From: tnh@sw.stratus.com (Tim Hill)
Newsgroups: rec.games.bridge
Subject: Re: What to do when the rules conflict?
Date: 21 Jan 1993 17:06:09 GMT
Organization: Stratus Computer, Inc.
Distribution: world
NNTP-Posting-Host: bigbootay.sw.stratus.com

In article <1993Jan21.140619.19502@midway.uchicago.edu>, pynq@quads.uchicago.edu (Jeremy Mathers) writes:
> Playing at the club last nite, we came to the table of a pair who was
> already plenty annoyed at us, because we had made a ruckus during the
> previous round, thereby disturbing their tranquility.
> 
> On the first board of the round, I dealt and opened 1C (alerted
> as Precision).  Next hand bid 2C (not alerted).  Now, experience has
> shown that on this auction, 75% of the time RHO doesn't know what the 2C
> bid is.  That is, either its Michaels and RHO thinks it is Natural, or
> vice versa.  In any case, they never alert it

They're not suppossed to alert it, whatever it means.  Several years ago,
the ACBL tried to end confusion over which bids in suits first bid by the
opponents should be alerted by declaring that none of them should be.  In
effect, "a cuebid carries its own alert."

> or and they usually
> explain it wrong.  But, in any case, partner passes, and I alert.  The
> reason for the alert is that, over an overcall, this pass shows
> specifically 0-5 HCP, and I've been told that that agreement warrants an
> alert.  However, in the instant case, I'm not real sure what it is going
> on, because I don't really know what the 2C bid is.
> 
> Anyway, RHO now asks me to explain the alert and I respond by asking
> what the 2C bid means.  She says that I cannot ask because it is not my
> turn to bid.  I say that I can't tell what the double means w/o knowing
> what the 2C bid means (note: in this environment, 2C could be anything,
> but it is most likely intended as either natural or Michaels)

I suppose you have agreements concerning at least these three auctions:

     1C-2C(natural)-P
     1C-2C(majors)-P
     1C-2C(no agreement)-P

I also gather that the meanings of pass in those three auctions are
overlapping but not identical.  If so, partner gave you the unauthorized
information that he has a pass in any of these auctions, so your future
bids and plays are restricted by Law 16A!  In any case, you should alert the
pass and tell her what it means in all three auctions.  Finding out their
agreement concerning 2C would help to explain your agreement concerning pass
only if partner had somehow known about their agreement at the time he passed!

> At this
> point, she got nasty and said (essentially) that if I didn't have an
> answer on tap, that I should not have alerted.  I said (essentially)
> "OKfine."  She then called the director, and eventually I said something
> to the effect that if the 2C was natural, then the pass showed 0-5.

> But I am curious as to what the theoretical solution to the problem is.
> How can I explain my partner's bids w/o  knowing what the opps bids mean?

Of course, there are some circumstances where you must interrupt RHO and say
"excuse me, partner's bid may be alertable, but I need a review (or an
explanation or a look at your convention card) first."  However, this isn't
one of those situations.
-- 
Tim Hill
Stratus Computer, Inc.                  tnh@vos.stratus.com
55 Fairbanks Boulevard                  508-460-2232
Marlborough, MA  01752                  fax 508-624-7488
Newsgroups: rec.games.bridge