[blml] Executive Summary of changes between 1997 Lawsand 2007Laws - Part Two

[Adam Beneschan]

David Burn wrote:
 
> A thought has struck me. Suppose my RHO opens 3D and I - thinking for the
> moment that he opened 2D - overcall 3C. In my methods, a 4C overcall of 3D
> shows clubs and a major, the convention known as "non-leaping Michaels". My
> hand is such that I would, having seen the opening bid correctly, risk 5C
> given that I can't bid four.
> 
> Law 27C1 says:
> 
> If the insufficient bid is replaced by a bid at the lowest legal level or
> double or pass that incorporates the information contained in the
> insufficient bid, the auction and play continues with the information
> arising from the withdrawn bid authorized for both sides.
> 
> Now: a 3C overcall shows a club suit. A 4C overcall that shows clubs and
> spades "incorporates" the information that I have clubs (at least, according
> to any definition of the word "incorporate" with which I am familiar), but
> presumably I am not allowed to bid 4C in the given circumstances to show
> only clubs (even though L27C1 actually says that I am).
> 
> If I bid 5C, partner is barred. Is this what is intended?

Ton wrote: 

> You are allowed to bid 4 clubs (what can we do if 27C1 says so?) and then
> the auction continues normally. But a clever opponent might find your
> reasoning leading to the bid of 5C. So if partner passes your 4C it could be
> necessary to apply 27C2 if 5C doesn't make. Nice law don't you think? 

I'm quite bothered by this discussion.  If I understand this
discussion correctly (and some parts of it are somewhat confusing, so
there's no guarantee that I do), the interpretation at least of some
posters seems to be that you can correct your 3C to 4C with no
penalty; and since 27C1 applies, the information from the withdrawn
call is authorized for both sides.

It seems that David has invented a way to have more bids available
than your system allows.  Suppose RHO opens 3D, and you have a club
one-suiter.  Your hand isn't good enough to bid 5C, and you can't bid
4C because that's conventional.  But you can bid 3C, which would have
shown a club one-suiter over a natural 2D; and then you can correct it
to 4C, which, according to the logic of some, "incorporates" the
meaning of the purported 3C overcall and thus is legal by 27C1.  

Now, if this helps your side get to a contract you couldn't have
gotten to otherwise, 27C2 kicks in.

But what if the opponents were always getting to 5D?  Now 27C2 doesn't
apply.  Plus, you've given partner helpful information for the defense
that you wouldn't have been able to give him otherwise---the
information that you have long clubs---and according to 27C1, this
information is authorized for him.

Can this be right?

                                -- Adam