[AndreSteff]

This case must have been discussed before, but I cannot find it. I apologize for the duplication.
North deals, but South starts the auction with "Pass".
West protests on which South takes back the pass and North opens 2♠before EW get the chance to express their wish to see the TD.
How to handle this one?

[weejonnie]

Call the Director.

[AndreSteff]

Sorry, I do not think that is funny. Of course the question is: how should the TD handle this? I am no native speaker.

[blackshoe]

Quote

Law 9B: After Attention is Drawn to an Irregularity
1. (.a) The Director should be summoned at once when attention is drawn to an irregularity.
...(.b) Any player, including dummy, may summon the Director after attention has been drawn to an irregularity.
...(.c) Summoning the Director does not cause a player to forfeit any rights to which he might otherwise be entitled.
.. (.d) The fact that a player draws attention to an irregularity committed by his side does not affect the rights of the opponents.
2. No player shall take any action until the Director has explained all matters in regard to rectification.

The emphasis on §2 is mine. What this means is that a player who takes action (other than calling the director) before the director deals with the problem is subject to a procedural penalty. In general, particularly in a club game, I would give a warning unless this player (North in this case) has been warned before, in which case he gets a penalty in MPs or IMPs. The "standard" penalty (this is guidance, not regulation) in England is 10% of a top; in North America it's 25%. A club TD can follow the RA's guidance or impose a different penalty, although he should be careful not to go overboard. Having started in duplicate in England, I lean towards 10% even though I'm now in North America, at least for clubs. In a tournament, I'd follow the guidance. Your RA may have different guidance. You may want to follow that. In any case, North's 2♠ is, for the moment, cancelled.

Quote

Law 29: Forfeiture of the Right to Rectification
A. Forfeiture of Right to Rectification
Following a call out of rotation, offender’s LHO may elect to call thereby forfeiting the right to any rectification.
B. Out-of-Rotation Call Canceled
Unless A above applies, a call out of rotation is canceled and the auction reverts to the player whose turn it was to call. Offender may make any legal call in proper rotation, but his side may be subject to the provisions for rectification in Law 30, 31 or 32.

So the Director offers West the option to accept South's pass. If he does, the auction proceeds from there, it is West's turn to call, and there is no further rectification. If West does not accept South's pass, it is cancelled, and Law 30 applies. The auction reverts to North; he can bid whatever he likes, but if he bids anything other than 2♠ he will be giving UI to his partner, who must carefully avoid taking advantage of it (Law 73C). The auction proceeds; South must pass at his first turn to call.

Quote

Law 30 Pass Out Of Rotation
A. Before Any Player Has Bid
When a player has passed out of rotation before any player has bid, the offender must pass when next it is his turn to call and Law 23 may apply.
B. After Any Player Has Bid
1. When a pass out of rotation is made at offender’s RHO’s turn to call after any player has bid, offender must pass when next it is his turn to call.
2. When, after any player has bid, the offender passes out of rotation at his partner’s turn to call,
(.a) the offender must pass whenever it is his turn to call, and Law 23 may apply, and
(.b) offender’s partner may make any sufficient bid or may pass, but he may not double or redouble at that turn, and Law 23 may apply.
3. After any player has bid, a pass out of rotation
at offender’s LHO’s turn to call is treated as a change of call and Law 25 applies.
C. When Pass Is Artificial
When a pass out of rotation is artificial or is a pass of an artificial call, Law 31, not Law 30, applies.

30B is irrelevant to this case; I imagine 30C is too, unless they're playing some kind of forcing pass system. Law 23 deals with whether South (in this case) could have known that his action would damage opponents. I don't imagine that it applies, but for completeness' sake, it's

Quote

Law 23 Awareness Of Potential Damage
Whenever, in the opinion of the Director, an offender could have been aware at the time of his irregularity that this could well damage the non-offending side, the Director shall require the auction and play to continue (if not completed). When the play has been completed, the Director awards an adjusted score if he considers the offending side has gained an advantage through the irregularity*.

* As, for example, by partner’s enforced pass.

