[Gerben42]

Scoring: IMP

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E..... S(you) W..... N

1NT* Dbl Pass 2♦
Pass Pass 3♦** Pass
3♥ 3♠ 4♥ 4♠
Dbl Pass Pass Pass

* Alerted, not asked. Apparently 10 - 13.
** Alerted and explained as Lebensohl, Stayman without stopper in ♦.

Pass did not force Redbl.
West meant 3♦ simply as any forcing and had a ♦ stopper. Partner had no HCP with 3163.

South's argument: the "no stopper" made it more attractive to bid and he would not have bid 3♠ if the explanation had been "general forcing".

4♥ can be made or go down depending on trump decision (8 ever 9 never or finesse vs you): -620 / +100. 4♠x was -800.

Your decision as director?

[paulg]

I guess that I'm supposed to discover what the actual meaning of 3♦ is in their system to establish whether it is a misbid (no basis for correction) or misinformation (basis for correction).

There will be UI from the alert (basis for correction) but without seeing the hands it is impossible to know whether it affected the auction, but my guess would be that it has not.

Finally, I fail to see how South has been damaged by this sequence. It is clear that East-West have a diamond stop (since partner does not hold ♦AK) and who holds it looks pretty irrelevant. East has not denied a diamond stop (or even double stop) by bidding 3♥ as his partner will bid 3NT and then East will show whether he has a stop or not.

On the (incomplete) information provided, table result stands.

Paul

[whereagles]

Result stands and deposit forfeit if NS appeal

[Gerben42]

It didn't affect the auction, 3♦-bidder had 5♥ and just wanted to force (fearing 3♥ directly would be passed). When his partner bid 3♥ he was happy and bid 4.

[Codo]

If South X showed strength and the willingness to beat 1 NT , North denied AK of diamond or any other relevant value with his 2 Diamond bid, so south should know, that the hand belong to the opponents.
I don´t see why a 3 Diamond bid from east, which denies Diamond values will improve the chance of South to reach a making contract.
Score stands.

[BillHiggin]

Bad bid made worse by UI?
Nope - bad bid!

[jdonn]

This was a really lame excuse. If the bidder wants someone to blame, how about himself for not getting his bid off his chest a round sooner and a level lower?