[blml] impossible bid

[Adam Beneschan]

Alain wrote:
 
> Dear blmlists,
> 
> This strange sequence happened (between screens) to my teammates :
> 
> pass		1C
> 3NT		4NT
> 6NT
> 
> West isn't the kind of player to pass a fair 12-count, so the 3NT bid is 
> "impossible" (especially playing IMR). Rather surprised by the bid, East 
> bid 4NT "just to see what happens" on her 1345 19-count including a bare 
> king, and the good slam was reached (+2 IMPs vs 6C in closed room).
> 
> Asked about the sequence, a Belgian expert answered : "3NT means West 
> miscounted her hand, and 4NT asks by how much". I'm not sure whether he was 
> trying to look witty.
> 
> Now, asked about the 3NT bid, East wouldn't have dared to answer that or 
> anything - except, perhaps, "my partner bids 3NT whenever possible, and 
> even sometimes when it isn't", which is true).
> But how could she then justify her 4NT bid ? Is she really allowed to 
> assume her partner miscounted her hand ? Does Sherlock's motto apply here ?
> I insist that, on seeing the whole of her match, it makes no doubt that 
> West was at the peak of her powers.
> 
> Thank you for your opinion.

If we thought that there was some table action that East could have
picked up on, then perhaps we could rule that the 4NT bid was
suggested by UI---but with screens in use, this seems extremely
unlikely.  So I don't see any possible infraction here.

                                -- Adam