[TimG]

jillybean, on 2010-November-15, 09:00, said:

And the sad thing is that the director was called, shrugged his shoulders and walked away, the old rats are still pulling these stunts and the newcomers either are no longer playing or are using these tricks themselves?

I agree that the director's actions are sad, but I disagree that most people who do these sorts of things are doing it intentionally. I would not call it unethical in most cases because the perpetrators are simply unaware of what they are doing.

[blackshoe]

A couple of months ago, I tracked the opening leads at our local club session one Tuesday. Out of 27 boards, 17 leads were made face up. In addition there were several where the lead was face down, "questions, partner?" was asked as it was made, and it was immediately turned face up (without waiting to see if there were questions).

One thing I can guarantee you: club players around here, with one or two rare exceptions, are not aware that during this Clarification Period, putative declarer is also entitled to ask questions.

[mycroft]

I suggest that people memorise either the following phrase or its inverse, whichever is appropriate (I being in ACBL-land, that usually covers attitude plays):

"If it's a high <x>, it means that (s)he likes it. If it's a low <x>, it means that (s)he doesn't."

I don't know what to do about the followup question ("so, is that (usually a 5 or 6) a high or a low card?") besides my usual smartarse response, or a straight up reiteration. "Depends on what else (s)he has", I guess, without either "if you show me your hand, I'll be able to tell you" or "if you let me go over and see partner's hand, I can tell you" (see "smartarse response", above).

[bluejak]

wyman, on 2010-November-15, 13:09, said:

Maybe this is for a different thread, but the vast majority of players I've played with and against (ACBL) lead face-down. Sometimes they don't understand why, but they typically lead face down and ask "questions?". [some have asked "questions?" before they led, but this is rare and almost always a total newbie.]

That's not to say that there aren't other blatant violations (asking Q's out of turn, asking a bidder mid-auction whether his partner has failed to alert something, etc.), just that I am surprised to hear us ACBL-ers characterized as particularly poor at leading face down. It just hasn't been my experience.

Maybe it depends on where and when. My experience of clubs is limited to half a dozen sessions, and my main experience is at the Nationals. I shall have another check at Orlando and report back whether I still feel this is the case.

But the ACBL is big, and certainly it may just be different where you are. Certainly some of the things described as happening in England sometimes surprise me, possibly because I forget how Americanised bridge has become in the London area.

[jillybean]

TimG, on 2010-November-15, 13:54, said:

I agree that the director's actions are sad, but I disagree that most people who do these sorts of things are doing it intentionally. I would not call it unethical in most cases because the perpetrators are simply unaware of what they are doing.

I was responding here to MFA1010's post, I was not suggesting my opps were doing it intentionally. However, I do think they have a responsibility to know the laws of the game and what effects their actions can have.