Find the Lady

[lamford]

You cannot do that if there is any doubt about the facts.

The facts in this case are at least partly in dispute, in that West thought SB was leading as West went to pick up his drink. SB thought West went to pick up his drink as SB was leading. I don't think this doubt about the facts matters, however. Even if we accept West's version, then I still think he did not take sufficient care. In my view, if you happen to pick up a drink during the play when it is your turn, and this causes a BIT, then that BIT is not for a bridge reason. In addition, he could have designated the card prior to putting down his drink!

 

And in the other scenario, it would not make a blind bit of difference to me if the person did conduct a careful search for his singleton, and then said something like, "there it is". That would be the putative action of the Probst cheat, and we rule against him because "he could have known". It will be unfair, of course, if he is telling the truth, but the solution is in his own hands. Sort more carefully. Black-red, black-red, taking note of the shapes on the cards, and arranging a visit to Specsavers if he still has trouble.

[lamford]

Perhaps you had so many drink-related BITs that your observations were somewhat blurred? ;)

Indeed that is possible. I was fined 1 VP for failure to enter 4 scores out of 7 in the Bridgemate in one match (!), going off to eat at the break and causing the organisers extra work. My excuse was too many drinks the previous day attending and celebrating Arsenal's football result, and also too many drinks at a friend's birthday party. So there are two possibilities; one is that there were one or more drink-related BITs and I missed them all. The other is that there was none. My partner, however, confirms that she did not notice any drink-related BITs either. So I conclude there was none, especially as they are as scarce as hen's teeth, and probably as scarce as mis-sorted singletons, the need to blow one's nose with a singleton, or even a sudden attack of cramp with singleton. Except among cheats, of course.