[blml] Another Law that players need to know

[Marvin French]

From: "David Grabiner"

> We have had previous discussions on BLML about which Laws players
actually
> need to know.  They need to know the basic rules of the game, the
> Proprieties, and fundamental principles such as what to do about
UI and that
> the Director should be called when anything goes wrong.  They
don't need to
> know the penalty for an opening bid out of turn or a conventional
> insufficient bid, since the Director will make sure that the
proper penalty
> is enforced.
>
> However, I encountered a new situation in which the player does
need to know
> the penalty: the revoke, because the penalty is imposed only
later.
>
> I was West, dummy (North) led a diamond, East (who was out) played
a hearts,
> and South revoked by playing a heart.  I won the trick, and South
> established the revoke by leading (out of turn) to the next trick,
thinking
> he had won the trick.  We called the (playing) Director, who told
us to play
> on, leave the cards out, and the penalty would be imposed at the
end.  She
> didn't mention the penalty at that time.
>
> I cashed several tricks, and then I was left with a low heart and
a low
> diamond.  North had a high heart and a high spade, and South had a
high
> diamond and a high club.  If I led a heart, North would get two
tricks, and
> the revoke penalty would be one trick.  If I led a diamond, South
would win
> the trick with a card he could have played on the revoke trick,
and the
> revoke penalty would be two tricks.  By knowing the Laws, I gained
an extra
> trick.
>
But the TD should have explained the revoke consequences thoroughly
instead of saying "play on." Then your first paragraph would be
correct. Not only revoke consequences, but those of UI also. I guess
if TDs don't do their job players do have to known some of the
penalty provisions of the Laws.

Nevertheless, a version of the Laws for novices, with no penalty
provisions, written in simple English, would perhaps encourage them
to play the game according to the rules.

Marv
Marvin L. French
San Diego, California
www.marvinfrench.com