Dragan, on Sep 25 2004, 02:54 PM, said:
if you look at statistics you can see that more players go down than make...isn't that guide for decision about making 3nt ?
Second while 3NT can always make, it doesn't in fact always make, as many went down.
Let's examine the situation...
Case one...
1C-P-1D-P-3NT - all pass.,, niow EW ask before leading and find out that 1C was artificial and/or maybe 2 card suit and that 1D showed points.
In this case, I would issue a conduct warnign to EW to remind them to alert their bids. No one was harmed.
Case two
1C-P-1D-X-3NT-all pass... Now the opponents ask and find out that same information. There is no way to repair the auction. West is now in possession of information that he would not be if the bids had been properly alerted. Does this information affect the result? Probably not, but the fact remains that it could. To try to decide if it did affect the results will delve into players skill level, etc. Too mucy work in general, and then player will say, "i would always do such and so" so the dlb didn't affect my play at all. Truth? Lie? white lie?
Don't get boggled down that issue. There was a violation that COULD (potentially) affect the score. Award an average mimus to EW and average plus to NS... but only if they called you immediately. If they played out the hand in the hoes of settting it and then called the director, I would allow the result to stand, but would issue wafrning to EW.
Ben
So many issues...
First, 17 declerers took 9 tricks or more in notrump, 17 declarers took 8 tricks or less in notrump. But I don't think looking at the other tables is a relevant issue at all... there was a violation (well two, as 1C was not alerted either) at this table.