| HOSPISCARE SWISS TEAMS 2013 |
HOSPISCARE SWISS TEAMS
We regret to announce that the event on May 19th has been cancelled.
Our thanks and apologies to all who have supported us with entries.
Unfortunately there were insufficient teams entered this year to make the event financially viable.
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| THE HESITATION RULE AND ASKING QUESTIONS |
HESITATION
It is not against the rules to hesitate: ie take extra time before bidding or passing. In fact for most of us it is almost inevitable that occasionally we hesitate as we try to work out how to bid a difficult hand.The trouble is that the partner is put on the spot because he/she has been given information. For example a player who thinks for a long time and then passes is saying: “I almost have a bid, but I’m not sure what, so I’m passing.”Information is also passed by a player who hesitates and then bids. The inference is that the hand was only just worth a bid and that pass was a possibility, or that there was a choice of bids. In these circumstances the partner is expected to ignore the ‘unauthorised information’. It is all too easy to be influenced by the hesitation and make a bid that might not otherwise have been made. When there is a hesitation, followed by a bid from the partner, the opponents are entitled to call the director and reserve their rights. This is a necessary formality, just in case it is later revealed that there has been an infringement. It is not a suggestion that either player has done anything wrong, and neither should be offended. If it is not agreed that there was a hesitatation, the TD should be called. If it is agreed, play can go on. At the end of the hand it may be accepted that the bidding player had the values for his bid. But if the opponents feel that the bidder may have been influenced (maybe unconciously) by the hesitation the TD should be called. The TD has to decide whether the hesitation changed the outcome of the auction. Did the partner have a clear-cut bid even without the hesitation? If so, no penalty. If the partner had logical alternatives did he make the choice that at least 70% of players of like ability would make? If so, no penalty.
If neither of these two criteria are met the TD can adjust the score so that the non-offending pair get the best score reasonably to be expected on the hand. Hesitations are a cause of friction wherever bridge is played. The best solution is never to hesitate. But that is asking the impossible. So the onus is on the partner. He must scrupulously ignore any ‘unauthorised information’, whether it be a hesitation, squirming in the chair, or scratching the head!
ASKING QUESTIONS
Information can also be passed by asking a question about an opponent’s bid and then passing.The suggestion is that the questioner nearly has the values for a bid or has an interest in the suit bid by the opposition – information that is heard by his partner.
It is perfectly within the rules to ask a question but the player should always be aware that there is the possibility of passing ‘unauthorised information.’ The counsel of perfection is to wait until the end of the auction before asking questions.
Note for further reading. Laws 16 and 73 apply.
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