Law 25a

[euclidz]

Law 25a

 

Declarer opens 1NT, LHO passes, declarer's partner bids 2♦, his LHO doubles (quickly), Declarer announces (slowly) "transfer to hearts." Declarers partner says "oops sorry, I've pulled out the wrong card I meant to pull out 2♥" (transfer to spades).

 

Does the 'without pause for thought'time period start;

 

1. After offender bids?

2. After his LHO calls (dbl)?

3. After he is woken up by declarer's announcement?

[gordontd]

3

[sanst]

You read too much in 'pause', but 'thought' is the essential element here. Not the moment when nor the manner in which the player discovers his or her unintended call are decisive, but it should be without thought. How you're supposed to find out whether there was a thought, the lawmakers leave to the TD, probably because they don't know how to do that, either. Usually you should be absolutely certain that the call never was considered or that it was a mechanical error. In this case it looks rather probable that the latter is the case, unless the partner has 5+ cards in both majors.

Anyway, I would prefer a change of law 25 which prohibits any change of call of unless caused by something accidental, like the cards sticking together, a mispull of a card adjacent to the right one or a insufficient knowledge of the language when bidding verbally.

[mycroft]

I had one of these in Penticton (actually a different TD did, but I got asked to rat out my colleague. Funny how that rarely works out...)

 

I was asked to explain what "in the same breath" meant. I said that I didn't know, but that it didn't matter, because that phrase hadn't been in the Laws since 1975. It's now "pause for thought" and that "thought" is the important term; "even going from not thinking to thinking is a change of mind".

 

He wasn't happy, but he was educated.

[weejonnie]

Have we considered the possible UI implications from Declarers (slow) 'transfer to hearts'. That suggests this could be making the wrong call, but intending to make it and correction should not be allowed.

[aguahombre]

Have we considered the possible UI implications from Declarers (slow) 'transfer to hearts'. That suggests this could be making the wrong call, but intending to make it and correction should not be allowed.

no.