[VixTD]

campboy, on 2015-February-13, 04:13, said:

Well, it doesn't satisfy 73F unless East "could have known" -- if the change of line was truly irrational, how could he have foreseen it?

I think a lot of players know they won't get away with a real pause with xx, so there's some mileage in cultivating a just-perceptible hitch with this holding to sow some doubt in declarer's mind. If there's a significant card out, there's a chance declarer might fall for it.

There are plenty of bridge players who don't decide in advance whether or not to cover an honour. On this hand, the thought process "he's led ♠9 - shall I cover? - no, it can't help" might take a second or two.

So a slight hitch would suggest a holding including the queen.

[blackshoe]

campboy, on 2015-February-13, 04:13, said:

Well, it doesn't satisfy 73F unless East "could have known" -- if the change of line was truly irrational, how could he have foreseen it?

He could not have. So 73F is not satisfied, and the director is not permitted to adjust the score on the grounds written in that law.

[lamford]

ahydra, on 2015-February-11, 07:56, said:

Once again I go to upvote a barmar post and find the upvote button missing.

I realised that he does not allow upvotes after the first dozen or so attempts to do so, and now remember each time!

[lamford]

campboy, on 2015-February-13, 04:13, said:

Well, it doesn't satisfy 73F unless East "could have known" -- if the change of line was truly irrational, how could he have foreseen it?

Just because South's play was irrational does not mean that East could not have foreseen it. The average C team player often plays irrationally. East could foresee that the BIT increased his side's change of winning a putative queen of trumps. And if he was trying to give suit preference in trumps, then we would still adjust if we believe that there was a BIT.

[Aardv]

campboy, on 2015-February-13, 04:13, said:

Well, it doesn't satisfy 73F unless East "could have known" -- if the change of line was truly irrational, how could he have foreseen it?

He could have known that there's a widely held but irrational belief that a hesitation is consistent with Qxx.

[blackshoe]

Aardv, on 2015-February-13, 12:40, said:

He could have known that there's a widely held but irrational belief that a hesitation is consistent with Qxx.

He "could have known" a lot of things. I think you can take the concept too far, and I think this may be doing so.