Search MSO Worldwide

Ask the Director

Stop bid
By Mike Amos

At last weekend's Harrogate Congress in Yorkshire, one call to the table reminded me of a story from the past told about the British player Joe Amsbury who sadly is no longer with us.

What happened at Harrogate, was that a lady obviously intending to make an opening bid at the two level or higher, took her STOP card out of the bidding box before realising that it was her Left Hand Opponent and not she, who was the dealer.

Joe, in an international match before screens and boxes, is alleged to have started to bid out of turn in much the same manner having said, "Stop…."

Realising that it was not his turn to call, Joe always quick-witted continued, "Stop….I think I've only got twelve cards." Much to everyone's amusement, Joe proved to in fact have 13 like everyone else at the table.

In fact neither Joe nor my lady friend at Harrogate had much to worry about. In Joe's case, a bid consists of both a number and a denomination, so a spoken bid is not made until it is completed; even 4…… would not constitute a bid out of turn. With bidding boxes a bid or call is not made until it is removed from the box. In both cases the "Stop" is Extraneous Information for partner who must continue to bid as if he has not seen it.