The Slow Pass

Directors continue to hear complaints about players who hesitate for a long time and then pass, thus alerting both partner and the opponents to the fact that another action was being considered. As long as there is a legitimate bridge reason for the hesitation, there is nothing illegal, unethical, or fattening about hesitating and then passing, or for that matter, about hesitating and then making any other call. To accuse another player of being unethical for doing so is itself a gross violation of Law 74-A2:

A player should carefully avoid any remark or action that might cause annoyance or embarrassment to another player or might interfere with the enjoyment of the game.

The hesitator's partner may not take any action which could have been suggested by the hesitation. Should he do so, that is a violation, and the director should be called (if hesitator's partner becomes dummy, or his hand is revealed after play has been completed) to determine whether an adjusted score should be assigned.

Unlike hesitator's partner, his opponents are permitted to take advantage of any information provided by the hesitation, but do so at their own risk. It is a serious violation, however, to hesitate with no bridge reason for doing so, in order to confuse the opponents about your distribution or the location of missing high cards. This is an interesting distinction. It is perfectly permissible to make a deceptive bid or play in tempo for the purpose of confusing the opponents, so long as your partner is equally likely to be confused, but a deceptive hesitation is a violation. This entire area of tempo variations causes many hours of committee deliberations at national tournaments. There are many gray areas and very few black and whites. So do not get upset when you feel you have been harmed by a hesitation. The director gets paid to solve these problems. Let the director do so, and get on to the next board.