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QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS

Hesitations... 

There have been a couple of players lately who have hesitated with a singleton.  They think they can sort of "play poker" and try to trick the declarer into playing them for a key card.  One of these players insists that he must "play in tempo" since he hesitates all of the time, so when he has a singleton, he must also hesitate.  I can understand his  case, but it seems with a singleton, he has been caught looking at his hand, then at dummy and back to his hand as if trying to decide which card to play.  After long consideration, he then selects his singleton.  Sorry, this is not acceptable bridge!  

 A player had this angle shot at him and I awarded him an adjusted score.  He wrote Mike Flader (Its Your Rule from the Declarer) who responded with:

This ruling is a tough one to make, but law 73F2 does say, "if the Director determines that an innocent player has drawn a false inference from a remark, manner, tempo, or the like, of an opponent who has no demonstrable bridge reason for the action, and who could have known, at the time of his action, that the action could work to his benefit, the Director shall award an adjusted score (see Law 12C)."   Law 12C states that if the director decides to award an adjusted score due to an irregularity, the result assigned should be, for the non-offending side, that one which was likely had the infraction not occurred.  For the offending side, the result should be the most unfavorable one that was at all probable. 

Hesitations, part 2
Recently I received the following:

Hypothetically ( J ), let's say your partner overcalls a 1 spade opening with 2 clubs.  RHO passes and you, looking at 5 diamonds, 4 hearts, and 18 HCP, bid 2 diamonds.  LHO passes and partner hesitates before passing.  RHO bids 2 spades.  Should you be allowed to bid given the hesitation (of course I know the answer to this, but maybe it will enlighten others – no names mentioned)?

Isn't the rule always that you can bid as long as you took no inferences from the hesitation?

Well, the rules actually don't say that!  Law 16A says:

    A. Extraneous Information from Partner

After a player makes available to his partner extraneous information that may suggest a call or play, as by means of a remark, a question, a reply to a question, or by unmistakable hesitation, unwonted speed, special emphasis, tone, gesture, movement, mannerism or the like, the partner may not choose from among logical alternative actions one that could demonstrably have been suggested over another by the extraneous information.

It would be nice if you could just bid as if you had blinders on and you took no inferences from your partners bid.  Unfortunately, that is not the case.  At high levels, they are very strict about this rule -- I was once disallowed from rebidding an eight-card suit because of partners reply to a question (she was wrong in her explanation, but it did not matter -- they would not let me rebid my suit so instead of making 4Dx, we got to go down 4 at 3Sx!)  As a director, the way I interpret this is:  If partner hesitates and then passes, you can bid if you have your bid 100% -- I could ask 3 people AT YOUR LEVEL what they would bid and they would all come up with your bid (not knowing partner had hesitated.)   

Accepting the director ruling.

I think it is time for everyone to read the this section of the laws which deals with improprieties.  When I have been called to the table to make a ruling and I do so and you disagree, tell me -- and then STOP. 

    The following actions are NOT acceptable:

The first three items are covered under proprieties. 

For those of you who are NOT aware, we must be cleaned up and out by 2:00.  Calling your own committee is not only an insult to the director but also jeopardizes our agreement with the YMCA.   If I have time that day to send an email to ACBL to clarify the issue, I will.  I will always cc: you on the email so if you haven't gotten it by the time you get home, please email ME to make sure we get a second opinion.  

 

A player emailed and said, "I don't think my scores were correct . . . how do I check them?  . . . And how would I do it at a tournament? click to see

At a recent Saturday game, there were some interesting hands.

1.    Partner opens 1N (15-17) and you hold 
            S-       H-AQJ109xx     D-x     C-KQxxx.  
       Your bid!

2.    In first seat you pick up the following: 
            S-A32  H-J1064     D-A98654     C-v-
       You decide (wisely, I think) to pass, LHO passes and partner opens 2C.  In your methods, a positive response would promise two of the top three honors in the suit you bid, so you content yourself with 2D.  Partner now bids 2H.  What should you be thinking about and what do you bid?              

Send your questions and I will try to post answer!

When is 1N NOT forcing when you play 2/1?   We decided to play 2/1 and had some questions about the 1N response when opponents interfere. 

How do you play super-accept of transfers?  

Partner opened 1N and we got lost along the way! HELP!   I transferred and then made (what I thought was) a quantitative raise.  Who was right? 

Michaels bid  What happens after you have made a Michaels bid?

Reverses  What is a reverse?  How can I tell if partner bid a reverse?  What should I do next?

Freakish distribution When is it worth a reverse?  How come we didn't get to slam?

 

** June 28 hidden message.  Call or email that you saw this.  First 2 players will get $2 off their entry.  OH, and if you find students for my beginner class, tell me about this page and get a free entry!  

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