Player hesitates with a singleton, tricking declarer into taking a wrong finesse
#1
Posted 2024-November-02, 16:56
Once play was finished, I immediately called the TD for unsportsmanlike conduct from LHO and asked for an adjustment of the score, as I would have not risked the ♥ finesse, had LHO played their singleton ♥ in tempo - I already knew at that point that the diamonds were 4-1 with RHO having the singleton, so the chance for the ♣Q to be in RHO's hand was higher. The hesitation by LHO tricked me into taking the wrong finesse. The TD did not adjust the score though, stating that they were already at the table and did not see a hesitation.
Are there laws in bridge against unsportsmanlike hesitations like here, where a player deliberately hesitates not to give their partner UI, but to trick the declarer into taking a wrong play?
#2
Posted 2024-November-02, 18:40
Quote
gesture; by the haste or hesitancy of a call or play (as in hesitating before playing a
singleton); by the manner in which a call or play is made; or by any purposeful deviation
from correct procedure (see also Law 73E2)
But in a casual online tournament, tempo is virtually meaningless; you have no idea why the person was hesitating (perhaps they had a bad connection, or someone knocked at the door). Perhaps it was your own connection that was faulty, and they played in tempo like the director stated. The director has a record of timings, but it's generally not a good idea to try to read too much into perceived hesitations online.
#3
Posted 2024-November-03, 15:21
Thranduil, on 2024-November-02, 16:56, said:
Of course that made me think they had the jack, thus I took the finesse, which failed and the contract went down one.
<snip>
Are there laws in bridge against unsportsmanlike hesitations like here, where a player deliberately hesitates not to give their partner UI, but to trick the declarer into taking a wrong play?
As stated yes, there are, but if you act on the hesitation, you do it at your own risk.
I dont think the score will ever be adjusted, what can happen is, that the unsportsman like player gets a pp, but you will keep our score.
Uwe Gebhardt (P_Marlowe)
#4
Posted 2024-November-03, 23:43
As for tv, screw it. You aren't missing anything. -- Ken Berg
I have come to realise it is futile to expect or hope a regular club game will be run in accordance with the laws. -- Jillybean
#5
Posted 2024-November-04, 05:21
It just causes psychic discomfort.
#6
Posted 2024-November-04, 16:02
#8
Posted 2024-November-05, 13:40
pescetom, on 2024-November-05, 12:12, said:
If you can't realistically do it IRL then how can you possibly do it in the ether.
#9
Posted 2024-November-05, 16:46
pilowsky, on 2024-November-05, 13:40, said:
Good question, I made a small modification to your post. IRL, unless there is video proof or somebody monitoring the table with a stopwatch, there's a question as to how long the hesitation was.
Online, with exact play times available, it's possible to analyze the timing of all those questionable plays, similar to how EDGAR works for actual bids and plays.
#10
Posted 2024-November-06, 04:57
johnu, on 2024-November-05, 16:46, said:
Online there can be all kind of causes for a delay. Even with a fast connection I sometimes have to wait a few seconds for a page to be displayed, which at other moments jumps immediately to the screen. What about clicking just outside the button or having to click twice for no obvious reason? And please, don't start about Edgar.
#11
Posted 2024-November-06, 12:10
As for tv, screw it. You aren't missing anything. -- Ken Berg
I have come to realise it is futile to expect or hope a regular club game will be run in accordance with the laws. -- Jillybean
#13
Posted 2024-November-06, 19:43