[gordontd]

RMB1, on Sep 27 2010, 11:19 AM, said:

I am not surprised that the course giver and the attendees think that a card that has been deliberately detached, and held resting on the table, meets the requirements of (b) and is played.

I would have thought that if it is held deliberately so that no other player can see it, it doesn't meet the requirements of (b).

[bluejak]

Chris3875, on Sep 27 2010, 05:33 AM, said:

I hate these "grey" areas - a Declarer's card is "played" it is held face up, touching or nearly touching the table - great !  I can understand and rule on that quite easily. But what does "maintained in such a position as to indicate that it has been played" actually mean. That comes down to MY interpretation surely. Our chief tournament director has written to me -

"The card is played if it meets either of two tests: ............ or, it
is maintained, kept motionless, in some exposed position that would
naturally be interpreted by a defender as intent to play."

What does "exposed position" mean ?  That people can see the face ?

Yes, exposed is so other people can see it. Mind you, it does not have to be motionless: if it was being moved gently in a circle, for example.

In practical terms there really are very few cases where it is not quite obvious. This is one of those things that sound difficult in theoretical discussions, but are actually dead easy in practice.

Declarer takes a card out of his hand. If he holds it for a moment near the table, stationary or moving around, visible to others, it is played. If no-one can see it, or he pulls it back instantly, or it never reaches near the table it is not played. Also, if he holds in such a way as it is clearly played then it is played - see forehead reference earlier.

[RMB1]

gordontd, on Sep 27 2010, 12:31 PM, said:

I would have thought that if it is held deliberately so that no other player can see it, it doesn't meet the requirements of (b).

In my opinion, if the face of the card had to be visible to meet the requirements of (b) then it would say so: as is explicit in Law 45C1 and Law 45C2(a).

[Vampyr]

Chris3875, on Sep 25 2010, 12:20 PM, said:

We have a player who, as Declarer, will detach a card from hand and stand it vertically on the table, holding it by a finger resting on the top of the card, before slowly letting it drop face up onto the table - when does that card become "played"?

I think that a card played in this most irritating manner is considered played once it touches the table.