Too clever

Lots going on, not all of it good, and not all of it can be reported.

At the EBU AGM, I was elected to the Laws and Ethics Committee, following my work on the White Book earlier in the year. This gives me a certain privileged position (for instance, with respect of disciplinary matters) and so constrains what I can post unofficially. Thanks to all who supported my election.

Meanwhile doing some TD and some L&E-like activities:

• Referee for an appeal from a neighbouring county event.
• Mobile phone call on alerting of Pass, see “I wouldn’t have passed” on BridgeBase forums; but not easy without a Blue Book to hand.
• Started a series of Club TD training course — looking forward to insufficient bids later this month.
• Acted as an Appeals Advisor when playing at the weekend — difficult to know what to say: the players seemed to understand the law, and the judgement involved, and thought they were right.

Board 20, Dealer West

K Q J 10 9 8 5 3		A
10 5	W   E	Q 9 8 6 2
10 5		A J 4
5		J 8 3 2

I declared 4♠ on the ♣K lead and ♦9 switch. I ducked to the ♦Q and ruffed the club return. Then ♠A, another club ruff, and a top spade from hand. LHO revoked with a small heart and corrected with a small spade, leaving the heart as a major penalty card.

I checked that the opponents knew the law, including possible lead restrictions, and we did not call the TD. So I played my master stroke, taking the diamond finesse immediately. This lost (not unexpectedly) but I banned a heart return hoping South would only have red cards and I would make ♦A anyway. RHO produced ♣Q and I looked as stupid as the other declarers who had been given (and taken) the opportunity to finesse twice in ♦.

Relating the hand at the tea break, a friend remarked that only a director would find that line: a friendly enough remark but not intended as a compliment!