APPEAL no. 5 |

Appeals Committee
Chairman | Richard Colker | USA
Members | Becky Rogers Eric Kokish Patrick Choy Tommy Sandsmark | USA CAN SIP NOR
Scribe | Tommy Sandsmark | NOR

Event
1998 World Championships
Mixed Pairs | Qualifying
Countries
GBR - Austria | v | France
Players
NS | Wright | Cormack
EW | Lustin | Kaplan
Board
Board 10. Dealer East. Game All
| ª | 6 5 2 |
© | Q
¨ | A 8 6
§ | A 10 8 4 3 2
ª | A K 9 8 4 |  | ª | Q
© | 10 8 7 6 5 2 | © | K J 9
¨ | Q 2 | ¨ | K J 10 5 4
§ | — | § | K Q 6 5
| ª | J 10 7 3 |
© | A 4 3
¨ | 9 7 3
§ | J 9 7
West |  | North |  | East |  | South
|  |  |  | 1NT |  | Pass
4¨ |  | Pass |  | 4© |  | All Pass
Result
4©+1: -650
Facts
The TD was called to the table after the end of play. The play went: ©3 to the queen and king, ©J to the ace, ©4 to the 9, ªQ and at that point there was some confusion as to the succession of events. East did something with her cards as she either played a diamond to dummy's queen or said she would play a diamond, losing only to the ace. South told her partner (when he put his cards back into the board) that if he didn't take the ¨A immediateliy, she would get a spade trick. N/S stated that North had played the ¨A AFTER East's claim; E/W said that North played the ¨A BEFORE East claimed by saying 'A diamond for you!'
TD's Decision
Score stands

Appellants
N/S
Players' Comments
North said that he never actually put the ¨A down on the table. He maintained that East said she would play a diamond to the queen, but that she didn't actually do it. At this point North acquiesced, assuming that declarer had another spade for her 1NT opening. North also said that declarer might have made a proper claim after trick three, without cashing the ªQ. East spoke only French. With her partner as interpreter she denied having said 'A diamond for you and the rest are mine'. Both East and West insisted that a diamond was played and taken with the ace.

Committee's Comments
The Committee found that what had really been going on was that East had probably played a diamond to the queen, then shown her hand to her screenmate to shorten the play. North had quite correctly understood this action as a claim, to which he acquiesced. The Committee did not think that North had actually put the ¨A on the table, but even if it had been played, the claim had come first. When there is a claim, the laws require play to stop, and the TD is to be called if the claim is contested. It is within South's rights to contest any claim, as North may not concede any tricks on her behalf. Thus, the Committee found that N/S were entitled to one more trick, as the claim came after East had removed her last entry to her diamonds with her play of ªQ.
Committee's Decision
The contract was adjusted to 4© by East making 10 tricks, 620 to E/W.
Relevant Laws
—
Deposit
Returned | X
Forfeited |

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