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MISINFORMATION AND MISBIDS

The following note has been prepared by the HBA to help understand the issues concerning misbids and misinformation and how to deal with them at the table. In particular please note  the advice on the correct time to inform opponents that partner has given an incorrect explanation (para 3b)

 

Misinformation and misbids

What you can do when you think you are damaged by an opponent’s bid or a wrong explanation of a bid. It is always best to call the Tournament Director as soon as possible.
Lets look at several different scenarios:

  1. If you find that a players hand is found to be different to the explanation his partner has given, there are two possibilities:
  1. The partner has given a correct explanation of their agreed system, but the player has misbid (or even psyched). In this case there is no infraction of law and no redress, but the TD should be called anyway in case the explanation gave the original player unauthorized information (U.I.).
  2. The partner has given an incorrect statement of their agreed system. If the opponents have been damaged by this they are entitled to redress. Again the T.D. should be called at the earliest opportunity.

As an example: North opens 2NT. South bids 3D, which North describes as transfer to hearts.
In a) above, South (with diamonds) has forgotten the system. No infraction, but South may have UI
In b) above, they are not playing transfers, and North has given an incorrect explanation, which is an infraction.

  1. Unless you know that your partners call is not alertable or announceable, then you should alert anyway. If you are asked the meaning, and are not sure, you can ask your opponents to look at your convention card if you think it will be on there. You should only explain your agreed system and you should NEVER say just how you intend to interpret your partners call. If you call the T.D., he can always send you away from the table so that your partner can tell the opponents about his bid without you hearing.
  2. If a player makes a call and partner alerts unexpectedly, or doesn’t alert when you think he should, or gives an explanation which doesn’t match what your understanding of the call is, then there are three possibilities:
  1. The player realises that partner’s alert or explanation is correct, and he has misbid. Misbids can arise in a number of different ways. If a player forgets their system, or if he has failed to notice an earlier call in the auction, or pulls out the wrong bidding card by mistake and does not notice in time to correct it. If you realise you have misbid, you MUST continue to alert, where necessary, and explain, if asked, about your partners calls solely on the basis of your actual partnership understanding.

If as a result of your partners explanation, you realise that you have forgotten the partnership understanding and have therefore misbid, you MUST continue to call and play as if you have made no mistake, until it becomes obvious from the auction or the play that something has gone wrong. See example under 1(a) above.

 

  1. The player knows that he has bid correctly and partners alert or explanation is wrong.

If you believe that it is possible that your partner has alerted incorrectly, or given a wrong explanation, you must rectify the situation at the appropriate time by calling the T.D. and explaining the situation. The correct time to do this is: If you become declarer or dummy, before the opening lead is selected, but if you become a defender, you must not do anything until the end of the hand, not earlier.

c)   The player is now unsure whether he or his partner is right. If you know that you have given an incorrect explanation, or have not alerted one of your partners calls that was alertable ( or you have alerted a call which was not alertable), you must call the T.D. immediately to explain the situation. You may want to do this away from the table to avoid giving U.I. to your partner.

  1. It is OK and proper to use any U.I. which has been made available by your partner to help you to alert or explain the partnership understanding correctly, but this information must NOT be used to help in the bidding or the play. It is really important to take great care not to create and pass UI to your partner when these things happen.

A good example of how things can go wrong is as follows:

West

North

East

South

1H

3C (alert!)

Pass

3S

Pass

4C

Pass

Pass

South alerts and explains 3C as spades and diamonds; North (who has clubs) bids a firm 4C and South (who ought to treat this as a slam try, or perhaps 5=0=5=3 and a good hand) passes for the remainder of the auction. If North proves to have spade support or even tolerance, the director will usually adjust to some number of spades by North-South, probably doubled. But if North doesn’t have spade support, and there is no logical alternative to 4Clubs, the 4C bid is not an infraction. Nevertheless, the subsequent Pass by South has fielded the original 3C misbid. The TD rules that South is in breach of Law 16 and adjusts to whatever he considers North-South would reach if South kept bidding (again, the ruling will probably be some contract doubled).


For further detailed information, please read section 1.4.5 of the EBU White Book, which can be downloaded from the EBU website: 
http://www.ebu.co.uk/documents/laws-and-ethics/white-book/white-book-2016.pdf

 

Last updated : 13th Sep 2016 13:59 GMT