QUIZ 3:   4 Sep 2019

The situation:

There are 5 minutes left for the round and declarer (a good player and a smoker) makes a claim at trick 6 saying "cross-ruff after drawing remaining trump". You are defending and, whilst you feel the claim may be good, you just cannot see how declarer does not lose a club at the end. So you say "Please, can we play on... just until I am satisfied?" The TD is in another part of the room and you add "if we just play a bit more I am sure that will be faster, than waiting for the TD to adjudicate."

QUIZ:   Is this allowed?   Or must they wait for the TD?

 

SOLUTION:

Pre 2017:   Play ceases when a claim has been made by declarer. If there is a dispute the TD is called, the claim statement is repeated, and the TD will rule. The TD is given guidelines in the Laws on how to rule if a trump is still at large, or if declarer thought the CQ was good in dummy when it wasn't, or... Post 2017:   To cater for the situations where the TD is busy, in a different part of the room, or is a playing director, the laws were changed. Play can now continue if all 4 agree and without consulting the TD; and whatever result is obtained now will apply. The original claim statement is curtly dispensed with. One respondent referred me to Law 9B1a: "The Director should be summoned at once when attention is drawn to an irregularity". Whilst I appreciate the amount of research done, one must remember that there was no irregularity. Claims are made in the normal course of play by declarer or defender alike, and the other party can accept the claim or dispute it. But no "irregularity" has taken place. Law 68D applies in our situation. In particular I refer you to Law 68D2(b) opposite.

Law 68D: Suspension of Play After any claim or concession, play is suspended. 1. If the claim or concession is agreed, Law 69 applies. 2. If it is doubted by any player (dummy included); either (a) the Director may immediately be summoned and no action should be taken pending his arrival, Law 70 applies; or (b) upon the request of the non-claiming or non-conceding side, play may continue subject to the following: (i) all four players must concur; otherwise the Director is summoned, who then proceeds as in (a) above. (ii) the prior claim or concession is void and not subject to adjudication. Laws 16 and 50 do not apply, and the score subsequently obtained shall stand. Download and refer to the latest laws   (PDF file of only 1.25MB) regularly. Remember to quote pertitent laws in replies to these quizzes, or when giving a ruling at the table.