Some have recently asked about the timing of calls during an auction. Specifically, “How much time is allowed to bid?”
Bidding (and play) is supposed to be “in tempo” according to the Laws, and most directors would estimate about 15 seconds as being sufficiently reasonable time to make a call. We might adjust that upward just a bit once the auction reaches slam territory. But not by a lot.
Whenever a player unduly hesitates in making a call (a “break in tempo”), “Unauthorized Information” has been given. But that, in itself, is not subject to a penalty (unless, perhaps, it becomes habitual). Rather, it is what the partner of that player does next which may lead to an adjustment of score by the Director.
Let’s look at an example before citing the Law itself.
You open 1 Heart, partner raises to 4 Hearts – a very strong Heart raise. You begin a Blackwood sequence with partner showing one ace. That’s really not great news although you still think that you may be very close to slam. You ponder that for about one minute before finally signing off in 5 Hearts. Partner has already shown the full strength of their hand by raising you from 1 Heart to 4 Hearts, but now raises to 6 Hearts. Making 6.
Now it’s time to quote the Law. Partner ”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.” [Law 16]
After partner’s final decision to sign off at 5 Hearts, a PASS is a “logical alternative” for you given that you would simply be respecting partner’s choice. So, a director would find that your 6 Heart call was demonstrably (“easily,” “clearly”) suggested by the break in tempo itself.
The board would correctly be scored as 5 Hearts making 6, and you would be warned about taking advantage of unauthorized information. In less clear situations, a director might actually poll other players holding your hand to see what they would have done during a more timely auction.
Incidentally, as soon as a break in tempo occurs, an opponent may politely announce that they reserve the right to call the Director. Opponents may also call the director at that moment. Alternatively, opponents may wait until the board is over, and then call a director if they feel that they may have been damaged by the use of unauthorized information. What opponents may NOT do is to criticize the slow player or attempt to explain how they believe the Laws might be applied in the situation at hand. That job is the Director’s.
Incidentally, in most cases a director will assume that a break in tempo has occurred if called to a table for that reason. That question is usually clear, but with the benefit of the doubt over a few seconds going to the bidder. So, players – PLEASE – don’t quibble over a second or two in timing. If you do so in anything like an unpleasant or intimidating way, it is YOU who might be penalized under the Laws relating to courtesy [74, 90] or ACBL policy regarding Zero Tolerance.
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