Directing at an EBU event is much less stressful than the Butler IMP game at the Young Chelsea. Infractions like leads out of turn, revokes (usually North of Watford) and calls not in rotation are straight forward, because there are Laws that govern them. The problems occur if you have to form a judgement about a hesitation or a mis-explanantion. It is helpful in these cases if there are other Dungeon Masters around with whom you can confer. DMs tend to give each other the problems without the infraction to form a view about what would normally happen, and then see whether there has been damage. "I’ll hit him for 3 points damage" or "He seems to have rolled a six and got away with it"

This one came up and seems worthy of report. The forces of chaos were toiling away in the North Corner where Mathutan (a mantra-chanting half-human) opened a Strong No-trump after his partner had passed. Hethatan (female elven with asiatic leanings) responded Stayman and next hand bid 2NT unalerted. The half-human doubled because it wasn’t going to make and Satyr (dark-skinned evil-eye etc) pulled to 3 diamonds. When this got back it was doubled and all out. The auction:

Hethatan Esmondio Mathutan Satyr

Pass Pass 1NT Pass

Pass Pass Purple-card Ends

Esmondio held x, Axxxx, J9xxx, Qx and the Satyr had a 5-card fit in diamonds, so this made in some comfort for about +10 Imps.

A delegation found the purple-carapace and remonstrated generally. The no-trumper held AQxx, KQx, Qx, AJxx or therabouts, and had had two chances at bidding his spades. After some consideration I ruled that the half-human and partner were victims of the mega- monkey(*) syndrome. It was quite clear that Satyr and Esmondio had absolutely no idea what they were doing (except 2 clubs over 1NT in direct is the round suits) and from time to time the forces of the dark side land on their feet. The Satyr was not entirely sure the ruling was complementary but was happy with the imps (which make nice crunchy snacks)

(*)If you give a million monkeys a million bidding boxes and get them to play a million hands, they will eventually fix even Meckwell, who are arguably the strongest pair in the world.