only took *four* tricks? With *five* tricks off the top?
Did you say this was Flight A?

* My partner's hand  Ax, AKxx, J10xxxx, Ax

And she opened 1N? She should have called the director since she
had 14 cards!!

* The committee ruled that no injustice has been done in my team.  One member
* in the committee said that I (who was the one called director after the
* play was over) took a gamble at 3NT, and deservedly going down.  Another
* member seconded that I should know 3NT was impossible when I knew my
* partner could have at most 17 HCP.  
* Since my partner has seen the correct convention card, she was told that
* she should have asked the opponents to avoid the confusion.  It turned out
* that my partner was never sure about the bidding.  She decided not to clarify 
* the bidding to give the defense any information (which I believed was silly).
* 
* Question 1
* Was my bidding correct based on the information I have given?

I would double, suggesting penalties in at least one of the suits
that the 2C bidder is showing.

* Question 2
* I had an argument about my partner's opening of 1NT.  I believed that she
* should have opened 1D.  Her hand was much better in suit contract.  What
* is the field's opinion?

I don't know about the field, but I would open this hand 1D,
unless the extra card was a diamond. If the correct hand is 2-4-5-2,
the 1N bid isn't terrible. Of course, you might miss a heart partial
if partner can't respond to the 1N.

* Question 3
* What should I have bidded if I was given the correct information?

I would still double 2C. If that is East's suit, I wouldn't mind
playing 2C doubled. Can you say +800? :-)

* Question 4
* What did you think of the ruling?

Quite fair.

Steve Myerson (sgm@sgfb.ssd.ray.com)