malcp

This was a ruling in a local competition in the UK with the pair in question playing Acol (Butler imps scoring). North South are vulnerable, East West not vulnerable, North opened 1 Diamond, East overcalled 1 Spade and South bid 1NT holding A1086 KJ5 1094 Q54 West bid 2 Spades, North bid 3 Diamonds after an agreed hesitation, East passed and South bid 3 No Trumps, which makes (and was made). Both the director and the Appeals panel ruled that the result should stand. Under the previous laws one test to be applied was whether the action after a hesitation was a 70% action. Clearly pass here is a logical alternative, and suggestions have been made that the tests now are more stingent under the new laws, perhaps nearer to needing to be an 80% action. Is that the case? And if it is do we believe 3NT is an 80% action here? Does the form of scoring affect our view?