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Two Hesitations ( 15:10:14 SatOct 5 2002 )

South Dealer:

2C...*Pass...2D...*Pass
2H...*3C......P......3S**
4H...All Pass

*Hesitation, then
**Director called, ACBLand

2C=strong, 2D=neg/wait.
West has 7-card suit to AKQ
East is void in clubs and has a long spade suit

4H made, misdefended, NS+420. I have two questions:

1. Is West's 3C bid allowed after both she and partner made separate hesitations?

2. If 4H were minus one, would the club director, because of the two hesitations, adjust the score for NS to 3H making +140 (or possibly even 3H down 1, -50)? N/S have the agreement if after opening 2C the opener's repeat of their suit below game can be passed.

Thank you.

JimO

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Re: Two Hesitations ( 15:31:13 SunOct 6 2002 )

Quote: Shuffler at 15:10:14 Sat Oct 5 2002

South Dealer:

1. Is West's 3C bid allowed after both she and partner made separate hesitations?

2. If 4H were minus one, would the club director, because of the two hesitations, adjust the score for NS to 3H making +140 (or possibly even 3H down 1, -50)? N/S have the agreement if after opening 2C the opener's repeat of their suit below game can be passed.

1. West's 3C bid is a legal call. A hestitation itself is not an infraction - it is the partner of the hesitator who must not base any action on unauthorized information gained from the hesitation.
So was the 3C bid based on East's hesitation? Hard to say without seeing all 4 hands and asking a few questions. Why did West not bid 3C the first time? It sounds like the 3C bid could have been influenced by the hesitation.

2. If the Director feels that E-W's bidding was improper, and that it was at all likely that N-S would have stopped in 3H, he should adjust the score to +140.
On the actual hand, though, he would of course let the +420 stand.

---
-Jim O'Neil
Oak Park, IL

bluejak

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Re: Two Hesitations ( 23:59:04 SunOct 6 2002 )

A general comment.

Jim, Ed and I will do our best to answer general questions like this one. But if you really want a proper opinion on a specific hand then please give us the full hand, all 52 cards, with the dealer, vulnerability, and form of scoring [eg Swiss Teams, club duplicate] and from which country the query comes.

If you just type the hands in and push the button the software will tend to mess them up! :sad:

So if you wish to show us a hand I suggest you use the PRE code from 'Select a code here' and put the diagrams between PRE and /PRE. Then the hand diagrams will look sensible! See also Posting Hints [link at top and bottom of page].

---
David Stevenson <laws2@blakjak.com>
Liverpool, England, UK
http://blakjak.com/lws_menu.htm

Shuffler

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Re: Two Hesitations ( 03:49:29 FriOct 11 2002 )

Here are the hands, sorry for the delay.

Pairs, USA
None Vul
South Dealer

                732
                 542
                 J9
                 J8432

A6                    QJ10854
63                    QJ
87                    Q6532
AKQ10765              Void

                 K9
                 AK10987
                 AK104
                 9

bluejak

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Re: Two Hesitations ( 16:08:10 FriOct 11 2002 )

A perfect diagram! :smile:

A hesitation says "I have a problem". Opponents are allowed to use this information: partners are not. In fact, it goes further: players should bend over backwards not to use a hesitation from partner.

Now, you are asking about West's 3

bid on the second round. No-one is ever going to pass with this hand throughout the auction. To bid 3

is totally routine. So, despite partner's hesitation, the 3

bid is definitely permitted.

How about East's 3

bid? I do not think it a very good bid - I would pass - but it is not suggested by the hesitation and he has not taken advantage of the hesitation in any way. So, it is permitted.

Thsu the answer to your second question is NO, the result stands, because neither East nor West made any call that is not permitted after the hesitations.

I hope this reply helps. Like most decisions after hesitations, it is a matter of bridge judgement as well as Laws, so it will be interesting to see if Jim and Ed agree with me. :sad:

---
David Stevenson <laws2@blakjak.com>
Liverpool, England, UK
http://blakjak.com/lws_menu.htm

JimO

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Re: Two Hesitations ( 17:39:46 FriOct 11 2002 )

I have no problem with West's actions.
Holding Ax,xx,xx,AKQTxxx, after:
2C-p-2D-p
2H
bidding 3C here seems pretty routine (does this sequence show a better hand than an immediate 3C? Was West making a tactical pass, hoping the auction he might be on lead against 3NT?)

But what about East?
Holding QJTxxx,QJ,Qxxxx,void, after:
2C-p-2D-
pass seems right.
After:
2C-p-2D-p
2H-3C-p-
what are the logical alternatives?
1) Pass. Don't rescue partner.
2) Pass, but run if doubled. Don't rescue an undoubled partner.
3) Bid 3S.
All these are logical alternatives, but is one suggested by another over the hesitation? This is a part of Law 16A that many players and even directors don't seem to take into account. I'm not so sure that any one of these is suggested over another by the hesitation. I think not but expect there are a few AC members who think 1) or 2) might be suggested over 3).

There is an unfortunate ACBL practice of automatically ruling against the hesitator, (or offending side for other offenses), and letting the OS take it to commitee.
"If it hesitates, shoot it!"

My inclination is to let a table result of 4H-1 stand. Of course I would let a result of 4Hm4 (or 4H=, depending on your preferred notation) stand.
I would expect there is a good chance an AC would reverse this decision, but then, I never worry about that.

Ramdom ramblings:
N-S are still required to "play bridge". Note that 3C is off 3 at least, and that 3S is routinely off 2. N doesn't have a 2C opener, and shouldn't be bidding 4H by himself anyway.
N-S were entitled to +300 on a partscore deal.

---
-Jim O'Neil
Oak Park, IL

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Re: Two Hesitations ( 19:51:38 FriOct 11 2002 )

Quote: bluejak at 16:08:10 Fri Oct 11 2002

I hope this reply helps. Like most decisions after hesitations, it is a matter of bridge judgement as well as Laws, so it will be interesting to see if Jim and Ed agree with me.

Well, I do. :smile:

I also agree with Jim that "if it hesitates, shoot it" is a bad way to rule. I hope it's dying out. :dunno:

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International Bridge Laws Forum

If you need help with the Laws or rulings from any country in the world, this is the place!Hosted by David StevensonSenior Consultant DirectorEnglish Bridge Union

If you need help with the Laws or rulings from
any country in the world, this is the place!

Hosted by David Stevenson
Senior Consultant Director
English Bridge Union