[blml] Could have known

[Sven Pran]

> On Behalf Of David Barton
> 
> West is declarer in a No Trump contract at matchpoints.
> At about T8 North leads a Spade.
> South produces a Diamond, promptly says sorry and plays a Spade.
> Director rules the D is a MPC - must be played at first legal opportunity
> etc.
> Declarer wins the trick and has now got a choice.
> With Axx of D in hand opposite Qx in dummy she can play play small to the
> Q making one more trick than the field if S holds the K.
> However if N holds the K he can win and hold the contract to one less than
> the field.
> 
> (a) If declarer plays the D and N does win do you adjust on the basis that
> the expert S could have known the MPC could work to his advantage?
> 
> (b) If declarer does not play the D and S does hold the K do you adjust on
> the basis that had Declarer been told of the possibility of an
> adjustment
> if the play had worked out badly, she would have risked it?
> (Director error?).
> 
> Does it make any difference if you are convinced (know) that the original
> D play was completely innocent?
> 
> Sven wrote:-
> 
> This last question illustrates a fact that for a long time has had me
> completely baffled: In Norway (and I believe equally much in our
> neighboring
> countries) we assume that the players do not cheat unless we are convinced
> that they do. Similarly we assume that infractions of law are accidental
> unless we are convinced that they are deliberate. After all we consider
> Bridge a game for Gentlemen (and ladies).
> 
> The question seems to confirm an impression I have had several times that
> elsewhere in the world there is a common attitude to assume that players
> cheat and deliberately violate the laws whenever they have an opportunity
> if
> it may work to their advantage.
> 
> That much said:
> 
> To your question (b) I cannot see how the Director has made any error; he
> has correctly explained the consequences of South's irregularity and it is
> up to West to draw the inferences he may want from these consequences.
> West
> should know perfectly well that if he has been damaged from opponents'
> irregularities rather than from his own inferior or risky play he is
> likely
> to receive redress.
> 
> So we are left with question (a): To rule on this alternative I shall need
> the complete layout of the cards and the proceedings of the tricks up to
> the
> irregularity. I shall further need information on what (if any)
> information
> the discard of a Diamond from South would convey to his partner (their
> signaling agreements).
> 
> Regards Sven
> 
> The hand was something like:-
> 
>                             Qxxxx
>                             Axxx
>                             Kx
>                             xx
> 
> AK                                               xx
> xxx                                               KQ
> Axx                                              Qxxx
> Jxxxx                                            AKQxx
> 
>                              J10xx
>                              Jxxx
>                              Jxxx
>                              x
> 1N (12-14) P  3N  all pass
> 
> North lead 4th highest spade.
> West won and cashed 5 clubs and then played a H.
> North won and continued a spade.
> South pulled the wrong card from his hand (a diamond)
> and corrected it to a spade.
> West saw the chance of a valuable overtrick (if S had DK)
> and continued with a small D.
> North took this and cashed 3 more spades for down one.
> 
> At the point of the mispull S has a full count of the hand.
> In other words the "could have known" condition is satisfied.
> A villainous South could realise that the MPC might work
> to his advantage and was risk free.
> South did indeed gain from his infraction.
> 
> As I read it, the intent of the particular South is NOT relevant.
> In fact since I was the perpetrator and TD, I know the action
> was innocent, but still believe that there is a strong arguement
> that I should rule against myself under L72B1.
> 
> Further comments welcome.

What did South discard on the last four club tricks and what if anything did
his discards (both his discards on the club tricks and also his "discard"
with the Diamond) signal to North?

Sven