[blml] SF NABC #1

[Wayne Burrows]

On 05/02/2008, Alain Gottcheiner <agot at ulb.ac.be> wrote:
> Guthrie a écrit :
> > [Nige1]
> > Alain and Harald agree with the committee that double seems OK; I
> > agree too :) that is what I wrote :) but more relevant is what the
> > players' *peers* think of it. The appellants  consulted  a group of
> > top players who rejected it.
> I'd very much like to know what they suggested. Remember that the
> appellants had reasons to present the facts as such ; the Committee
> apparently didn't find many players who would have rejected it, and
> that's what counts (well, perhaps they didn't search).
>
> > As far as we know, the committee
> > consulted nobody.
> >
> > Alain introduces the C**** word. I'm sure that's a terrible mistake.
> > Unfortunately, it is an attitude that the committee seemed to share.
> > It drives players from the game. It encourages the paranoia that makes
> > players resent adverse rulings,
> Indeed. I strongly feel that saying "West doubled to cater for a psyche"
> can only be motivated by the surrounding paranoïa, or worse.
>
> > especially those that involve possible
> > use of unauthorized information or concealed partnership
> > understandings. In the UK, for example, a psych may be ruled
> > suspicious, on the *balance of probability*, without slanderous
> > imputation against the individual.
> >
> Indeed; but do you really feel, deep in your heart, that the double was
> suspect "on the balance of probability" ? Try feeding the hand into a
> poll. In France, you would get about 80% votes for a double. Less in
> America, I guess, because the tendency towards "major first" isn't as
> strong, and you'll get votes for 2D. But even so, double stands out.
> So I say it once again : you're allowed to make an obvious bid, even if
> it turns out to be the best one facing partner's semi-psyche.
>
> (in fact, I wouldn't call East's 1C opening a psyche. It isn't a *gross*
> misrepresentation. He only lied by one card, and notabout HCP)
>

Some one cards are more "gross" than other one cards.

This "one card" thing is an over simplication IMHO.

Wayne