[blml] on warning partner not to lead out of turn

[Sven Pran]

On Behalf Of Robert Frick
> The question is if you notice partner is about to lead out of turn (on
> defense), is it legal to warn partner?
> 
> David Stevenson has said that the "common interpretation" is that this is
> illegal. I have no reason to doubt this, but I am just checking. (In my
> local area, this intrepretation apparently is considered crazy.)
> 
> He then says that if he is called to the table, he would site the law
> (73B1) against illegal communication. He would then warn the player (Law
> 90) and possibly apply a procedural penalty. I asked if the defender would
> be forced to lead out of turn, and he said no. I asked if Law 72B1 would
> kick in (player could have known at the time of the irregularity that he
> would gain from it) and the answer to that is apparently no also.
> 
> Is that the common ruling? I am having trouble believing it. (It makes
> sense to me that you don't punish a player for making that warning, but I
> am from a region that does not consider this illegal -- I want to verify
> that people who think this communication is illegal might nonetheless
> allow the information to be used.)
> 
> Sorry if this is inappropriate for this list.

Inappropriate? - no, I don't see why.

The issue is clarified in the 2007 laws (L9A3) so let me go back to the
previous laws.

Technically it was illegal for a defender to try preventing his partner
committing any irregularity because that could be taken as (illegal)
communication between defenders.

However, for as long as I can remember (more than fifty years), when a
player other than the correct defender showed an indication of being about
to make the opening lead, any of the other three players might stop him with
the words: "It is not your lead" (or words to that effect) and nobody has
ever had any problem with that. 

So I consider the new Law 9A3 simply to confirm the legality of existing
practice and not to establish any new rule. 

I was in fact very surprised when I first noticed that this practice should
ever have been illegal.

Regards Sven