Rules on Bidding Boxes
I can't find any guidance as to how this can be used.
Specifically who should they face. A pair always have the box facing their partner so they can see exactly how the cards are touched and selected.
Also I know you are not supposed to fiddle with the box but where is this guidance to be found so a ruling can be made ?
thanks.
Comments
Alan
If you fiddle with the box then you are in breach of the EBU guidelines 3ZA2. However there is no apparant prescribed penalty for doing so - one would appear in the White Book under section 2.8. If you wish to apply a penalty then you would have to look under 74A3 - "3. Every player should follow uniform and correct procedure in calling and playing." although this is merely a 'should' condition or alternatively 90B8 "8. failure to comply promptly with tournament regulations or with instructions of the Director".
Otherwise all someone can do if they observe this behaviour is 'reserve their rights' (although the White Book suggests calling the TD anyway) since the action of fiddling with the bidding box undoubtedly conveys UI.
There are several players I have played with recently who pull out a card from the bidding box indicating the final contract, using it as a reminder through the play so that they know what the contract is. I have called the TD over and the opposition have become extremely annoyed with me but I played in a competition some time ago and after two tricks had been played declarer asked his partner what contract they were in and opposition (my partner) called for the TD, the TD ruled that they were not allowed to ask after the first trick. If that is indeed the case how can a bidding box reminder be legal.
You are allowed to ask what the contract is, but you are not allowed to ask what the auction was after you have played to the first trick.
Thank you, but what about the card angled in the bidding box ?
Alan
Strictly speaking you are not allowed any aids to your memory, but since you are allowed to ask what the contract is at any time, most people would not be very concerned about this.
Although if you write down the opening lead at the start of play in your scorecard then you cannot refer to your scorecard during the rest of the play.
Angled cards are common in some places. Any club may have its own BB regulations and while they would presumably be the same as the EBU's otherwise they could cover this. Clubs could forbid, allow or mandate the use of angled cards - many years ago there were some jurisdictions that said the final contract should be left on the table. Mandating seems silly to me, and I cannot see the problem with allowing it myself. As explained, since Mslightfoot's TD did not know the laws, since a player can always ask the contract what harm can it do?
There are no prescribed penalties for nearly every breach of correct procedure. The TD uses his judgement, which generally means tell them not to do it, tell them not to do it, fine them, fine them, fine them more until they stop. L90A.
As for the bidding box so that partner can see it there is no rule and i have never heard of a case where it matters. But a TD might reasonably be a bit more stroppy about fiddling with cards if he has made them clearly visible as well.
We still allow the contract to be placed on the board during play. This appears to be much more preferable to 'angled cards'
We have a significant number of members with memory problems, is it actually against EBU rules to allow the final contract to remain on the table when play commences? Our Club agreed many years ago to allow this but now we have members who are challenging the practice.
Clubs can make their own bidding box regulations, so clubs may make a regulation that the final bid remains on the table during the play.
There is no real problem with this since law 41C states
...After it is too late to have previous calls restated (see B), declarer or either defender, at his own11 turn to play, is entitled to be informed as to what the contract is and whether, but not by whom, it was doubled or redoubled.
(Although as discussed elsewhere, a player cannot ask what are trumps, he can be told the final contract - he doesn't even need to be asked, although if dummy provided the information he would be assisting in the play.)