blackshoe, on 2012-June-18, 09:31, said:
There's more than one possible explanation for the problem.
There may be. I might even say that there usually is.
In this case, I have a hard time seeing how even a slurred or mumbled "diamonds" can sound like a clear and distinct "hearts" - which is what south claimed to have heard. Perhaps "hearts" was spoken at a nearby table and drifted into south's hearing? We can't know of course, but the mutual consistency of (1) the actual agreement, (2) west's actual hand, and (3) what north heard, convinces me that east did in fact say "diamonds". Or are we to believe that "hearts" was spoken in error, and north happened to mishear in such way as to match the actual agreement? I don't find that credible.
I remember once I failed to hear an opponent's alert, which resulted in me taking a different action than I would have had I heard it. After finding out, I mentioned to the op, "an alert would have helped." She said she did alert, and my partner promptly confirmed that she heard it. I quickly concluded that I had just missed it of my own accord, and made no further complaint. Here too, perhaps south should just accept that he heard incorrectly.