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Appeals

Appeal No 32.
Hesitation

Open Teams Round 30
Poland v Italy

Board 2.
Dealer East.
North/South Game.

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

West	North	East	South
Duboin	Tuszynski	Bocchi	Jassem
		2	Pass
2	Pass	Pass	3
Pass	Pass	Dble	Redble
3	Dble	Pass	4
All Pass

Contract: Four Clubs, played by South.
Result: Seven tricks, -300 to North/South

The Facts: Two clubs showed 3-10 points, at least 4-4 in the Majors. East's Double over 3 was for take-out, showing a maximum opening. North's Double was after a hesitation of more than one minute. West called the Director immediately after the call of Four Clubs.

The Director: Changed the result

Ruling: Score adjusted to Three Spades doubled, made, +530 to East/West.

North/South appealed.

The Players: North admitted his pause for thought.
East/West told it was 5 minutes long.
North had never seen this auction. First an intervention of 3, and then a Redouble. It must mean a good suit, and something more. He was trying to work out how South would interpret his Double and finally came to the conclusion that he could indeed Double, knowing that South would understand it as asking for a spade stopper in order to play 3NT.
South explained that his Redouble would normally show some offensive values. West pointed out that it was clear that North/South had not discussed this sequence, but that by thinking for 5 minutes North transferred the meaning that the Double was not for penalties.

The Committee: Considered the hesitation to be proven.
The Committee concluded that the answers to three questions were all that was needed, and that these were surprisingly easy:

1) was there unauthorised information? Yes
2) did the unauthorised information suggest bidding? Yes
3) is Pass a logical alternative? Yes

The decision was then so straightforward that the Committee was close to keeping the money.

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

Relevant Laws: Law 16A, Law 12C2

Deposit: Returned, but only just.