[blml] Declining to ask a bid's meaning to achieve a specific purpose

[Peter Eidt]

From: "Grattan Endicott" 
> 
> +=+ That's accurate, Peter. But a player who has a
> prior agreement as to his defence is allowed to ask
> a question for his own benefit, not to inform partner.
> So, unless there is a regulation laying a duty on the
> player to know the meaning of his opponent's call,
> or alternatively a regulation disallowing the prior
> agreement,  there has to be a finding of improper
> communication to partner in order to rule as you say.
> ~ Grattan ~   +=+

yes, sure. It was a bit sloppy from me not to mention
the normal - and of course lawful - situations, where
a player is entitled to ask.
But, as the OP asked specifically about the "unlawful"
ones ... 2 years ago I had a similiar case
The bidding went (board 7, all vul) 
pass - pass - 1 C (prec) - 1 D ...?... (TD)
1 D was alerted and after explained by partner,
the overcaller wanted to change his bid.

1. the overcaller had Dx, xxx, AKJxx, xxx
2. against precision 1 D showed spades
3. against precision 2 D was a kind of Wilkosz
4. overcaller's partner confirmed to me, the
alert was made in a extraordinary correct way
5. overcaller's partner said to me at the table, 
that overcaller to all appearance overlooked 
the alert intentionally 
6. overvaller's partner said to me at the table,
that they had an agreement to treat 1 C allways 
as natural, if they did not ask

So, I ruled according to some minute of the WBFLC
that the 1 D could not be changed and that defenders
had a lot of UI to deal with ... and I informed my CTD,
who gave a heavy PP after examining himself
as the play concluded (BTW: an assigned score
was necessary, Law 16A).

The defenders appealed and the AC ruled, that
I must have misunderstood overcallers partner.
They overruled my decision not to allow Law 25 B
and assigned some Law 25 B2bbb score and they 
asked the CTD to erase the PP - what he did.

So, sometimes it is not enough to find out some
improper way of communication ;-(

Regards
Peter