[blml] GK&E (was: alertability)

[Jerry Fusselman]

On 1/16/07, Eric wrote this hypothetical example:
>
> I have had an auction which, so far, has been fully disclosed to and
> fully comprehended by my opponents.  Now my partner jumps to game, and
> an opponent asks what that means.  I reply that it means he thinks he
> is going to make it.  So then they ask me what he would have to hold in
> order to think he is going to make it.  Without the "inferences from
> GK&E" clause of L75C, I would be required to educate my opponents on
> the subject of how much strength is needed to expect to make a
> game.  The current law, appropriately IMO, says that I am not obligated
> to do that.
>

Thanks Eric, that looks very clear to me.  (A quibble:  He might have
made the bid even expecting to go down if there is interference, and
it might instead be that he thinks it is in our interests to bid game.
 But you are probably assuming that there is little or no chance of
competition in your example.)

Here is a more difficult case to explore what constitutes inferences from GK&E:

None vulnerable, West opens 1C precision, North, my partner, doubles,
which I alert "at least 4-4 in the majors with any HCP, but probably
balanced because other calls are available to show better
distribution."  This is a long description, but my question is whether
I need to add more to it, and also how North should alert my advance
to1H.

East passes, alerted, showing a game forcing hand with values in one
or both majors.

I have xxxx-Ax-xx-xxxxx.  Rather than just bidding 1 or 2 spades now,
I might try 1H first to encourage a heart lead, and then if it is
doubled, revert to spades.  It seems obvious that South is the captain
here, and North will abide by South's decision or decisions.  When
North alerts 1H, can his alert simply be "Willing to play 1H if
undoubled, and maybe doubled as well." Or is it important to try to
convey something more complex?---I.e., that 1H is either South's final
decision, or just a temporary decision, or maybe even an inferior suit
bid with a hope to get a favorable lead or to trick the opponents into
penalty doubling us in spades.

Or maybe 1H needs no alert given the meaning of double and the
resulting obvious captaincy of South.  Given the "inferences from
GK&E" clause of L75C, what would you say the two alerts should be (for
North's double and for South's 1H)?

-Jerry Fusselman