[blml] SF NABC #13

[Jerry Fusselman]

> [Nige1]
> It doesn't matter what East was really thinking about before denying
> SQ with is 5H bid. It matters what the hesitation implies to West.
> For West the inference is *either*
> [A] *He holds SQ* but is minimum for his jump rebid and seems to hold
> a misfit, so is reluctant to  encourage partner *or*
> [B] He lacks SQ but has *substantial extra values*, so is reluctant to
> sign off.

Or [C] Not sure how to show the SQ, which has happened thousands of times.

>
> In either case, the unauthorised information makes 7N a better
> prospect than the lesser scoring logical alternative of a small slam;
> hence IMO the committee ruled incorrectly. Worse: they encouraged more
> pairs to adopt "hesitation Blackwood".
>

Yeah, I agree with Nigel's conclusion again.  Unfortunately,
hesitation Blackwood still works, in my experience, even with top ACBL
directors.

Jerry Fusselman