From: bs@faron.mitre.org (Robert D. Silverman)
Subject: Re: Misalert
Organization: Research Computer Facility, MITRE Corporation, Bedford, MA
Distribution: usa
Date: Wed, 15 Apr 1992 00:32:29 GMT

In article <1992Apr14.202126.28049@porthos.cc.bellcore.com> atleung@troy.UUCP () writes:
:This is for imp for Flight A Swiss.
:
:My hand (south) is
:S  Q 10 8 7 6
:H  x
:D  x
:C  K 10 9 x x x
:
: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)
 
This is disease number one. *IF* you feel you are going to force to game
your suits must be bid in the proper order. Longest suit first.
Otherwise, how will partner ever know you are 6-5??????

[I don't feel this hand should bid game; see below]

Thus, you transfer to 3C or bid 3C according to your agreements. [or whatever
shows clubs]. Then you bid spades. 

:
: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).  
:I sensed a good fit with my partner in the black suits.
 
Why?? You have no inference this is true. This is grasping at straws.
You have extreme shortness in the reds. It is just as likely that
LHO has black suit length and partner red suit length as the other
way around.


:Before my partner bided (sic) 2S, she examined the opponent's card which
:was marked correctly (though I was not aware of it during the entire bidding).
:
:I passed the 3NT because with E holding diamonds and hearts.  There was an
 
You expect to make 3NT with a 6-5  five count opposite a 15-17 Notrump???

What have you been smoking?? 1/2 :-) You haven't got the values for a notrump
contract. Your hand is ALL distribution.

I would bid this hand by bidding clubs, then spades, then spades again
 
:excellent chance that the clubs would run (since E has at most 2 clubs and
 
This is REALLY fantasy. Even if partner has a good club fit, there is
no guarantee the suit is solid. And if you give partner AQx clubs, that
leaves at most an 11 count in the other suits for partner. Partner
is unlikely in the extreme to be able to get 3 other tricks outside
of clubs even if clubs run.
 
And where you get that E has at most 2 clubs, I have no idea. What
leads you to this conclusion?? East can't be 0553???


:W's clubs could be finesse).   
:
:Even with 15 HCP, my partner could have held
:
:S K x
:H K Q x x
:D K J x x
:C Q J x
:
And??? Partner gets 5 clubs, a trick in the reds on the lead and a spade.
And if clubs are 3-1 (likely!) two ducks by the opponents break communication.

3NT is HOPELESS.

:Even if it goes down, I don't expect to go down more than 1 in 3NT.

WRONG!!!
Think about the play of this hand.

:
:Anyway, it turned out that 2C was actually a 1 suiter, and 3NT was
 
Yes, but what is their AGREEMENT??? You haven't said. They are allowed to
misbid or make a mistake, but not to misinform you. 

And even if you are misinformed, that does not give you Carte Blanche
to take a ridiculous view of the hand and hope that if it is wrong you'll
be protected by the misalert. This is known as a 'double shot'. It is
illegal and unethical.

Your pass of 3NT with your hand was, IMO, just such a shot.

:My partner's hand
:S A x
:H A K x x
:D J 10 x x x x
:C A x
 
6-4-2-2 just doesn't hack it. I'll assume 5 diamonds only.

This is suit oriented, but most of your strength is in your SHORT suits.
I would not object to either 1D or 1NT. They are both reasonable calls.
[although 1D has rebid problems after 1S; the hand is not worth a 
reverse. Your longest suit is too weak]. Because of rebid problems I
think 1NT is better, but don't feel strongly either way.


:The committee ruled that no injustice has been done in my team.  One member
 
I agree.

: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
 
I agree.

:member seconded that I should know 3NT was impossible when I knew my
:partner could have at most 17 HCP.  
 
More agreement.

: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).
 
I agree with this too. (silly)

:Question 1
:Was my bidding correct based on the information I have given?
:
No. IMO it was off the wall.

: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?
 
See above. Both are reasonable. 1NT has no rebid problems.

:
:Question 3
:What should I have bidded (sic) if I was (sic) given the correct information?
 
 
I can't see at all how misinformation could cause you to misbid. 
Opposite 15-17 NT, this hand should play in a suit. Period.
You should have bid the same way regardless.

Finally, let me add that opposite a 15-17 notrump, I think trying
for game is wishful thinking on this hand.
 
Game is remote without a double fit, and partner very likely has
at least SOME wastage in the red suits.  Your suits are moth-eaten
and need quite a bit of support. While one CAN construct hands where
game makes, they are few and far between. You'll show a profit in
the long run by just settling for a part score.

:Question 4
:What did you think of the ruling?
:
 
I agree with it 110%. I would also file a recorder slip, because
**on the surface of it** it does appear you were looking for a 
double shot by passing 3NT.

If this happened in a novice game, I would think nothing of it.
But this was Flight A. It should demand higher standards.

--
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