Pointing of tricks

[se12sam]

This should be fairly simple (and suitable for inclusion here)

 

Assume EBU regulations and duplicate bridge but I am also curious to know if ACBL regulations differ.

 

1. As a defender, am I always required to place quitted tricks correctly i.e. pointing vertically / horizontally depending on whether our side won / lost a trick

 

2. Suppose I habitually do this. Now, after the play to some trick mid-way thru the deal, I was engrossed in thought and point wrongly (we won, but I kept the card horizontal). Almost instantly and clearly before any play commences to the next trick, partner informs me that I have pointed wrongly.

     a. Is he allowed to do this when our side is defending?

     b. Is he allowed to do this if I were declarer and he was dummy?

     c. Is he allowed to do this if I am dummy and he is declarer? (I suppose the answer to this one is yes, but I include it for completeness)

     d. If there is a standard penalty for partner pointing out, what would it be?

[blackshoe]

1. Yes.

2a. Yes.

2b. Yes.

2c. Yes.

2d. If the "pointing out" occurs after the lead to the next trick, there may be UI, which may lead to a score adjustment. In general, though, the wording of the law is such that it "establishes correct procedure without suggesting that the violation be penalized" (from the Introduction to the laws), so a PP would rarely, if ever, be appropriate.

 

A. Completed trick

When four cards have been played to a trick, each player turns his own card face down near him on the table.

B. Keeping track of the ownership of tricks

1. If the player’s side has won the trick, the card is pointed lengthwise toward his partner.

2. If the player’s opponents have won the trick, the card is pointed lengthwise toward the opponents.

3. Declarer may require that a card pointed incorrectly be pointed as above. dummy or either defender may draw attention to a card pointed incorrectly, but for these players the right expires when a lead is made to the following trick. If done later, Law 16B may apply.

C. Orderliness

Each player arranges his own cards in an orderly overlapping row in the sequence played, so as to permit review of the play after its completion, if necessary to determine the number of tricks won by each side or the order in which the cards were played.

D. Agreement on results of Play

A player should not disturb the order of his played cards until agreement has been reached on the number of tricks won. A player who fails to comply with the provisions of this law jeopardizes his right to claim ownership of doubtful tricks or to claim (or deny) a revoke.

[se12sam]

Wow! Thanks, I did not know that.

 

This happened in a club a few months ago when I was playing with a pickup & experienced partner against expert opposition. Our side was defending and, when I pointed a card wrongly, my partner immediately told me of my error.

 

After the deal was complete, both declarer and dummy told my partner that he is not allowed to inform me and I thought they were right. But partner insisted he is allowed as long as he does it immediately.

[blackshoe]

The laws were changed in this area in 2007, so your opponents were no doubt remembering the old law. Under the current laws, however, your partner was correct.

 

Oh, one further point: it's a matter of law, not regulation, and is the same everywhere.