APPEAL no. 10 |

Appeals Committee
Chairman | Joan Gerard | USA
Members | Chris Compton Naki Bruni Barbara Nudelman David Stevenson | USA ITA USA GBR
Scribe | David Stevenson | GBR

Event
1998 World Championships
Rosenblum Cup | Qualifying
Countries
France | v | Israel
Players
NS |  |
EW |  |
Board
Board 12. Dealer West. NS Game
| ª | J 10 7 6 |
© | K 7 3
¨ | K 6 3
§ | K J 9
ª | 8 5 |  | ª | A K 9 4 3
© | J 10 6 5 2 | © | Q 9 8 4
¨ | Q J 10 9 8 | ¨ | 5
§ | A | § | Q 7 2
| ª | Q 2 |
© | A
¨ | A 7 4 2
§ | 10 8 6 5 4 3
West |  | North |  | East |  | South
Pass |  | Pass |  | 1© |  | Pass
Pass |  | 1NT |  | Pass |  | 2§
2¨ |  | All Pass |  |  |  |
Result
2¨-1: +50
Facts
The TD was called by East at the end of play. The 1© bid showed 11-15 HCP with at least five spades, saying nothing about hearts. After the bid of 2§, North alerted East, although South did not alert West. When North was asked, he described the 2§ as 'Stayman, maybe Stayman'. There was no description of the meaning of West's pass of 1© on the convention card, nor was it alerted. 1© - 1ª would be a puppet to 1NT, and 2¨ after that would be signoff, so the actual sequence suggested some other place to play apart from 2¨.
TD's Decision
Table result stands

Appellants
E/W
Players' Comments
East said that a pass over 1© was similar to a pass over a natural 1ª that was limited to 11-15 HCP. He said he did not realise that West could have hearts once he was told that 2§ was Stayman. West said he passed 1© because he did not think there was a game. He did not double 2§ because he and his partner had not discussed the meaning of this double. North was surprised that the pass of 1© did not show hearts. He would have expected 2§ to be natural if he had known this.

Committee's Comments
The Committee said that there is a special obligation on people who play unusual systems to disclose their methods fully (Law 75A). East/West did not do so and the resulting confusion over the effect of West's pass led to the problem. There was a majority view to retain the deposit but the minority view prevailed. The Committee was surprised that East-West did not know the meaning of double over 2§. Given the meaning of pass over 1© (and similarly over 1ª) this must appear on the convention card and must be alerted.
Committee's Decision
The Committee ruled: Table score stands (2¨ minus one).
Relevant Laws
Law 75 A
Deposit
Returned | X
Forfeited |

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