"Play one "

Declarer was playing in 4 S and had won eight tricks, the last in his hand. With 3 tricks still to play,,declarer leads a low club towards dummy; West plays 8C.

Declarer now starts to think, shrugs his shoulders and says ‘I don’t know, play one’.

The defenders call the director and want him to play the 6C.

These are the cards in the declarer and dummy hands.

 

 

 

Dummy

 

 

 Clubs

 

K J 6

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Declarer

 

 

 Spades 

 

6

 

 

 Clubs 

 

7 3

 

 

 

Declarer became upset , claimed that  he knew  there  were  still 5 clubs remaining in the defenders hand.and that since neither the AC nor the QC had yet been played,  to expect  that the 6C must be played is quite ridiculous .

How would you rule ?

Started by ALLAN JOSEPH on 11 Apr 2016 at 12:00AM

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  1. GILES HANCOCK11 Apr 2016 at 08:18AM

    The defenders choose, so yes the C6.   Declarer shouldn't be saying this.

     

  2. PETER FARLEY11 Apr 2016 at 12:58PM

    Seems to be covered precisely by 46B2: "If declarer designates a suit but not a rank he is deemed to have called the lowest card". Case closed.

  3. HAMISH BROWN11 Apr 2016 at 02:21PM

    Agree Peter.  Also i notice that while the Declarer may not have a count of the hand the Dummy might.  If Declarer abdicates the decision to Dummy: Dummy may make a correct decision that Declarer cannot make.

  4. ALLAN JOSEPH13 Apr 2016 at 09:10AM

    What about the precursor in Law 46B, first paragraph ?

    " except when declarer's different intention is incontrovetible"

  5. HELENE LABRECHE13 Apr 2016 at 12:19PM

    HI, my ruling would be to go by Law 46 either B. 2. or B. 5.   It was very careless (most probably ignorance of the law from declarer) on the part of declarer to say that...indeed...I would agree that if B.2 is applied, than the lowest card must be played as the suit is assumed but not the rank...or if B.5 is applied, then the opponents can choose...

    My 2 cents worth.

    Cheers

    Helene

  6. ALLAN JOSEPH28 Apr 2016 at 12:22AM

     

     Yes indeed , declarer  may be abdicating his choice to dummy ( which is   not allowed of course ), but in doing so he is really abdicating the choice to the defenders .Law  46 B 5

    Notwithstanding In my opinion , and on the basis that declarer said " play one " rather than " play anything "

    • Since there is only one suit left in Dummy's hand , 46B has  little or no relevance ., because in this case  there is no need to mention any suit .
    • The precursor  in the first paragrph ( which therefore holds for all clauses in this law } states " except when declarer's different intention is incontroverible ."
    • On the basis that declarer said " play one " rather than " play anything ",  clearly declarer was pondering whether to call for the K or the J - there is no way he would be considering  to call for the 6 .
    • Therefore , defenders could choose either the J or the K ( but not the 6 )

     

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