The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1916-02-06
SETTLING THE LAW
AT ROYAL AUCTION
Whist Clubs Committee Passes
on Disputed Points Of
the Game.
SHORT SUITS AND LEADS

Owing to the widespread and ap-
parentiy increasing interest in auction
bridge since the game got down TO a
fixed set Of rules. the committee or laws
at the Whist Club has been kept pretty
busy In passing on interesting points
that have com up in various clubs ur
private circles all over the country. The
following decisions have been sent TO
THE u for publication by Milton c.
Work, chairman Of the committee.
NJ. q. says: An opponent declares
before the dealer speaks. The third
hand. dealers partner. then says: Let
the deal stand. want to bid myself"
Is there any penalty for this remark?
The decision Is that this IL one OF a
character Of improper remarks FREE
auently made. but which cannot ana
should not I've penalized. Tie etatec1eE.
does not give any Improper Information
to the partner. as the fact that the tn rd
hand elects that the deal shall stand
indicates exantiy the facts contained In
the improper statement. therefore NJ
penalty can be inflicted for this offence"
II. Il. says: Three players are sitting
in the room when three more enter. 10
the first three cut with the newcomers.
or nave they a right to play In the f:st
rubber:
THE decision IL that Law IL expressl,
provides that those first In the room
have the prior right. This accurately
covers the case In question"
tNote-Many persons imagine that the
American Law Is the same as the Eng
lis,l In which those FIRST in the rom
have 10 further rights than tina: OF
belonging to the first table formed. which
Is complete with SIX players. All OK
cut for the frst rubber. regardless oil
first comers.)
Here is a. case for which a footnO'e ~
some future edition OF the laws Will
probably provide. The bidding as nc.
tween two opponents has continued until
one calls seven hearts, which the o.hor
overcalls with eight clubs. Is a bid OF
eight permissible
THE decision is that while Il may
be that the laws do not specifically cover
this point It would seem to be clear
that the declaration Of seven-a grand
slam-being the maximum possible to
make. should also be the limit that can
be bid.
Tine law referring TO impossible decla-
~r,tlons was removed when the new code
was adopted merely because It was not
deemed likely that under the new code
an impossible declaration would be made.
The contingency above referred TO did
! no, seem worthy of conside ration.
The decision Is that with the laws
as a, present constituted the bid. being
impossible. cannot be allowed. but with
the laws as they stand at present there
Is no ~penalty prescribed for IL"
tSote-It ia interesting to know that
the pIayer who bid tho eight clubs and
uas doubled gained 60 points b. II, as
ne failed by only one trick. making a
grand slam with ten honors. With an
due respec, to the decision OF the COM
mi,,ee. law IS distinctly says that a
pl,ycr In his turn may overbid the
previous adverse declaration ANY num-
her ~. times" and until the laws place
a limit on the number OF times the
Kidding may go on Indefinitely. The
rnmmi,tee js very inslstcnt on the laws
being strictly construed, as the next
following case will show. II the writer
uere 10 hid elsht clubs he would insist
on MIA wing the hand on that dec,ara-
ton unless IL was ~overralled.)
Here 10 tine case. Dealer passes: sec.
ond hand hIds a spade. Third hand ad-
dresses his partner f~ace,iousiy. as fol.
los. What do YOU mean by av.ng the
asa, and th.u nasso" Fourth hand.
M, ,is,ering 70 the conversation. hut
meroiv catching the word pass" de-
clarcs no trump. Third hand demands
n ~ ". -, ",, a.o,a,,.
any Question the committee is Obliged
T., construct CONSTRUCT the laws
strictly. ard in so doing I'm this case Il
econes evident that the fourth PLAYER
. lila on. OF turn. and Is therefore subject
= TO the penal,y for such offence.
|, ."The comnit.ee cannot. hovever
: render this decision without stating tina,
/, \, considers the act Of the third player
in making an irregular remark, instead
. OF declaring, to be far more reprchcnsib!s
and deserving OF penalty than the OF.
fence for which he in, oh a severe
law.
While the committee. as a genera
prmposition, favors the rigorous enforce.
inent OF all laws It cannot feel tina II
is discha rging its duty in deciding q
case like the present without expressing
it's deep regret that any auction player
should ask for the enforcement OF a
penalty against another when he HIM
self IL the real offender"
(Note. THE Sun cannot agree with
this decision. The fourth player Is led
.nto error by the irregular remark
made 10y an opponent: remarks which
are a violation OF the first and second
laws OF etiquette. C~ontributory negli-
rence usually annuls all penalties. WHY
not contrIbutory irreSularity)
=
For THE
ca FAR we haye bean considerinr onl,
tho ,arious standar or conventiona
: aaa ali -, u,h,ch con,orro o. an, r,,,o
= ""''' ~ o