[suprgrover]

blackshoe, on Jul 23 2010, 11:16 AM, said:

From the ACBL Tech Files:

Quote

There is not now, nor has there ever been, any regulation which prohibits a player from opening (or overcalling) a natural NT with a singleton if sound bridge judgment dictates doing so.

Alas, the General Convention Chart is, perhaps, not quite on the same wavelength:

Quote

A notrump opening or overcall is natural if not unbalanced (generally, no singleton or void and only one or two doubletons).

In my opinion, the problem here is the word "generally," which can mean any number of things--but it certainly does not mean "subject to sound bridge judgment."

For those in the EBU who complain about the White and Orange Books, some of us in ACBL-land would gladly trade you Duplicate Decisions, the Tech Files, and the minutes (as they are) of the Laws Commission and the Competition and Conventions Committee.

[blackshoe]

suprgrover, on Jul 23 2010, 12:41 PM, said:

In my opinion, the problem here is the word "generally," which can mean any number of things--but it certainly does not mean "subject to sound bridge judgment."

Perhaps not, but it also does not mean there is an absolute prohibition against opening 1NT with a singleton.

[mjj29]

blackshoe, on Jul 23 2010, 11:16 AM, said:

From the ACBL Tech Files:

Quote

There is not now, nor has there ever been, any regulation which prohibits a player from opening (or overcalling) a natural NT with a singleton if sound bridge judgment dictates doing so.

(from http://forums.bridge...howtopic=39570) I see the link to http://www.acbl.org/...aSingleton.html, which says:

Quote

It is a rare occurrence (no more than 1% of the time), Your partner expects you to have at least two cards in each suit, and You and your partner have no agreements which enable you to discover that partner has a singleton.

and from http://forums.bridge...showtopic=35687 the Tech Files (http://bridgehands.c...erpretation.htm) which say

Quote

The bid of a natural notrump MUST promise a balanced hand. No agreement, either explicit or implicit, that the bid may be made with an unbalanced hand is legal;...

So I'll change my statement to say "you can't play a 1NT opening which may contain a singleton in the ACBL". You appear to be allowed to psych 1NT while holding a singleton though...

[blackshoe]

FWIW, IMO a regulation which disallows psyching a natural 1NT opening would be illegal. But the point is that opening 1NT with a singleton in the ACBL should not draw the instant wrath of the TD. Here's the way I view it:

player: Director!!!!!
me: how may I help?
player: he <points accusingly at opponent> opened 1NT with a singleton!
me: so?
player: it's illegal!
me: no, it isn't. But play on, and call me back after the hand if you feel you've been damaged.

If When called back, or if it's already after the play, I would investigate the possibility of a CPU (what the regulation actually says is that it's illegal to have an agreement to open 1NT on a singleton), and if there's no CPU, there's no infraction of law.