In summary:
1) warn North (or penalize him) about not taking any action other than calling the director when attention is called to an irregularity until the director has given his ruling. Cancel North's 2♠ bid.
2) Ask West if he wishes to accept South's pass. If yes, the auction proceeds with no further rectification. If no, cancel the pass, warn NS about the implications of North bidding anything other than 2♠, and the auction reverts to North. South must pass at his first turn to call, otherwise the auction proceeds normally. Apply Law 23 if it seems appropriate.

[weejonnie]

Wouldn't North's 2 Spade call be a call out of rotation if West accepts South's call?

Re - my 1st call - I was going to expand it, but got called away - so apologies.

[blackshoe]

I don't think so — actions taken before the director rules should be cancelled.

[weejonnie]

blackshoe, on 2017-May-21, 12:32, said:

I don't think so — actions taken before the director rules should be cancelled.

That would still leave it as UI then - wouldn't it?

[blackshoe]

Yes.

[aguahombre]

So, in the case where West accepts the opening POOT:

(P)-2♥-2♠ ?

It is North's 2♠ bid which conveys the UI and is subject to possible adjustment depending on how South proceeds -- or subject to a L23 adjustment. Right?

Just trying to unclutter the assorted irregularities.

[barmar]

aguahombre, on 2017-May-22, 08:53, said:

So, in the case where West accepts the opening POOT:

(P)-2♥-2♠ ?

It is North's 2♠ bid which conveys the UI and is subject to possible adjustment depending on how South proceeds -- or subject to a L23 adjustment. Right?

Just trying to unclutter the assorted irregularities.

North's original 2♠ bid is UI, not the one he actually made after the 2♥ opening.

If a 2♠ opening would be weak, but a 2♠ overcall normally shows full opening values, South must proceed on the assumption that North has a full opener. If he does anything to cater to partner being weak, the result should be adjusted and probably a PP should be issued to South.

[ggwhiz]

There is also the question of what north owns for the 2♠ call knowing that south does not have an opening bid. Could be just about anything knowing or should know that south must pass once but nobody but north knows what they knew when they bid it.

Just guessing but it seems that an extra consequence of accepting the first pass that west needs to have explained is that north can repeat the 2♠ call and south can now bid. They may decide they need to take a call below 2♠ while they can but keep the "could have known" provision re damage handy.

[aguahombre]

ggwhiz, on 2017-May-22, 14:26, said:

There is also the question of what north owns for the 2♠ call knowing that south does not have an opening bid. Could be just about anything knowing or should know that south must pass once but nobody but north knows what they knew when they bid it.

Just guessing but it seems that an extra consequence of accepting the first pass that west needs to have explained is that north can repeat the 2♠ call and south can now bid. They may decide they need to take a call below 2♠ while they can but keep the "could have known" provision re damage handy.

That is definitely of interest. I will accept a call out-of-turn if I have a bid I really want to be able to make and don't want LHO to go operating due to the fact that she knows partner must pass --- thus burying our chances to compete. If I choose to accept and bid, I will know that the opponents have no restrictions other than possible UI, and my bid will not be some clever distortion designed to mess with my partner -- nor will it be a double shot at a favorable ruling.

[axman]

weejonnie, on 2017-May-21, 10:26, said:

Wouldn't North's 2 Spade call be a call out of rotation if West accepts South's call?

Re - my 1st call - I was going to expand it, but got called away - so apologies.

It is notable that south has made the first call. By L17C:

The player to dealer’s left makes the second call, and thereafter each player calls in turn in a clockwise rotation.

Which has the ramification that West may not without punishment (for violating L17C) L29A:

Following a call out of rotation offender’s LHO may elect to call thereby forfeiting the right to any rectification.

Which leaves to north, which did make the second call- the consequences for violating L17C being?

[blackshoe]

ggwhiz, on 2017-May-22, 14:26, said:

Just guessing but it seems that an extra consequence of accepting the first pass that west needs to have explained is that north can repeat the 2♠ call and south can now bid.

That's what "the auction proceeds from there, it is West's turn to call, and there is no further rectification" means.