[blml] Cut the mustard [SEC=UNOFFICIAL]

[richard.hills at immi.gov.au]

Law 46A (Proper Form for Designating Dummy's Card):

"When calling a card to be played from dummy, declarer **should**
clearly state both the suit and the rank of the desired card."

Scope:

" ... When a player 'should' do something ('a claim should be
accompanied at once by a statement...'), his failure to do it is
**an infraction of Law** ... "

Law 72B2 (Infraction of Law - Intentional):

"A player **must not** infringe a law intentionally, even if there
is a prescribed penalty he is willing to pay."

Scope:

"The strongest word, 'must' ('before making a call, he must
inspect the face of his cards'), indicates that violation is
regarded as serious. Note that 'may' becomes very strong in the
negative: 'may not' is a stronger injunction than 'shall not',
just short of 'must not'."

Richard Hills:

Ergo, parsing current Law shows that the routine intentional
action of declarer partially designating a card is a serious "must
not" violation which usually deserves a Law 90 Procedural Penalty
or a Law 91 Disciplinary Penalty.

It seems to me that this is very inconsistent with current rulings
and practice.  It seems to me the problem is in the wording of Law
46A, which should instead read:

Law 46A (Unambiguously Designating Dummy's Card):

"When calling a card to be played from dummy, declarer **may**
clearly state both the suit and the rank of the desired card."

Scope:

" ... When these Laws say that a player 'may' do something ('any
player may call attention to an irregularity during the auction'),
the failure to do it is not wrong ... "


Best wishes

Richard James Hills, amicus curiae
Level 6 Aqua Training Suite, DIAC
02 6225 6776

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