[blml] Illegal convention

[Adam Beneschan]

Steve Willner wrote:
 
> Anybody know what the ACBL rules are when an illegal convention is used?
> 
> Yesterday, we opened 1NT and heard a 2D overcall, which turned out to 
> have an illegal meaning.  This was in a team match, and the board had 
> not yet been played at the other table.  What should the ruling have 
> been? (The TD had us redeal, which was fine with us, but I have no idea 
> whether it was technically correct.)

As far as the Laws are concerned, Law 40D gives SO's the right to
regulate bidding conventions, but does not prescribe a penalty for
violating those regulations.  By default, I'd say that Law 84E
applies, which tells the director to award an adjusted score, which
means that the TD figures out what is likely to have happened without
the irregularity (but I don't know if this means we assume the
opponents would have been using natural bidding over 1NT and *might*
have made a call, or if we assume the opponents would have passed),
and adjusts the score if it's better for the NOs than they actually
got.  But I think L40D probably gives the SO's the right to deal with
violations in a different way.  I looked at the ACBL web site and
various Conditions of Contest, and while several places discuss what
convention charts are in effect, I couldn't find a regulation for how
to deal with the use of an illegal convention.  Law 6D3 seems to give
the TD the power to order a redeal for any reason compatible with the
Laws (with a couple exceptions).  So since there doesn't seem to be an
applicable regulation, I'd say that either solution is legal, although
I personally think it's better to adjust using 84E.

                                -- Adam