[Fluffy]

A bit tired of bad players who tap the table or even remove the bidding cards like if the auction was over when they reach what they think its their contract. I have begun to put my own pass cards in front of them to be able to keep track of the bidding. Is this wrong?

[gwnn]

I think clearing your throat is not out of line here, even though it is arguably the same as giving your own ruling. Slapping them in the face with a pass card is probably morally justified but the laws do not allow it. Your solution seems like a good compromise but I'm afraid it is also a violation of law 74. Just ask them nicely?

[gordontd]

I think it's best to say something like "please put a pass card on the table if you intend to pass".

[billw55]

Depends a lot on the environment for me. Vs. bad players at the club, I probably mention it casually maybe twice, then just let it go. At a tournament, a polite request the first time, director call the second.

[Zelandakh]

If your RHO does this then wait 10 seconds or so and then turn to LHO and ask them of they agree there has been a BIT before their partner has placed a bidding card. For your RHO you could ask your partner to follow this procedure. In a club I would expect this (tapping) to be acceptable - in long auctions it is not uncommon to run out of pass cards anyway. For a SB-type answer: "Tapping the table is not an acceptable way to pass with bidding boxes, please use a pass card" should suffice.

[the_clown]

I think I do it sometimes, especially when I am tired. For example if we bid like 1N-3N I may remove my cards a bit too early. By doing that I am trying to save some seconds not to get any possible UI to partner. Of course in a competitive or highly conventional auction where it is possible that there was a misunderstanding I always wait until there are three passes on the table before removing my cards.

[gwnn]

p-p-p-1NT-p-3NT- is completely different than, say,

2♥-p-4♥-

[mycroft]

or 1D-1S; 2C-2NT; 3D and then flip your scorecard over and write in the contract, for that matter.

To answer the OP: My question in cases where it's egregious (this is SOP in North America - and it grates on me, too) is "I'm sorry, did you call?"

I also *always* put out a pass card, even if the other two passes behind me were pickups or taps. I've only had to adjudicate one "was it doubled" hand, and it's not happening at *my* table (at least not when I'm in the passout seat).

[Vampyr]

the_clown, on 2012-January-17, 10:09, said:

I think I do it sometimes, especially when I am tired. For example if we bid like 1N-3N I may remove my cards a bit too early.

You mean even before the face-down opening lead is made?

[Elianna]

mycroft, on 2012-January-17, 11:02, said:

or 1D-1S; 2C-2NT; 3D and then flip your scorecard over and write in the contract, for that matter.

To answer the OP: My question in cases where it's egregious (this is SOP in North America - and it grates on me, too) is "I'm sorry, did you call?"

I also *always* put out a pass card, even if the other two passes behind me were pickups or taps. I've only had to adjudicate one "was it doubled" hand, and it's not happening at *my* table (at least not when I'm in the passout seat).

I'd been told not to do that, because a tap is not technically a call (even though it's understood to be a call) and so someone can claim that they didn't make a call (they just touched the table) and now I've called out of turn.

What I do now is routinely ask the person tapping if they're calling. And for the person picking up their hand, I point out that other people still have a call, and that gets them to stop doing that (for that auction at least, which is honestly all I think I can affect when I am a player).

[Cthulhu D]

Is it unrasonable that at the club I will tap (usually a pass card) on the table and pack up my (pass) cards if I'm in the passout seat in an auction like 1NT - (P) - 3NT - (P) - P - (??) or 1H - (P) - 2H - (P) - 4H - (P) - Pass - (??). I'll even do it if I'm in the second to last seat - it seems unlikely that after 1H - (P) - 2H - (P) - 4H - (P) - Pass - (P) righty is suddenly going to develop a burning desire to introduce a new suit at the five level after passing an oppotunity to do so at the three level, though obviously I won't pack up any bids I have made.

The thing that gets on my tits is people who start packing up their actual bids before you can ask any questions about the auction. To use an example from last night, if you did something like 1NT - 2C; 3C (??) - 5H (?!?!); 6NT (!!) - Pass with nairy an alert to be heard, I am going to want to ask if you had any idea what you thought you where doing before making my lead.

[blackshoe]

The auction is not over until three passes have been made. Unless your local regulations specify that a pass can be made by tapping on something, that action is not a pass, and so three passes have not been made, and the auction is not over. If your local regulations specify that bidding cards are supposed to remain visible until sometime after the auction is over, for example, the end of the clarification period, which is when the opening lead is faced, or after third seat plays to the first trick, at which point no one has authority to ask for a review of the bidding, then picking them up before the specified time is an infraction of the regulation.

In your example from last night, "please explain your auction" ought to do it. OTOH, I have had this happen: "Please explain your auction". "Well, he bid... and then I bid..." "Thank you for the review. Please explain your auction." "Director!"

[bluejak]

It is a fact that people do not follow the rules in detail. It is also a fact that the game will be more pleasant and last longer if players are tolerant of what others do wrong. We have to balance these things. Zero Tolerance is a very unfortunate term, because while there is no real reason to tolerate very bad behaviour, most people tolerate behaviour that is not very bad, and we need to do so. I think "Maxi Tolerance" is good for the game.

[mgoetze]

Vampyr, on 2012-January-17, 23:46, said:

You mean even before the face-down opening lead is made?

You still haven't figured out that there are bridge games which are not regulated by the EBU? Sheesh...