[blml] faced OL in screen play

[Alain Gottcheiner]

At 11:55 17/06/2006 +0200, Sven Pran wrote:

>The applicable law is L45C1. There is no question of inadvertency or "slip
>of the hand" in this law; the only question is if the other defender (East)
>"could have seen the face of the card". According to your description I
>understand that he could indeed (and probably did) see it.

I'd say he didn't, else there was no need to mention screens being present.

>If the screen was not yet opened for play then we have a different case, and
>you must go to your organization's regulations on the use of screens. Most
>likely these regulations will allow West to take up his 6C and play another
>card as long as East can not possibly have seen the face of the 6C. However,
>I believe screens usually are to be opened before the opening lead is made?

Not in my country, which has the following advantages
- if there was a BiT, one doesn't know whether it originates from the lead, 
or the leader's final pass (if applicable), or pre-lead questions about the 
meaning of calls, or a last sip of coffee before the fight begins.
- the problem submitted by Manuela is solved.
- and, above all, there is no LOOT problem.

When the lead is done, either the leader's screenmate opens the window, or 
he knocks to have
it opened from the other side. (screenmate, to avoid the way of knocking 
transmitting information).

One last bit : if a card falls from your hand in the process of pulling 
another, this is not a lead, even if the card is seen by partner, but an 
"inadvertently exposed card", mPC or MPC according to its rank.

Regards,  Alain.