We are in an Individual Tournament which is restricted to players using a particular bidding system. It could be SAYC, 2/1, precision, but (in this case) is Acol.
Everybody plays weak NT (12-14), will open with 4 card majors, and includes at least Stayman, Blackwood and Transfers to Majors in their profile. Very few (if any) include Splinters, Unassuming Cue bid, etc. in their profile (although they might use them with a regular partner). Nobody uses a CC.
So here we are -
North-South have not had any disussion about their bidding system. It is the first board of the round and they do not remember having ever played with each other before.
South has made a bid which could be natural, or it might be conventional. If it is a convention, it might be one which has different flavours and, therefore, the bid might have different meanings.
South does not alert and West asks for information about the bid.
The answer is "No agreement", and South will not shift from that.
West calls the TD :
South says - "I have no agreement about this bid and I hope that my partner will judge what it means correctly. West has no right to have more information than my partner and can make the same judgement as my partner."
West says - "If the bid is natural, South should say so. If it is conventional then South is assuming that North will judge correctly. Therefore I am entitled to know what the bid means."
This exchange might follow any one of the following sequences :
1D - 1H - 2H
1S - p - 4C
p - 1D - 2NT
What should the TD do?
What do you think about a Tournament where the host requires that all participants play :
- Only a very basic system;
- With only a few well-known, listed conventions with no other conventions allowed; and
- No alerts.
jandrew