[blml] Asking for wrong answers (was GK&E) [SEC=UNOFFICIAL]

[Ed Reppert]

On Jan 29, 2007, at 10:31 PM, richard.hills at immi.gov.au wrote:

> Both the ACBL and the ABF Alert regs state that it is not sufficient
> to merely answer <name of convention> in response to a question.  So
> I would argue that it is not the fault of clueless folks, but rather
> the fault of the ACBL in failing to publicise and enforce its regs.

I know. I don't put all the blame on the NBO, though. A lot of it, at  
least here, goes to club owner/TDs who are unwilling to enforce the  
rules for fear of driving away customers. :-(

> Anyway, poor explanations by bunnies rarely cause damage to expert
> opponents.  If +1100 is a top, but a correct bunny explanation would
> give the expert +1400 for the same top, then what's the problem?

There isn't one, in this case.

> And if an expert frequently plays against the same bunnies (as I do
> at the Canberra and South Canberra bridge clubs), the expert will
> often remember the bunnies' system better than they do themselves,
> so the expert will not need to ask questions.
>
> Which raises an interesting point.  If a Charlie the Chimp expert is
> confident that he can guess the opponents' methods, but the Chimp
> does not actually _know_ the opponents' methods, is it legal for the
> Chimp to ask a question of an apparently confused opponent?
>
> The Chimp's object is to cause an opponent to create UI constraining
> their partner and/or create MI confusing the Chimp's partner, thus
> giving the Chimp a double shot at either a good table score or a
> good adjusted score.
>
> The WBF has ruled that questions may not be asked for partner's
> _benefit_, but one of the Chimp's objects in asking the question is
> to cause his partner's _detriment_ by arranging for his partner to
> get some MI from an opponent.

I would consider the Chimp as trying to gain through other means than  
playing bridge, so I don't like his ideas here. OTOH, I'm not sure  
there's a law we can slap him with.

BTW, I'm no expert. No longer a bunny, I hope, but closer to that  
than to expert.

Among the folks here who don't know how to explain their agreements  
are several life masters, some of whom have been playing bridge for  
nigh on forty years. I dunno if I'd call 'em "bunnies" - well, some  
of 'em, I s'pose -  but they sure as hell aren't experts.