[jtfanclub]

hrothgar, on Mar 16 2007, 12:02 PM, said:

jtfanclub, on Mar 16 2007, 07:41 PM, said:

However, if you don't find yourself considering two or more choices, do NOT concern yourself about what is and isn't LA (in ACBL land).  You're not even supposed to understand what LA means.

This is the second time in this thread that I have seen this comment:

The link to not considering what is and isn't LA (in ACBL land) is based on the quote from the Director's Handbook, above. As far as not knowing what LA means, that's a comment I've heard from numerous directors, including Mike Flader. The ACBL doesn't expect you to understand what the LA actions in position would be, and I daresay most ACBL members are not capable of doing so. I know I'm not, except in the most obvious cases.

In the Flader-ruled case, I opened 1NT with a 3-2-6-2 hand. Bidding went pass, (long hesitation) pass, double. I figured that whatever my partner was figuring on bidding, the indicated call after the hesitation is pass, and since somebody somewhere would bid 2♦ with my hand. that's what I did, for -800 or so (my diamond suit sucked). Mike gave me the advice that I listed earlier.

[blackshoe]

I agree that if you don't know what the LAs are, or what an LA is, you should just do your best not to take advantage of the UI (law 73C) and let the chips fall where they may. OTOH, the "ethical call" depends on what an LA is, what LAs you have, and what the UI suggests, so "make the ethical call" when you have no idea about any of those things is not very useful advice.

BTW, a score adjustment in a UI case is not punishment - it is redress of damage to the non-offending side. It's kinda like the O.J. Simpson case. If he'd been convicted in the criminal trial, there would have been punishment, but the judgement in the civil trial was primarily (under the law) redress for damage to the families of the deceased, not punishment (although there may have been a punitive element; if so the judgement would have specified what part was punitive - but you can't do that in bridge).