[blml] Fwd: Transfer to BLML

[Alain Gottcheiner]

At 09:19 23/04/2007 -0400, Eric Landau wrote:
>Forwarded from Laval at his request; he is having server difficulties.
>
> >From: "Laval Dubreuil" <picatou at uqss.uquebec.ca>
> >
> >Hi all:
> >
> >South has something like:
> >S  K x x
> >H  A x
> >D  K J 10 x x
> >C  J x
> >
> >  N   E   S    W
> >1NT  2D  X    2H
> >  P   P   3NT
> >
> >1NT = 15-17 HPC
> >E was playing Capelletti-Hamilton, as written
> >on his CC. W forgot the alert (ACBL land).
> >With 5 Spades and 4 Hearts, E led H and the
> >contract is no more possible. On a S lead, N
> >has 9 tricks.
> >
> >South then called the TD and ask for a score
> >adjustment. He said, having been alerted, he
> >should have call 3NT instead of X. Then W should
> >P and E would make the "normal" S lead.
>
> >Is there any "obligation" (in ACBL land or elsewhere)
> >for S to protect himself and ask about 2D if he knows
> >that most players play this as conventional ?

I've already told how bad I feel about this obligation.

Asking about a non-alerted bid will always create UI that you suspect the 
bid of being artificial.
"obligation to protect oneself" should be strictly restricted to cases 
where there was an alert and you didn't ask, or cases where you need a 
specific item of information and it was easy to get without delivering UI 
(as in e.g. they play lebensohl, but you need to know whether it's l-fast 
or l-slow).

South's case is strong. Adjust, perhaps to 75% of the score for a spade 
lead and 25% of the score for a heart lead, depending East's holdings in 
the majors.

Also note that there are conventional defenses against 1NT where 2D is 
natural nevertheless. One of them is Economical Asptro, based on an idea 
from Gary (?) Vrooman, where Double shows spades and another suit, and 2C 
shows hearts and another suit. There are variations, but in some of them, 
2D is natural. (I play this with some partners)
Therefore, the argument about conventional defenses doesn't hold.

Best regards

   Alain