Trying to avoid appeals as TD in-charge

Brighton 2011 – Day 7 Evening

I stood in for the TD in-charge for some of today, while he had some time off; while continuing as scorer. I got involved in some rulings and appeals that ended up distracting from scoring and from being TD in-charge.

(2♦)-2NT–3♥–4♥–4♠-End

3♥ should have been alerted because it was transfer, and the opponents questioned whether 4♠ was affected by the failure to alert. I ruled that making a bid above 4♠ (as a slam try) was a logical alternative to 4♠ and 4♠ was suggested by the failure to alert. I produced a weighted ruling, which I thought was generous to the Offending Side, but the Offending Side thought it was “harsh” and appealed.

After the appeal was decided, they still wanted to talk to someone and I (in my role as TD in-charge) would have been in a good position to continue the discussion, if I had not been the TD giving the ruling. As it was, I had to drag the real TD in-charge off his break to talk to the appellant.

Opportunity for Law 93B1

It is very difficult to maintain the detachment that may be desirable as TD in-charge when you are also the scorer and are sat at a desk on the edge of the playing area. A player came up to me and asked about a card misplayed by dummy and I explained Law 45D. Soon after the TD who had ruled explained what had happened and asked me if she had got it wrong. In consultation, it was decided that we needed more facts: what cards had been played before attention was drawn to the card misplayed by dummy, and what would have been the outcome of the hand if the misplay had been corrected. Of course, when the TD asked more questions of the two pairs, they gave differing answers. It was decided there was insufficient evidence to find that original ruling was wrong, so there was no need to apply Law 82C.

The ruling (or the lack of correction) was appealed but the committee upheld the original ruling. It was pointed out to me after the event, that according to Law 93B1 I should have heard the appeal.

The Director in charge shall hear and rule upon such part of the appeal as deals solely with the Law or regulations. His ruling may be appealed to the committee.

I am not sure I would have been able to give them a fair hearing because of my earlier involvement — but it was an opportunity missed.