International Bridge Laws Forum

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English Bridge Union

3 posts
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Dropped Card ( 19:38:13 TueAug 5 2003 )

Country: USA

In the play of a hand declarer leads a heart. LHO drops a small club on the table and says sorry I have a heart. Declarer wins that trick and promptly plays the queen of clubs upon which LHO plays the king of clubs. Declarer now calls the director and demands that LHO be forced to play the small club card. What is the correct ruling at the table.

bluejak

426 posts
Forum Host

Reply

Re: Dropped Card ( 00:03:25 WedAug 6 2003 )

I would probably penalise declarer for deliberate bridge lawyering. He sounds the sort of player we can do well without.

When the club was dropped the Director should have been called. Failure to do so, and then waiting until an advantage is likely to be gained, and then calling the Director is just not acceptable.

Fortunately there is a Law for people like this, 11A, which means the Director now need not enforce the penalty. Furthermore, he can deem the card dropped not a penalty card - see Law 50.

So the correct ruling is to tell the defender to put the little club back in his hand, and tell declarer that if he wants his rights under the Laws he should call the Director, not rule himself.

---
David Stevenson <laws2@blakjak.com>
Liverpool, England, UK
http://blakjak.com/lws_menu.htm

James Vickers

Re: Dropped Card ( 16:34:43 FriAug 8 2003 )

Country: UK

In addition to everything David has said, with which I entirely agree, if the small club was indeed dropped (i.e. not played intentionally) it was destined to become a minor penalty anyway and offender would have been well within his rights to take the queen of clubs with the king.

James

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bluejak

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International Bridge Laws Forum

If you need help with the Laws or rulings from any country in the world, this is the place!Hosted by David StevensonSenior Consultant DirectorEnglish Bridge Union

If you need help with the Laws or rulings from
any country in the world, this is the place!

Hosted by David Stevenson
Senior Consultant Director
English Bridge Union