[blml] Nobody expects the Spanish Inquisition

[Tim West-Meads]

Grattan wrote:

> +=+ If you will excuse my state of mind, so much immersed
> in the minutiae of the laws, I contemplated the words of the 
> current Law 40E2 - in particular   ".... at his own turn to call 
> or play...". 

But that is still only a matter of an opposing CC - not a player's own.

> Reading this literally it does not exclude for an SO 
> the possibility of a 40E1 regulation authorizing the player to 
> look, in given circumstances, at someone else's turn. (Without 
> such a regulation it is illegal because nowhere authorized.)

Actually it's merely "extraneous" if nowhere authorised - and only 
illegal if it creates UI which is subsequently used.

In the typical example of 1N-(2C alert)-2S opener may say something like 
"hang on that might be alertable" and, after consulting the CC and 
determining that the 2C was Astro rather than Landy, say "ok not 
alertable".


> The footnote would need to be interpreted so that the action
> did not represent an aid to his memory but rather an aid to 
> opponent's information. That would be a question, but who 
> would step in to oppose the SO's wishes if the regulation 
> put it in those terms?

While the action might be performed in order to aid opponents any 
information so gained would remain unauthorised to the player looking 
(just as would partner's explanation).  Few players would choose to look 
rather than simply telling opps to look.  If the SO attempted to write a 
regulation saying that looking was AI then any halfway-competent TD 
should be able to work out that such a regulation was in direct conflict 
with the laws and put the SO firmly in its place.

Tim