[blml] Borderline rulings

[Tim West-Meads]

Nigel wrote:

> [C] Rule of 18 opening (EBU). David Probst, Tim
> West-Meads, David Stevenson and other directors
> could provide borderline examples where their
> judgement over-rides simple arithmetic.

OK, I'll give it a try.
The rule references "weaker than Ro18", the context being that different 
forms of hand evaluation are permitted.

By my judgement the weakest Ro18 hand is QJ,QJ,K432,65432 (the K&R 
evaluator calls this a 6.4).  K97432,J963,65,6 equates to 6.2 while 
K98432,J963,65,6 rates a 6.5.  I apologise for not being able to find 
hands that hinge on a 6/5 distinction.  In reality I doubt that anyone 
systemically opens hands "weaker than Ro18" so the difference probably 
won't matter.  I would accept different borderlines from players whose 
evaluation methods I considered "reasonable".  Just because I'm 
comfortable with the way K&R scores doesn't make it the only possible 
metric.  FWIW KQJT92,QT97,T95,- (also Ro18) equates to 12.5 - giving 
some indication as to why I think the R018 in isolation is inadequate as 
an evaluation method.

Tim