[lamford]

Declarer claims all of the tricks in a n-card ending, believing all the cards to be winners. One of the cards is not a winner. Clearly he loses one trick, but is he required to play his cards in the least favourable order or is there a "normal" line of play. Or should I post a specific example?

[blackshoe]

lamford, on 2025-November-28, 17:27, said:

is he required to play his cards in the least favourable order or is there a "normal" line of play. Or should I post a specific example?

No. No. Yes.

[Huibertus]

lamford, on 2025-November-28, 17:27, said:

Declarer claims all of the tricks in a n-card ending, believing all the cards to be winners. One of the cards is not a winner. Clearly he loses one trick, but is he required to play his cards in the least favourable order or is there a "normal" line of play. Or should I post a specific example?

A matter of definition as described in the Bride Laws. Article 68 D: After any claim or concession, play is suspended.

There is no play following a claim, no normal play, no stupid play, no expert play, simply no play at all. The non-claiming or non-conceding side can (but is not mandated to) ask for play to resume and that ONLY happens when all FOUR players concur in which case play continues without any restrictions and the claim is voided, there is no claim anymore.

In all other cases a disputed claim is up to the director, not up to any of the players, to work out a score. The director will follow Article 70.

[lamford]

blackshoe, on 2025-November-28, 20:45, said:

No. No. Yes.

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West is in Four Spades, and has lost two tricks. She is on lead and claims the remainder without stating a line, being unaware of the missing trump. The TD awards ten tricks.

[blackshoe]

Clearly the defense gets a trump trick (Law 70C). The question is whether they get a club trick (or two). I see several possible lines:

1. Lead her trump, losing to North. Win North's return, taking two top clubs and two top diamonds, in whatever order he likes.
2. Take two top clubs and two top diamonds, losing the second diamond to North's trump. Ruff the club return and take another diamond trick.
3. Play on diamonds, losing the second diamond. Win the club return, take another club, trump a club, take another diamond.
4. Assume the clubs are or will be good, and attempt to run them. South would take the third club, but West ruffs and takes a diamond. North ruffs the second diamond and gets a club. Down one.
5. Same line, but West ducks the third club, ruffs the fourth and later loses to North's trump. Down one.
6. Try to take three or four diamonds, North ruffs the second one and leads a club. West gets two clubs and eventually a trump trick. Making four.

Now Law 70A says 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.

It seems to me that 70A suggests a ruling of 4♠ making four.

[lamford]

blackshoe, on 2025-November-29, 10:12, said:

Clearly the defense gets a trump trick (Law 70C). The question is whether they get a club trick (or two). I see several possible lines:

1. Lead her trump, losing to North. Win North's return, taking two top clubs and two top diamonds, in whatever order he likes.
2. Take two top clubs and two top diamonds, losing the second diamond to North's trump. Ruff the club return and take another diamond trick.
3. Play on diamonds, losing the second diamond. Win the club return, take another club, trump a club, take another diamond.
4. Assume the clubs are or will be good, and attempt to run them. South would take the third club, but West ruffs and takes a diamond. North ruffs the second diamond and gets a club. Down one.
5. Same line, but West ducks the third club, ruffs the fourth and later loses to North's trump. Down one.
6. Try to take three or four diamonds, North ruffs the second one and leads a club. West gets two clubs and eventually a trump trick. Making four.

Now Law 70A says 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.

It seems to me that 70A suggests a ruling of 4♠ making four.

The TD ruled similarly to you. 4S=. I think a normal line would be ace of clubs, king of clubs, diamond. Now west needs to play three more rounds of diamonds, and any spade is fatal. Another failing line is diamond, diamond, spade. That is two down. These were regarded as "contrived". It all hinges on what is "normal" which seems to be the TD's judgement.