bridgetalk.com forums :: Laws & Rulings :: on-purpose facing of card/cards on table before bidding??? ruling please?

p_scammell

on-purpose facing of card/cards on table before bidding??? ruling please? ( 19:37:00 ThuJan 30 2003 )

My question is what should the ruling be in this situation?

The situation is : At local club duplicate bridge game, a established partnership has been doing this.
In order to "teach" her partner a lesson, (the lesson being to instill that partner counts the numbers of cards in his hand face down on table, instead of his habit of looking at cards and counting them while sorting his cards in his hand, counting cards and hand point count all at once.) she has started to, on purpose , either expose her entire hand face up on the table before any bidding has started, or just facing one random card up on the table, then saying partner u didn't count your cards!!!!!.
Since either of the partnership is often also our playing director, no one is saying a word about these actions, but accepting "her ruling" , I quote, "oh that is a penalty card, inless I am dummy or declarer."
This seems a childish, unfair practise, and it also does give the partner (and O's) a glimpse of her card/cards.
Just curious as to your opinion on this matter.

Thank you

JimO

175 posts
Forum Host

Reply

Re: on-purpose facing of card/cards on table before bidding??? ruling please? ( 20:48:28 ThuJan 30 2003 )

Law 7B1:
Each player counts his cards face down to make sure he has exactly thirteen; after that and before making a call, he must inspect the face of his cards.

Failing to do so is a violation of procedure, but I would consider it a minor violation, and would not penalize the player, unless perhaps he actually had more or fewer than 13 cards.

His partner's actions are far more serious.
Law 72B2:
A player must not infringe a law intentionally, even if there is a prescribed penalty he is willing to pay.

You can read Law 24 for the procedure when a card is exposed duing the auction.
But this is more serious. The first time this happened, I would impose a hefty procedural penalty, along with a strng warning. The second time, I would bar this player from the club. This behavior should be reported to the appropriate authorities - in the ACBL, that would mean the unit recorder.

---
-Jim O'Neil
Oak Park, IL

bluejak

427 posts
Forum Host

Reply

Re: on-purpose facing of card/cards on table before bidding??? ruling please? ( 03:53:30 FriJan 31 2003 )

I agree with Jim over the relative importance of the two player's actions. The player who is not counting his cards face down is committing a minor violation that many players forget. If anyone really wants to convince him to do so then a Procedural Penalty every hand until he gets it right seems suitable - 10% of a top will suffice.

But his partner is spoiling the game for others, and that means one major warning, and then expulsion. I do not care that she is often a playing director, she is demeaning the game. :sad:

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

9 bridge player(s) online in the last 15 minutes - 1 bridgetalk member(s), 0 incognito and 8 guest(s).
(The most ever was 52 09:45:43 Fri Feb 14 2003)
bluejak

Total Members: 393, Newest Member: edm.

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 Stevenson
Senior Consultant Director
English Bridge Union

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