Hesitations in Bridge

by William F. Hall (≈ 1978)

revised by Bob Gruber, Aug. 25, 2008

Bridge is a game of finely tuned communication, during both the auction and the play. While mannerisms, tone of voice, facial expressions and hesitations are an integral, legitimate part of poker, they have no place at the bridge table. The proprieties and ethics of bridge declare that knowledge so gained by one partner from another is unauthorized information and the recipient may not legally act upon that information.

One of the primary avenues of illegal communication is hesitations, whether deliberate or inadvertent. Hesitations convey subtle, but often unmistakable information. Should a hesitation possibly conveying unauthorized information occur, call the Director so he/she may assure that the hesitating side does not benefit therefrom, and that the opposing side does not suffer as a result. Further, if the act appears to be a deliberate attempt to communicate or mislead, the Director shares this potentially unethical conduct with all the Unit’s Directors. Offenses so noted may be periodically reviewed, and if the accumulated weight of evidence convinces the reviewers that the offender is guilty of repeated unethical conduct, he/she may be barred from future events.

In the following sections, hesitations are illustrated with cases drawn from actual play, in order that players will more readily recognize them when they occur and be better prepared to help the Director repair the resulting damage.

Informative Hesitations

A hesitation, of itself, seldom constitutes an impropriety. Every player, including the most expert, occasionally faces difficult decisions which require some time to resolve. It is never improper to hesitate over a legitimate problem. However, a hesitation during the auction or on defense passes information to the hesitator’s partner, information which it is improper for him to use, since it was not conveyed by the actual bid or play finally selected. Therefore, whenever such an informative hesitation occurs, the players should call the Director to monitor further developments.

Two suggestions may greatly decrease the possible embarrassment for all concerned. First, when an opponent hesitates and you feel the Director must be called, you should assure your opponents that nothing wrong has happened, and that they are not being accused of unethical conduct. Second, if partner has hesitated and you know you are going to take an action which the opponents may not consider justified, or which appears unusual, you should call the Director if the opponents have not. By not calling the Director, your opponents have expressed trust that you will behave ethically, ignoring the information passed by your partner’s hesitation. If you take an action which appears to betray that trust, then by not calling the Director yourself, you place the opponents in the position of accusing you of unethical conduct if they do subsequently call, or of suffering their imagined damage in silence if they do not call.

The purpose of the convention card

Although the convention card is a great way for you and your partner to discuss your methods and refresh your memories as to what your agreements are if you haven’tplayed together in awhile, remember that the convention card exists for the convenience of your opponents. The opponents may wish to look at your card at the beginning of a round to get a general idea of what your methods are, they might want to see what your opening lead agreements are when they declare or they may wish to look at your card during the auction to see what your agreements are without asking you to explain them verbally.

Note: Just as you should ask questions during the auction only when it is your turn, you should look at an opponent’s card only when it is your turn to bid.

Where should the convention card be placed during play?

Since the card is for the benefit of the opponents, it should remain in a place that they can easily access it, i.e., on the table. When bidding boxes are in use, it can be difficult to find enough room for the boxes, the convention cards,score slips, boards and snacks/drinks. Some players find it helpful to fold their convention cards in half to help conserve space, while others keep non-essential items (food) off of the table. Whatever your approach, avoid practices such as sitting on the card. Make it easy for your opponents to pick up and read your card.

Properly filled out cards

We’ve all encountered pairs who have either no convention cards or blank cards with the words “Standard” scribbled at the top. This is inappropriate and not in the spirit of the game. If you haven’t got time to properly fill out the convention card, you haven’t got time to play. It is also required that both partners — not just one — have properly filled-out cards. Both players must have identically filled-out convention cards. It is not permitted for one partner to make calls that mean one thing while the same call from his or her partner means something else.

Active ethics

Be proactive in making sure your opponents understand your explanations. Don’t use jargon or convention names when explaining calls. If an opponent looks confused at your explanation, rephrase. Keep your explanations simple, direct and open — the same way that your methods should appear on your convention card.

Looking at your own convention card during the auction or play

The Laws forbid access to written memory aids during any phase of the game, and this includes your own convention card. Your convention cards are for the opponents’ use, not yours. Note that clubs may relax this rule, however, especially if new players are participating, to assist them in learning. Experienced players may wish to overlook a newcomer’s dependence on the card. All players should be aware, however, that the card is not a memory crutch.

Newcomers may be given a pass, but others should refrain fro peeking at their card during the bidding or play.