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The Maastricht Appeals

Appeal No 12

Open Teams Round 12
South Africa v Italy

Board 9.
Dealer North.

			4
			8 7 6 5 2
			A Q 8 7 2
			7 2
	8 3	N W E S			K Q J 10 9 7 2
	A K Q 9 3				J 4
	10 6 3				5 4
	A 8 6				9 4
			A 6 5
			10
			K J 9
			K Q J 10 5 3

West	North	East	South
Duboin	Eber	Bocchi	Sapire
...	Pass	3	3NT
4	Pass	Pass	5
Dbl	All Pass	...	...

Five clubs doubled, played by South.

Result: 11 tricks, N/S +550.

The Facts: North took some time to pass, and East called the Director in order to establish this fact. East/West thought the break in tempo made it easier for South to find the Five Clubs bid.

The Director: Ruled that there had been unauthorized information, and that passing was a logical alternative.

Ruling: Score adjusted to Four Spades by East, down one.

Both sides receive NS+100.

North/South appealed.

The Players: South agreed that there had been a hesitation, but he found it automatic to bid Five Clubs. After all, the bidding at the other table had been exactly the same.

It would have been poor bridge to double or to pass.

East agreed that it had been a mistake to call the Director in the way he did. Normally he would not call the Director at such a time, but this was a very long pause.

The Committee:Saw that because the auction had developed so quickly, North had a difficult problem.

It was clear that there had been an unmistakeable break in tempo, but the Five Clubs bid was dictated by the cards in the South hand and not the hesitation.

South could expect North to be short in spades and to have a few clubs. There could easily be a game for both sides, and Five Clubs would be a cheap sacrifice or even a make.

In the view of the Committee, there was no logical alternative to bidding Five Clubs.

The Committee's decision: Original table result restored, both sides receive N/S +550.

Relevant Laws: Law 73F1.

Deposit: Returned.