[McBruce]

In an IMPs Indy, the contract is 3♦ doubled and vulnerable and it's in trouble after ten tricks when a defender goes red and after several minutes the other three players decide a sub is needed. The sub, beamed in at trick ten, has no way of knowing what the best way to play the hand from here is, and with trumps out all over the place the guesses he makes may cost 10 or more IMPs. If the play thus far is clear enough to a Director looking at a four hands, is it reasonable for the Director to send a private message to the new defender saying something like: "don't discard the Q♥"?

I think this is reasonable, and better than giving A+/A-. Comments?

[Rado]

hi McBruce and all,

Just an example from a tourney several days ago I was a declarer in not so good contract when my LHO was subbed. When the new defender come on the table I just simply wrote in common chat: Hi new Opp keep your ♥ and ♦.
The hand finished in normal bridge way.
TD's have enough job for arranging tourney, subs, bridge decisions so we must try to save their time as much as possible.

Regards
Rado

[McBruce]

Bravo, Rado. It is encouraging to see a fine example like this.

Sadly, though, I have seen too often a player try to take an advantage from this situation -- perhaps not deliberately but through ignorance of what the situation entails. Subs are asked to play quickly (even in unclocked), or the declarer runs all his trumps knowing that a fatal discard might be made. When I have time, I try to stay at the table to ensure a fair result. Another way to do this is to ask the players if the result is certain before you call a sub, so that a claim can be made. And if the sub arrives after only a few tricks, usually the players will remember what was played.

Rado, I bet TDs are very happy to see you in their tourneys. Thanks for helping us out!

[zibuyu]

wow. I was such a sub yesterday to defend 3NT at last 5 tricks. I knew nothing and ..... . Though we did well at all last boards, we only got 5th. or My partner should be No1 or 2.

But sometimes it is very hard for a declarer to tell the sub how to do it. TDs rarelly have enough time to deal with such things.

[Frosty]

Agree that the TD seldom has time to analyze the hand and give the sub advice ..... don't know about the others, but I'm often subbing from the Tournament Lobby not the table, so I don't even see what or where the contract is at the point of subbing someone in.

However - as a player, I will always tell an opposing late-term sub the gist of the Board as its been played as best I can. I never tell my substitute partner as I do not want to unfairly influence his/her play. As a TD, I will often ask the sub's opps to appraise him/her of as much information about the Board as they can as a courtesy. Some will - some won't.

Its true - some pairs will take advantage of the sub's lack of information - but there are always small people around. In my NTBHO its not bridge if a substitution changes the outcome due to a lack of info - its cheating.

Frosty

[newmoon]

McBruce, on Apr 2 2004, 07:13 PM, said:

In an IMPs Indy, the contract is 3♦ doubled and vulnerable is it reasonable for the Director to send a private message to the new defender saying something like: "don't discard the Q♥"?

Yep - sure thing! Usually I adjust as I hate to sub in the middle of the hand, but sometimes it is not clear as to which route declarer (or the sub's partner-defender) will follow. "Keep the Q♥" is apt and helpful advice.



Newmoon