Unauthorized Information

Law 73C

Player receives Unauthorized Information from Partner

When a player has available unauthorized information from partner, such as from a remark, question, explanation, gesture, mannerism, undue emphasis, inflection, haste or hesitation, an unexpected alert or failure to alert, the player must carefully avoid taking any advantage from that unauthorized information.

If you convey Unauthorized Information by any means you put partner under pressure. They must try to ignore the UI, but should not "choose, from among logical alternatives, one that could demonstrably have been suggested over another by the extraneous information" (Law 16B)

We have all been in an Unauthorised Information situation (perhaps most commonly when partner has hesitated).  It is a very difficult place to be.

So let us be sympathetic towards the player under ethical pressure:

• Do not assume that he has taken advantage – give him the benefit of the doubt till proven
  otherwise.
• Do not insist that your opponent ‘must pass' (that is not the case!)
• Do not get emotional – establish the fact of the hesitation nicely, then if you are unhappy, ask the Director for a ruling – always nicely!
• Do not insist that when there has been an infraction an opponent must be punished.  The aim of the Laws is to restore equity – if you have not been damaged you should not expect an adjusted score.