Re: Careless or Irrational?

On Jul 31, 4:58 am, "Keith Sheppard" <keith-shepp...@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>
wrote:
EBU rules, if that makes a difference. Towards the end of a hand played in
NT, the lead is in dummy which holds:

S: KQ
H: x
D: -
C: xx

Declarer holds:

S: AJ10
H: -
D: -
C: AQ

The KC has gone.

Declarer lays down his hand and states that he is playing KS and if he
overtakes hand is good. The defence then correctly point out that this
blocks the spades. However this only matters if, after overtaking, declarer
fails to notice the blockage and for no particular reason immediately
switches clubs, cashing both his outside entries before returning to the
spades. Would you rule that an immediate club switch is simply careless and
therefore award the last trick to the defence or would it be irrational for
declarer to play in this way?

I lean toward "irrational". Actually, I lean toward "misspoken",
thinking that maybe declarer maybe meant to say that he was going to
overtake the second spade, and just didn't arrange his words quite
carefully enough. (Not all of us are accomplished public speakers.)
But in any case, as a defender, I would never ever ever call the
director, and I quite frankly don't think much of those who would. If
I'm going to all the trouble and expense of going to a bridge game,
I'm going to go there to play bridge, not to try to score undeserved
points by clever lawyering. The guy has five tricks; let him have 'em
and get on with the next hand. Besides, if I waste time calling the
TD, that's time I don't have to plan the auction or play on the next
board. Yes, I know that doesn't solve Keith's problem, since (if I
read this right) somebody called him and he has to rule. But if I
were in the TD's shoes, I think I'd try just telling the opponents,
"Come on, the guy has five tricks, why not just let him have them and
get on with the next board?" And if that doesn't work, then I whack
them with the board. That's why they don't let me direct.

-- Adam


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