Unfamiliar conventions

[thepossum]

Hi

 

Not sure if this is the right forum but it would seem to be this level.

 

Prompted by reading about Multi on another thread. I know it's a major convention

 

Suppose you sit at a table and a pair have on their card an unfamiliar convention requiring a fairly complicated defense

 

Can you ask for details on the convention and a conventional defense

 

P

[mikeh]

Hi

 

Not sure if this is the right forum but it would seem to be this level.

 

Prompted by reading about Multi on another thread. I know it's a major convention

 

Suppose you sit at a table and a pair have on their card an unfamiliar convention requiring a fairly complicated defense

 

Can you ask for details on the convention and a conventional defense

 

P

I suspect that it depends on where one is playing. For example, while multi is now legal in even low level tournaments in ACBLand, in marches of 6+ boards (thus only team games), one has to have approved (by the ACBL) defences which must be in writing and which the opponents can read during the bidding.

[thepossum]

Thx Mike

[paulg]

In the UK there is no obligation to provide a defence and it is extremely unlikely that a pair will have a written defence available.

 

In general pairs will not be expecting to provide a defence so it is unlikely that they'd provide one: it is a double-edged sword if you provide a defence that does not work on the specific hand that comes up. Friendlier pairs will often tell you how they defend it.

 

If they just provide the name of a convention or little disclosure on their system card, then you can ask them for more details about it. Don't let them fob you off with the common, "We'll tell you if it comes up", as this puts you at a disadvantage.

 

Paul