3rd hand bid
When is a bid not a bid? I was called by opener who claimed 3rd hand to play took 1H from bidding box then put it back. Opener claimed she saw the card, his partner, who passed, said she never saw the face of the card. It was clear that the one level would have been an insufficient bid. I explained that he was passing information as he did not have sufficient points for a bid at the 2 level.
As his partner had passed and was not aware of the card should I have ruled as insufficient bid and given declarer the option of lead penalties or left it and warned the offender of his infraction, or given declarer the right to call at call at the end of the game if they felt an adjustment the fairest method.
This type of infraction is not uncommon and players let it pass without calling the TD.
Comments
Blue Book 3 M 1 General
The EBU has adopted the following procedures based on recommendations by the WBF.
...
A call is considered to have been made when the call is removed from the bidding box with apparent
intent (but the TD may apply Law 25).
This means that if the bid had cleared the rest of the cards in the bidding box, it was made and should be treated as an insufficient bid. If it had not, even it was seen what bid was intended, then it is not made but is treated as Unauthorised Information.