Bridge and the Law!

Did you ever imagine that Bridge clubs could fall foul of the law on gambling?

With the nanny state anything is possible!

Here is an e-mail that arrived (unsolicited) today.


GAMBLING ACT 2005: GAMING IN CLUBS AND ON ALCOHOL-LICENSED PREMISES

This e-mail is to bring to your attention the above consultation covering proposals for regulations under the Gambling Act 2005, some of which have a bearing on the activities of bridge and whist clubs. The consultation document can be found via the link below, and I should be grateful if you could bring it to the attention of any organisations, publications or individuals who you consider may have an interest. If you are aware of any bridge clubs that operate on a commercial basis it would be particularly helpful if they could be made aware of this consultation.The closing date for responses is 20 April 2007, but in the meantime if any clarification is needed or you feel that I can otherwise be of assistance please feel free to contact me.

Dave Bawden Gambling Act Implementation Team 5th Floor Department for Culture Media and Sport 2-4 Cockspur Street London SW1Y 5DH

http://www.culture.gov.uk/what_we_do/Gambling_racing/QuickLinks/Consultations


I have had a go at reading the 'consultation document' but soon had to go and lie down in a darkened room! While I think we are safe from the knock on the door in the early hours (for now) , I will try to read up on this and post more later.

Are you worried?!

Pyschic dilemma!

What are the ethical limits of psychic bidding?

Here is a classic case of judgement about that issue from a hand I played on the internet. My partner was obviously a very new player graded at the lowest level of ability. The opponents were a regular partnership both graded at the highest level.

I picked up this hand:

AJ964
KQ72
A4
KQ

My right hand opponent opened 3 diamonds and I doubled for take out. Left hand opponent bid 4 spades which was passed round to me. Thinking he could have all the remaining spades I decided to pass.

The hand was played in 4S not doubled and not vulnerable and made 1 trick.

This is 9 down for -450.

This is the hand held by the four spade bidder!

10
A95
9753
96543

We can easily make a vulnerable six spades and get a very poor score.

My reaction to the 4 spade bid is a mixture of admiration and contempt!

I can see the bidder thought that six spades must be easily on as his partner bidding pre-emptively in diamonds would be unlikely to have either many points or many spades. Therefore he bids 4s himself to mislead the opposition.

This is indeed very clever and astute thinking. My question is whether or not it is ethical or in the spirit of the game for an experienced and able pair to bid in this way against a newcomer!

I think it would not encourage someone to continue playing if they meet this kind of thing in their early Bridge life.

I did report this as a psychic bid and the adjudicator said the 4 spade bid was probably a misclick! This was not true as the opponents said it was a psyche.

What is your opinion?