Background

Whilst playing bridge, a player will receive information about a hand. This may be from the actual calls and plays made by all 4 players, or from the tempo/ demeanour in which the calls/ plays were made or may even be from 'extraneous sources' - e.g. overhearing someone commenting about a hand they have played or seeing dummy exposed on a table. The player may also be possession of other information e.g. knows that player X will always overbid or compete too high in an competitive auction.

Not all of this information can be used. The information that can be is called 'Authorised Information' (AI), information that can't is called 'Unauthorised Information' (UI).

In addition a player may receive information that is incorrect - either from partner or opponents (Usually in a the form of an incorrect explanation of a call, or play). This is 'Misleading Information' (MI) and is discussed elsewhere - although almost always where there is MI there will also be UI.

Authorised and Unauthorised Information is regulated by Law 16 - this law is referenced more than any other law in the book - which shows the importance attached to it.

Law 16D - Extraneous Information from other sources

This law deals with cases where players receive inadvertently information about a hand before the auction begins. The player should notify the Director forthwith. This includes hearing comments about the hand, calls made, seeing the wrong hand (e.g. pulling out the wrong cards from the board or seeing dummy at another table) or another player's card before the auction begins. The Direcor will do his best to allow the hand to be played. There is nothing wrong in inadvertently receiving this information - but if it is received and not reported then that is a serious offence. Players should not move from the table (nor walk around gratuitously when dummy) until the Director calls the move - and if they see that a hand is still in play at the table they are going to move to, then they should take steps to keep well away.

Law 16C - Information from withdrawn Calls and Plays

This typically happens if a side makes an insufficient bid, a call out of turn or plays a card when not due to. Generally the information from the withdrawn call or play is Unauthorised for the pair that offended and Authorised for the pair that didn't - although some rules will specifically state that this law does not apply.

Law 16A - Player's use of information

This defines what information CAN be used

1. It derives from the legal calls or plays of the hand and is unaffected by any unauthorised source
2. It is from a withdrawn call/ play by a non-offending side
3. It is specified in the laws that it can be used e.g. information when a claim is made and then it is decided to play on.
4. It is information in possession before the hand was taken out and the laws do not forbid the use of said information
5. The estimate of your own score, characteristics of opponents and the torunament regulations

Law 16B - Extraneous Information from Partner

In practice, this is the section of the law that occurs the most and is breached most often. We will discuss it in detail:

"Any extraneous information from partner that might suggest a call or play is unauthorized.
This includes remarks, questions, replies to questions, unexpected alerts or failures to alert,
unmistakable hesitation, unwonted speed, special emphasis, tone, gesture, movement or
mannerism." 16B1

This list is not inclusive. Examples of each type of information are shown below - and a possible 'naughty' action taken as a result.

• 'Remarks' - Your partner picks up a hand and says "Rubbish again". Holding a poor weak no trump hand in third position you decide to pass to avoid possibly conceding a large penalty.
• 'Question' - A strong 1♣  call is made and alerted. Your partner says "Does that show clubs?". Knowing your partner is interested in the club suit, you lead one through declarer's KJ into his AQ and get a ruff.
• 'Replies to Questions' - Partner is asked what your 3♣ overcall meant and says "Diamonds and Spades" - you thought or know it means 'Hearts or Spades' so when partner bids 3♦ you are worried that he may not have many and bid 3♥ to clear things up.
• 'Unexpected Alerts' - Your partner opens 1NT: Your left hand opponent Doubles and you bid 2♦ as a weak take-out. Partner alerts it and then bids 2♥ . You suspect he hasn't a heart suit and rebid diamonds.
• 'Failure to Alert' - Your right hand opponent opens 2♠ . You bid 2NT intending to show the minot suits. Partner does not alert - obviously he is taking it as natural. He raises to 3 and you decide to bid 4♣ to make it clear you have the minor suits.
• 'Unmistakeable Hesitation' - The bidding has got to 4♠ by the opponent. Your partner thinks for 30 seconds and then passes. Obviously he was thinking about going on/ sacrificing and that persuades you to bid 5♥ .
• 'Unwonted Speed' - After your LHO opens the bidding with 'Stop - 3♥ ' your partner immediately passes. Obviously he has a poor hand - and with a borderline take out double you decide to pass.
• 'Special Emphasis' - After an Auction "1♠ , 2♦, 3♣ ' your partner throws down the 3NT bidding card onto the table very firmly. Obviously he does not want you to continue - so you pass.
• 'Tone' - Playing without bidding boxes you hear partner say '4NT' with an inflexion obviously indicating that it is a question and to be taken as Blackwood - You were unsure whether 4NT was quantitative or Blackwood in this situation - but you now can respond appropriately.
• 'Gesture' - Playing a hand you note that partner, as dummy, has looked at the hand on his left. When you lead a trump towards dummy, he moves his head deliberately towards his left hand opponent. You decide to finesse your RHO for the Queen.
• 'Movement' - You observe your partner fiddling with the cards in the bidding box, including the pass card. Eventually he bids 1NT (6-9). He obviously has a minimum so you decide not to make a game try with 17 points.
• 'Mannerism' - You lead a heart against a 3NT contract and observe partner 'winces' when he sees the card - clearly he wanted a different lead, so you switch to Spades when you win a trick, finding partner with a useful holding.

