Posted 2014-July-04, 04:33
I was North on this hand. On the questions of fact, I can tell you that:
- Declarer's statement of concession/claim as recorded on the claim form was "I'll give you a spade" (before trick 11)
- Declarer's statement of concession/claim according to his statement of Appeal to the National Authority was "you take two spades" (during trick 10)
- The Director ruled three off, citing Law 70E1
- The Appeals committee confirmed the Director's ruling and retained the deposit, on the grounds that "The TD had read the law to the players. 70E1 made it clear what should happen, which is why the deposit was taken."
- The EBU L&E Committee has now ruled, upholding the Director's ruling, but returning both deposits. Its ruling says that:
- It discussed whether Law 71 rather than 70E1 should apply, and decided that 70E1 was appropriate.
- It discussed whether declarer's implied claim of two tricks still applies after the spade concession breaks down, and decided it does not.
- It rejected the argument in Declarer's Appeal submission that he would have worked out the diamond count, on the grounds that he hadn't known the spade count.
- It spent long enough discussing all this to make it right to return the deposits.