Requesting meanings of bids during play

[1eyedjack]

The opportunity to click on bids to request explanations, currently restricted to a live auction, is something that I should like to have extended to the period after the auction is concluded but prior to the conclusion of play. I expect that it is sensible to deny dummy this opportunity, but it should remain available to the other players, especially declarer.

 

I suppose that there is scope for UI if the defenders do this, because it may be apparent to the defender who did not request an explanation that such an explanation was requested by his partner. A way around that would be to program it so that the explanation is only given to the person who clicked on the bid (in which case you might allow dummy also to click), with the explanation becoming visible to all only after the conclusion of play (or if by coincidence both defenders independently click on the same bid). There may be some merit to that in the live auction as well.

 

If the case for this is contentious but still has some merit, you could add an option to the table host or tourney host to deny it on a case by case preference.