[paulg]

Is dummy permitted to tell his partner to speed up when playing the hand?

[mrdct]

Dummy's rights are set out in Law 42 which includes a right to try to prevent any irregularity by declarer.

If dummy has some reason to believe that his partner might be prolonging play unnecessarily for the purposes of disconcerting the opponents, he would be allowed to try to prevent that irregularity (Law 74B4 or 74C7).

Alternatively, dummy might be concerned that declarer may be on the verge of breaching Law 90B2 (unduly slow play) in which case he would be allowed to try to prevent that irregularity by advising declarer to hurry-up.

[blackshoe]

Slow play is an irregularity. Dummy is permitted to attempt to prevent an irregularity. The question is when the irregularity occurs. If a player is playing slowly, is that a "slow play" irregularity, or is it not an irregularity until it reaches the point where a director may so rule? I'm not at all sure the law is clear here, but I would allow an early exhortation by dummy to declarer to speed up.

[barmar]

But if you reach the point where the director may rule that play is slow, it's too late to prevent it. Do you think you have to wait for the TD to warn that you're close to running out of time, and only then can dummy keep reminding his partner that he has to play fast?

What if you're playing in an event where slow play penalties are unlikely (would anyone give them out at club games except in the most eggregious of circumstances)? Dummy just doesn't want to get far behind because it's discourteous to everyone else (consider an individual movement where one late table causes delays for 4 tables in the next round).

[blackshoe]

barmar, on 2011-November-10, 16:28, said:

But if you reach the point where the director may rule that play is slow, it's too late to prevent it. Do you think you have to wait for the TD to warn that you're close to running out of time, and only then can dummy keep reminding his partner that he has to play fast?

No.

barmar, on 2011-November-10, 16:28, said:

What if you're playing in an event where slow play penalties are unlikely (would anyone give them out at club games except in the most eggregious of circumstances)? Dummy just doesn't want to get far behind because it's discourteous to everyone else (consider an individual movement where one late table causes delays for 4 tables in the next round).

I don't understand the question.

[suprgrover]

barmar, on 2011-November-10, 16:28, said:

What if you're playing in an event where slow play penalties are unlikely (would anyone give them out at club games except in the most eggregious of circumstances)? Dummy just doesn't want to get far behind because it's discourteous to everyone else (consider an individual movement where one late table causes delays for 4 tables in the next round).

At my club, we don't give out late plays, so boards that are unplayed get an artificial score under Law 12C2. If your pair is directly at fault for the delay, you will get Ave- for the unplayed board(s).

[paulg]

Just to say that my original question was in the context of an event where slow play penalties are automatic and are based on VPs, so more expensive than imp penalties.

[aguahombre]

barmar, on 2011-November-10, 16:28, said:

What if you're playing in an event where slow play penalties are unlikely (would anyone give them out at club games except in the most eggregious of circumstances)? Dummy just doesn't want to get far behind because it's discourteous to everyone else (consider an individual movement where one late table causes delays for 4 tables in the next round).

blackshoe, on 2011-November-10, 19:54, said:

I don't understand the question.

I think I understand it and will try to answer.

IMO, we couldn't ever apply 74A2 or 74B2 to the "speed up" exhortations by dummy. His words could always be defended as an attempt to prevent an irregularity whether the irregularity (slow play ---deliberate or not ---which could cause penalty or inability to play all the boards) is likely to be enforced or not.

[FrancesHinden]

paulg, on 2011-November-13, 05:43, said:

Just to say that my original question was in the context of an event where slow play penalties are automatic and are based on VPs, so more expensive than imp penalties.

It's a good question. In the English Premier League (which I bet you are also thinking of) there are automatic* VP penalties for slow play. The playing rooms have clocks showing the time remaining, but if you are on the 'wrong' side of the screen you might not be able to see the clock. I'm sure declarer is allowed to ask how much time is remaining, but I'm not sure of the answer to the original question.

{off topic: conversation at our table towards the end of one set:
Declarer: how long have we got?
Dummy: 22 minutes for this hand and the next one
Declarer: OK I promise not to take longer than 4 minutes thinking about the overtricks}


*The TD can use his judgement whether to apply them to one or both teams