Unauthorised information

[Mike Phillips]

Dealer west. Nil vulnerable. A club level game.
                  AK94
                  KT6
                  A4
                  QJ94
Q3                                8
J32                               Q9754
653                               KQJ872
K7653                           A
                  JT7652
                  A8
                  T9
                  T82

     W          N          E          S
      -          1NT a      X         2H b
      P           2S         3D         P
     3NT!       P           4D!!     All pass

a  explained as 15-18HCP balanced - consistent with the system card, which says "Hamilton"
b  explained as a transfer to spades

4D was off 2. The director was called (not me!)
West explained that his partner had shown a strong hand with diamonds, he might as well go for game.
East said that she knew that her double was non-systemic, but "I felt like doing it that way, I stretched a bit."
The director ruled that the table score should stand - "there was nothing out of the ordinary, she psyched and then she put it right."

My view of this situation is this:

West's explanation of East's double is UI to East.
Having technically psyched, East is free to bid as many diamonds (or hearts) as she likes, but West must treat such bids as consistent with his explanation. He is not allowed to field the psyche.
Once West has bid game, East's "correction" to 4D is UI to West. West must treat this as a slam invitation and, having minimum values but diamond support, West must sign off in 5D, which North would double.

I would award an adjusted score of +500/-500.

Is this how you see it?

Rgds...Mike

[Chris]

At what point did West explain East's double ?

[Mike Phillips]

South asked before making her first call.

[Mike Phillips]

Sorry, the footnote a is in the wrong place, it should go with the X.

[Mike Phillips]

Here is the bidding again, corrected

      W          N          E          S
      -          1NT       X a        2H b
      P           2S         3D         P
     3NT!       P           4D!!     All pass

a  explained as 15-18HCP balanced - consistent with the system card, which says "Hamilton"
b  explained as a transfer to spades

Sorry about that, folks. Thanks for alerting me Christine.

[Chris]

I think West was a bit ambitious bidding 3NT when ops have shown a holding of at least 7 spades. I wouldn't have a problem with the 4D bid myself - I don't think N/S were damaged. It was a case of misbid not misinformation. I would let the table result stand.

[Paul Sherman]

West's explanation of East's double is UI to East.
Having technically psyched, East is free to bid as many diamonds (or hearts) as she likes, but West must treat such bids as consistent with his explanation. He is not allowed to field the psyche.
Once West has bid game, East's "correction" to 4D is UI to West. West must treat this as a slam invitation and, having minimum values but diamond support, West must sign off in 5D, which North would double.

I would award an adjusted score of +500/-500.

I'm not sure I would have bid 3NT even if an 88mm Howitzer was aimed at my head. But let's say for the purposes of the argument that the 3NT card fell out of the bidding box onto the table in front of me. Now I wouldn't care whether partner's 4D bid was invitational, forcing or a grand slam try.....how much more can I stretch this filthy 6-count?? Even my initial Pass was an overbid: I'm getting outta here and I'm just glad I have 3-card support for partner! Let them sue me, I've made one ridiculous bid already, not for me to compound it any further.

Seriously: East has psyched, then West has psyched. One of them HAS to get off this crazy merry-go-round before the axes start to fall. If they landed on their feet with a good result, more power to them (this time). I doubt there will be a next time.

[Mike Phillips]

Paul, I think you are right about this and my take on it was too authoritarian. I think that neither of East-West knew what they were doing. This case should be considered closed.

[bluejak]

Mike: the important thing that is wrong with your ruling is that East's 4D is not unauthorised information to West: it is completely authorised.  So West is free to interpret it whoever he likes, subject to the possibility of fielding.

Where does fielding come into it?  Well, suppose East makes a habit of this sort of double.  Suppose it occurs frequently enough for West to be aware of it.  Now, he must either disclose this tendency - which he did not - or he must avoid using it.  So his pass of 4D could be considered fielding a psyche, ie a breach of Law 40A.

Incidentally, where did 500/-500 come from?