Pseudo bid out of turn

[G_R__E_G]

This came up at our club last night (ACBL).

 

South was the dealer but before South had a chance to call, North reached for their bidding box and was clearly about to bid something (all were in agreement with this), but before North had lifted the cards enough for anyone to have any idea of what they were about to bid South said "It's not your turn".

 

My opinion: South is definitely in possession of UI, however there has not actually been a bid made out of rotation. The auction should therefore proceed normally with South to call first. If E/W feel that South makes use of the UI then they should call the Director back and ask for an adjustment.

 

Agree? Disagree?

[blackshoe]

Any player may attempt to prevent another player from committing an irregularity (Law 9A3). So South's action is legal, as far as tit goes. Was there UI? Certainly. Law 16B1 says so. I gather the TD was called when this happened (he need not have been, if NS had agreed that UI was present, but never mind that). I would read Law 16B3 to the table:

When a player has substantial reason to believe that an opponent who had a logical alternative has chosen an action that could have been suggested by such information, he should summon the director when play ends. The director shall assign an adjusted score (see Law 12C) if he considers that an infraction of law has resulted in an advantage for the offender.

[bluejak]

Personally, I would paraphrase Law 73C to South, telling him he should 'bend over backwards' to take no advantage, especially if it was clear what part of the box partner was reaching for.

[McBruce]

In a rather large Calcutta in Western Canada some years ago, this happened pretty much as stated. The E-W pair called the TD, who quickly saw that the North player (Gord Davis) and the South player were both very experienced TDs themselves and would certainly know the relevant Laws. The method by which the ruling was communicated has become one of the stories that occasionally gets told at the bar:

 

"Gordie, that's the messiest bidding box I've ever seen in my life and I'm not surprised you were trying to straighten it up. Next time do your housework before you pick up your cards, so you don't constrain your partner, OK?"