[blml] What does "specified" mean in Law 29C?

[David Grabiner]

"Jerry Fusselman" <jfusselman at gmail.com> writes:

> [Law 29C]
>
> If a call out of rotation is artificial, the provisions of Laws
> 30, 31 and 32 apply to the denomination(s) specified, rather
> than the denomination named.
>
> [Jerry]
>
> What does "specified" mean in Law 29C?
>
> Maybe an example helps---consider this auction with no competition:
>
> 1S (5+ spades)  -  1N (forcing)
> 2D (3+ diamonds) - 2N (11--13)
> 3H ("5341 shape or better, game forcing")
>
> But the bid was 2H instead---insufficient.  The first question is
> whether 3H would have been artificial or not.  Who can tell for sure
> under the new laws?  Not me, but I'll assume it is, because it
> guarantees four diamonds and a singleton or void in clubs.  Also, in
> case it matters, it is game forcing.

In this particular case, I would say that the call is not conventional, because 
the suit implications are part of general bridge knowledge.  A player who bids 
three suits in the face of partner's attempt to play NT must be short in the 
fourth suit; with 5332, he would either pass or raise NT.  The fourth diamond is 
also an inference; with six spades, he would have bid 3S or bid 2S the second 
round, and with four hearts and only three diamonds, he would have bid 2H, not 
2D, on the second round.

> Here is my main question:  Which denominations are in effect for laws
> 30, 31, and 32?  Hearts, even though hearts was named? Diamonds,
> because now we are assured there are at least four diamonds?  Clubs,
> because the call promises a singleton or void in clubs?  Spades,
> because the alert happened to include the word spades?

Hearts are the relevant denomination, because this bid's primary message was 
about hearts, and the holdings in the other suits are secondary inferences.

This applies even to clearly natural calls: 1C-1H-2D is a bid everyone agrees is 
natural, but it also carries information about four suits; it shows at least 
four diamonds, longer clubs than diamonds, and denies four cards in either 
major.  If it is out of turn, the penalty applies only to diamonds, even though 
the 1C opening could have been three cards (two in some styles) without the 2D 
bid and is now known to be five.