gnasher, on 2012-September-12, 08:41, said:
Are you saying that what was in declarer's mind when he claimed is irrelevant, and we should consider only what he actually said at the time of the claim? That's what the rules seem to say, but I don't like it much.
I don't think it is correct, either. I believe that this bit of Law is often ignored:
Law 70A [part] said:
In ruling on a contested claim or concession, the Director adjudicates the result of the board as equitably as possible to both sides, but any doubtful point as to a claim shall be resolved against the claimer.
I believe that this means that claims are more subject to a general approach along the lines of what would have happened than any other judgement ruling.
iviehoff, on 2012-September-12, 09:13, said:
That's not what I was saying when I first wrote that. The point is that on this occasion, what the claimer said later was an attempt to rationalise why in practice he thought he would get 12 tricks if he played on, not a reflection of what was in his mind at the time of the claim.
The law explicitly says that the TD should ask the claimer to repeat his statement of claim. In the case that it doesn't make much sense, it seems proper to ask him explain it. That isn't permission to change it or add new stuff not implied by it.
True. We have to decide what are normal lines of play, and knowing the situation properly helps that.
iviehoff, on 2012-September-13, 03:09, said:
L70D1 refers to the "original clarification statement":
"The Director shall not accept from claimer any successful line of play not embraced in the original clarification statement if there is an alternative normal line of play that would be less successful."
I think a change of mind would not be considered the "original clarification statement" even if it arrived without a pause.
You've got one chance to get it right.
This misses the point. Sure, the claimer has only one chance to get it right, but the TD has to get it right, and later clarification and/or explanation by claimer [and his opponents, of course] helps him decide what are normal lines of play.