Tatties o'er the side

[Cyberyeti]

So we have Rules. And they may be stupid. They frequently are, especially if you look at them from the outside. They may be full of holes, and have several "obviously wrong" cases (sorry to pick on the EBU rules, but it's the one that comes to mind: 1♠-p-1NT F1 ART-X is Alertable unless it's for penalty. Nobody plays it as penalty; I bet not everybody Alerts what they do play; nobody is misinformed by the lack of Alert. "Obviously wrong". But better than a whole collection of exceptions.) They may be too complicated for anybody to truly understand (but even then you should be able to understand what *your partnership* needs to Alert) (yes, this is picking on the ACBL rules this time). But it doesn't require the judgement of a Woolsey or a Rosenberg to "get right", and it doesn't require the judgement of a Kojak or a Matt Smith to deal with what happens when it "isn't right" (picking on the WBF rules, which to give them credit, are almost always "top of the top" and with screens. But the A players countries emulate their heroes...

 

I haven't tried this specific example, but I suspect if you called the director on 1M-P-1N-X (or over a 2N raise of a major) whether 1N's forcing or not and complained about it not being alerted for T/O, you'd be laughed out of court, as in my experience directors tend to rule no damage if it's something nobody plays for unalerted meaning and assume GBK.

[Trinidad]

The double was not alerted. That certainly doesn't mean that it shows clubs.

It does in England, and Wales. As 2C was artificial I think online one might add "lead-directing" or "clubs" if that is the meaning, but I don't think one is obliged to do so.

You can have the regulations that you like in England and Wales. As you may have guessed, I am not a fan of them, but that shouldn't bother anybody: When I'm in London, I will do as the Londoners and I will follow the English regulations without questioning them.

 

But we are not in London, or Cardiff. We are on the BBO forums, a forum for a company based in France, with its roots in North America.

 

Given that, why are you posing a bridge problem on the BBO forums where for the crucial clue (the meaning of the non-alert of the double) you assume that everyone will automatically understand that English/Welsh regulations are used?

 

There is the famous story about a visit of the English queen to Denmark: At an elevator, the text next to one of the buttons was blocked off to prevent the British monarch from seeing it. This text was "fart op" (which means "ride up"). I am sure that Her Majesty would not have broken wind if she would have seen the original text. She would have realized that she was not in London, but in Denmark.

 

Rik

[lamford]

Given that, why are you posing a bridge problem on the BBO forums where for the crucial clue (the meaning of the non-alert of the double) you assume that everyone will automatically understand that English/Welsh regulations are used?

Rik

I agree that it would be better to explain the double and have done so now.

[pescetom]

There is the famous story about a visit of the English queen to Denmark: At an elevator, the text next to one of the buttons was blocked off to prevent the British monarch from seeing it. This text was "fart op" (which means "ride up"). I am sure that Her Majesty would not have broken wind if she would have seen the original text. She would have realized that she was not in London, but in Denmark.

About the same time, Rolls Royce abruptly renamed a model "Silver Shadow": sure she would have understood and would not be surprised if she suggested it B-)

[nige1]

A simple and sensible rule would be that you announce the meaning of a call before making it. (a card or tablet that displays likely meanings would facilitate such disclosure). This is similar to the on-line disclosure rule. This would enhance disclosure and eliminate tons of controversial local regulations.