[blml] Situation normal, all...

[David Burn]

As I understand the matter, the thinking behind the progressive watering
down of many Laws is that as far as is practicable, "normal bridge results"
should be obtainable even by those incapable of realising whose turn it is
to bid, or that spades outrank hearts, or that there is a requirement to
follow suit when able to do so.

Suppose that you have:

3  AK10943  6  AKQ85

After mature consideration, you choose to open 1H (there is a case for 2C,
but this is not a Richard Hills problem where you will later have to justify
some stupid bid to a sceptical Director).

An awkward silence supervenes, during which you observe two things
fractionally before everyone else at the table points them out to you: (1)
you are not the dealer; (2) your partner, who is, has opened 1H and your RHO
has passed.

Of course, had you been paying sufficient attention to the game, you would
now bid Blackwood. But not under the new new Law 27 nor the old new Law 27
nor the old old Law 27 nor the Institutes of Justinian can you bid
Blackwood, because partner will be barred and you will play there. What do
you do?

That was an easy question - naturally, you call the Director. Now for the
more difficult question: what should he do? In particular, how should he
respond to your plaintive query "Can I bid 2NT, game-forcing with heart
support in our methods, and not have partner barred?"

David Burn
London, England