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Appeal No 20

Misinformation - No Damage

Open Teams Round 21
Monaco v Czech Republic

Board 9.
Dealer North.
East/West Game.

Please note: Screen runs from top left to bottom right.
			A 9 8 2
			Q 9 6
			A Q 10 6
			Q 5
	J 4	N   W E   S			7 6 5
	8 4 2				A K J 10 5 3
	K J 7 3				5
	K 9 7 6				J 10 3
			K Q 10 3
			7
			9 8 4 2
			A 8 4 2

West	North	East	South
Lariviere	Fort	Allavena	Jansa
	1NT	2	Dble
2	Dble	All Pass

Contract: Two Spades doubled, played by West
Result: Two tricks, -1700 to East/West.

The Facts: West called the director during board 15 of the match. South had intended the double over the Multi as a penalty in diamonds. On the other side, the Double had been explained as penalty over one of the Majors. This difference in explanation was supposedly the reason for the strange final contract. West intended his Spade bid to be "pass or correct", whereas over a penalty double over Majors, the bid would indicate an independent spade suit.

The Director: Gathered these facts but found no reason to change the score.

Ruling: Result Stands

East/West appealed.

The Players: West told the Committee that over a Double over their 2, which showed diamonds, they just bid as if there had been no Double. But when the Double would show penalty over one or both Majors, they would bid their own suit, or pass without an own suit.

The Committee: Asked the pair if they could show this system on paper, but they could not. They did not play exactly the same defence over a Multi-2 opening, as there would be far less likely that a double in that case would be a penalty for majors.
Since they were deemed unable to provide proof of that their system was as they described it, the Committee found that there was no reason to rule in favour of East/West.

The Committee's decision: Director's decision upheld.

Relevant Laws: Law 75A

Deposit: Returned.