January 2015 - 51

Ruling	the	Game	
BY MIKE FLADER
ASSOCIATE NATIONAL TOURNAMENT DIRECTOR

rulings@acbl.org

Q

At our bridge club, the
following happened. Declarer was playing a heart
contract. He led a low spade from
his hand but did not say anything.
My partner went "into the tank" to
consider whether he should ruff.
(Partner was out of spades). Dummy
pulled the low singleton spade towards her, and I followed, winning
the trick with my ♠Q. I didn't realize my partner had not yet played
until declarer raised his hand and
called for the director.
The director said to continue the
play, so my partner discarded a diamond on this trick. This resulted in
him winning another trick with the
trump he did not use, and therefore,
declarer was down two tricks. The
director later came back and said
that she was giving declarer back
one trick, because she "did not tell
him to disregard my card" before he
played.
Was this the correct decision?
How should the director have ruled?
I contend that the first result should
stand because dummy pulled the
card toward her in the first place,
thus playing incorrectly. If she had
not pulled the card, my partner
might have ruffed, resulting in declarer going down only one trick.

A

Your contention that the
table	result	of	down	two	
should	have	stood	is	absolutely	correct.	This	kind	of	situation	
is	covered	in	Law	57C1	(Premature	
Lead	or	Play;	Declarer	or	Dummy	Has	
Played):	"A	defender	is	not	subject	to	
rectification	for	playing	before	his	
partner	if	declarer	has	played	from	
both	hands	nor	if	dummy	has	played	a	
card	or	has	illegally	suggested	that	it	be	
played.	A	singleton	in	dummy	or	one	
of	cards	adjacent	in	rank	of	the	same	
suit	is	not	considered	to	be	played	until	
declarer has instructed (or indicated as
by	gesture	or	nod)	the	play."
A	lot	of	players,	when	they're	dummy,	
have	the	habit	of	playing	a	singleton	
from	the	board	before	declarer	calls	it.	
That's	an	irregularity	under	the	laws.	
Whenever	that	happens,	the	defenders	
can	use	that	fact	to	their	advantage,	
just	as	your	partnership	did	here.	If	
your	club	director	had	gotten	this	one	
right,	that	would	have	been	a	sharp	
lesson	to	the	player	who	was	dummy:	
Don't	play	any card until declarer calls
for	it.

Q

In the middle of the hand,
declarer attempts to lead
the ♥A. The adjacent card,
the ♠4, falls on the table. Director is
called. Does Law 45C2 (Card Played;
Compulsory Play of Card) apply?

A

Although	Law	45C2	reads,	
"Declarer	must	play	a	card	
from	his	hand	if	it	is	(a)	held	
face	up,	touching	or	nearly	touching	
the	table;	or	(b)	maintained	in	such	a	
position	as	to	indicate	that	it	has	been	
played,"	declarer	did	not	"play"	this	
card:	It	was	dropped	on	the	table	by	
accident.
The	relevant	law	for	this	situation	
is	Law	48A	(Exposure	of	Declarer's	
Cards;	Declarer	Exposes	a	Card):	
"Declarer	is	not	subject	to	restriction	
for	exposing	a	card	(but	see	Law	45C2),	
and	no	card	of	declarer's	or	dummy's	
hand	ever	becomes	a	penalty	card.	Declarer	is	not	required	to	play	any	card	
dropped	accidentally."

Q

Is it possible for ACBL
members to receive past
copies of your monthly
columns from the Bridge Bulletin?
The reason I am asking is that I have
recently become a club director. Being able to refer to your solutions to
unusual occurrences would be most
helpful.

A

Members	have	online	
access	to	the	past	decade	of	
Bridge Bulletins through the
MyACBL	portal	at	www.acbl.org.	Additionally,	there's	a	terrific	Frequently	
Asked	Questions	page	available	at		
www.acbl.org/RulingsFAQ.	
◾

January 2015 Bridge Bulletin

51
http://www.acbl.org http://www.acbl.org/RulingsFAQ
Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of January 2015
