Asking Questions
Apologies if this is the wrong forum.
Can anyone tell me is it allowable for the person on opening lead to make the lead and then ask a question regarding the bidding (of dummy)? I did this recently and was told off in no uncertain terms by declarer, that I should only have done that before leading. I haven't seen anything specifically in the laws or blue book, but may have missed it. Any clarification appreciated, thank you.
Comments
Law 20F
As a defender you can ask at your turn to play. You can ask about individual bids but this will create unauthorised information. You can't ask after you've led, not until it is your turn to play to trick 2 or subsequent trick.
Suppose you suddenly realise that information given by the opposition is inconsistent, and you feel there may be misinformation. Does Law 9A3 (Any player, including dummy, may attempt to prevent an irregularity) apply?
If there is misinformation, the irregularity has already occurred. In this position the defender can call the TD (Law 9A2) - asking questions is not the appropriate action to draw attention to misinformation
Might there be a situation where a question is needed to establish whether or not misinformation has taken place? This might be an apparent issue only after dummy is faced - you face your card, dummy is faced and it is very surprising, maybe they forgot to alert a call?
Perhaps:
Pass - Pass - 1S - Pass
2C - pass - 4S - all pass
you are on lead with AKJx clubs, but don't fancy that lead with clubs being bid, so lead a trump thinking that dummy might only have one or two and an early ruff in dummy's short suit might be needed to make 10 tricks.
Dummy comes down with 11 points, good spade support and 2 small clubs.
So, here, we cannot ask about the 2C bid until we are next to play? Or should we be calling the director without saying why we are calling them? "Sorry all, let me stop you there, I just need to call the director"
It appears to be an irregularity so you can call the TD about it, but it's too late to change your lead so there is no urgency to do this. If it turns out there was no irregularity, such as if the call was alerted and you didn't notice it, then play will continue but your partner will have some UI.