Dummys placement of played cards

[dickiegera]

Exactly where should dummy place card after declarer calls for card?

Is it enough to just slide card away from others

 

OR

 

as I believe should that card be placed on top of other played cards

in front of dummy.

 

Too often it is hard to tell which card has been played when dummy just moves the card from others esp if card

remains close to other cards.

 

Thank you

[pescetom]

Exactly where should dummy place card after declarer calls for card?

Is it enough to just slide card away from others

 

OR

 

as I believe should that card be placed on top of other played cards

in front of dummy.

 

I would say neither, in the sense that there should be no "other played cards" in front of dummy.

 

Law 65C says that the cards already played shall be arranged in an orderly overlapping row in the sequence played. No exception for dummy. It doesn't specify where that row should be for dummy, but both logic (based upon average age and eyesight) and normal practice (at least around here) say that it should be along the edge of the table, behind dummy's exposed cards.

 

Where declarer should place the card declarer called until the trick ends is less clear. Some hold or place it behind the dummy's exposed cards, some in front of the dummy's exposed cards (which I dislike as declarer, but if partner won't obey that is my problem). "Sliding the card away" doesn't sound like a legal play, although it would be sufficient if Declarer was playing the cards himself for some reason.

[ahydra]

I generally place mine between the turned tricks and the face-up cards, or next to the turned tricks. Sometimes I hold the card. I think for the avoidance of doubt it's best if any played card is placed in a position quite distinct to the "face-up card area" (say, the smallest rectangle that fully contains all the face-up cards).

 

ahydra

[barmar]

The Laws don't give any specific guidance. 45B simply says "Declarer plays a card from dummy by naming the card, after which dummy picks up the card and faces it on the table."

 

So I think you just have to make it clear that the played card is separate from dummy's hand.

[blackshoe]

Ahydra describes what I generally do. Agree also with barmar.

[gordontd]

Exactly where should dummy place card after declarer calls for card?

Is it enough to just slide card away from others

 

OR

 

as I believe should that card be placed on top of other played cards

in front of dummy.

I don't see any basis for that belief and it's not standard practice. It's harder to see and process a card if it's on top of other cards than if it's on the plain background of the table.

[Trinidad]

I usually hold the card in my hand, rather than place it on the table. After all, often, I will have to turn it about a second later. Why would I first pick it up, then put it down, and then pick it up again to quit it?

 

If it turns out that a player goes into a tank, I either put the card on top of the quitted tricks or I put it between the cards that have not been played yet and the board. This simply depends on what the table looks like: where is room available? and where can players see my card? In addition, I will put the card horizontally. This saves space and contrasts clearly with the rest of the dummy.

 

Rik

[pescetom]

I hold the card in my hand, inclined so that it touches the table along the lower edge, to the right of the row of played cards, until declarer turns his own card over.

 

Many people thrust the card to the centre of the table, in a potentially intimidating gesture which may also partially hide dummy's unplayed cards. I dislike this but can't see that it is disallowed in any way.

[barmar]

I think I pull the card towards me, close to the edge of the table.

[blackshoe]

pescetom: Law 74A2. B-)

 

My only problem with players who hold the card in their hand is that they frequently do so in such a way that I can't clearly see it. And then there's "as soon as four cards have been faced, all four cards need to disappear ASAP".

[pescetom]

pescetom: Law 74A2. B-)

 

In the sense that holding the card inclined might be interpreted as potentially indicating approval, even if one always does it ?

I only do it as dummy and do it consistently, just to make sure people can see the card clearly despite the position close to the edge of the table.

In part it's what I like dummy to do for me because I am short sighted.

[blackshoe]

pescetom: I was responding to your second paragraph, in which you described an action taken by an opponent, which action you dislike. You said you can't see how it's disallowed. 74A2 is how.

[pescetom]

pescetom: I was responding to your second paragraph, in which you described an action taken by an opponent, which action you dislike. You said you can't see how it's disallowed. 74A2 is how.

 

Got it, thanks :)

I went from memory and confused 74A2 with 74C2, mea culpa.

[Zelandakh]

And then there's "as soon as four cards have been faced, all four cards need to disappear ASAP".

My biggest issue is defenders who combine flashing their card and quitting it in one motion so fast that it is more or less impossible to see the face with thrusting some cards out to the very middle of the table while staring intently at their partners for a few seconds. Coincidentally the latter cards always seem to convey very important signals...