(a) A player may not choose a call or play that is demonstrably suggested over another by
unauthorized information if the other call or play is a logical alternative.
(b) A logical alternative is an action that a significant proportion of the class of players in
question, using the methods of the partnership, would seriously consider, and some
might select.

Law73C

1. When a player has available to him unauthorized information from his partner, such as from
a remark, question, explanation, gesture, mannerism, undue emphasis, inflection, haste or
hesitation, an unexpected alert or failure to alert, he must carefully avoid taking any
advantage from that unauthorized information [see Law 16B1(a)].

These laws together impose a very strong duty on a player with unauthorised information. It is not enough to say 'I'll ignore the UI' or 'I'll make the same bid I was going to make anyway'. You must try and work out whether there were any possible alternative actions that you could have chosen and, if so, does the UI suggest that your choice is going to be more successful than any alternative. Note that if there are no logical alternatives (which usually means one in five people would chose it) or your choice is not demonstrably suggested by the UI then you can make your intended call without any problems.

Example

You open 1NT (12-14). Partner thinks for a while and then bids 2NT which, under your system, shows an invitational raise. There are several scenarios:- (assuming you have a borderline raise to 3NT)

• Partner has a poor invitational raise and was considering passing. So you pass.
• Partner feels his hand was nearly worth 3NT, but decided to bid only 2NT - So you raise to 3NT
• Partner thought about making a transfer bid first but then decided, as it was pairs, just to show his points, not distribution. You hold decent Major suits and play 3♣ as 5-card Stayman in this situation.

Which one of these is demonstrably suggested by the pause? Answer: None! So you can make whichever you want.

Directors will normally poll players to see if any alternative actions were taken and if the UI suggested any particular action. If you feel that the Director has got it wrong then you can appeal.

2. When a player considers that an opponent has made such information available and that
damage could well result he may announce, unless prohibited by the Regulating Authority
(which may require that the Director be called), that he reserves the right to summon the
Director later (the opponents should summon the Director immediately if they dispute the
fact that unauthorized information might have been conveyed).

3. When a player has substantial reason to believe that an opponent who had a logical
alternative has chosen an action suggested by such information, he should summon the
Director when play ends5. The Director shall assign an adjusted score (see Law 12C1) if he
considers that an infraction of law has resulted in an advantage for the offender.

Note

• There does not have to be any damage before the Director is called (The White book recommends that the Director be called instead of reserving your rights).
• The right you are reserving is the right to call the director later if you feel that you have been damaged by the UI. This allows play to continue.
• If you do call the Director then he will ascertain the facts and then basically say 'call me back if you feel you have been damaged by the UI'
• If there is a dispute whether there is any UI then it is up to the side that thinks there isn't any UI to call the director.
• Inadvertently having or transmitting UI is not an offence. Calling the Director under these circumstances (as in almost all others) is not an accusation of cheating or impropriety

Summary

It is almost impossible NOT to transmit UI at some time or other. Players should develop good habits in always trying to make calls and plays at a steady tempo and try and maintain a 'poker face' while the hand is in progress. Do not be annoyed if the other side think you have received/ transmitted UI - just make sure that both you and your partner know of your duty not to take any advantage of it.