Insufficient!

Here's a rules situation that even many experienced players tend to fumble...

West	Partner	East	You
1 ♥	2 ♣	1 ♠	??

It's your call... "Director, Please" of course. The 1 ♠ call is an insufficient bid, because it is not higher than the previous bid of 2 ♣.

The Director says that you may accept the insufficient bid and the auction will proceed from that point. If you do not accept the insufficient bid, it must be replaced by any legal call including Pass but not Double or Redouble. If the replacement call does not have the same or similar meaning or purpose as the insufficient bid, the offender's partner will be required to pass for the remainder of the auction.

Should you accept the insufficient bid?

ANSWER: It depends. If it is to your advantage to accept the call, then do so. The relevant rule (Law 27A) is intended to give the non-offending side -- that is, you -- any potential benefit from the opponent's infraction. If it is not to your advantage, then do not accept the call and make the opponents deal with the consequences.

Note that you are not allowed to have partnership agreements for dealing with irregularities at the table. But the fact that you had a choice to accept or not is Authorized Information to partner for use in the auction and play of the hand. Partner is allowed to use bridge logic to interpret your decision.

Okay, so it depends. Let's look at some examples...

West	Partner	East	You
1 ♥	2 ♣	1 ♠	??

Note that if you do not accept the 1 ♠ call, East can bid two or more spades without penalty. If East makes any other call including Pass, West will be required to Pass for the rest of the auction.

1.  You hold ♠ 6 5 2 ♥ A 8 6 ♦ Q 9 7 4 ♣ 5 4 3
   Accept and bid 2 ♣ With such a bare minimum, you'd rather not have to raise at the three level. Your choice to accept, and then bid at the two-level, will suggest that weakness to partner.
2. You hold ♠ 6 5 2 ♥ J 8 6 2 ♦ J 9 7 4 ♣ 5 3
   Accept and Pass. This should make it clear to partner that you have a truly awful hand.
3. You hold ♠ A 6 5 2 ♥ J 6 2 ♦ Q J 7 ♣  K 5 3
   Accept and bid 2 ♥. Take the inexpensive opportunity to show an invitational club raise without having to worry about East making some higher intervening bid.
4. You hold ♠ A Q 6 5 2 ♥ K 8 6 2 ♦ J 7  ♣ Q 3
   Do not accept. The opponents are in trouble if they continue onward, and partner won't be disappointed to see this dummy in a 2 ♣ contract. If East passes, West must also pass, leaving the contract at 2 ♣ if you pass too. But playing matchpoints, or vulnerable at IMPs, I would bid 2 NT if East passes. Note that if East passes, West will not be able to double the final contract (East can, though), and you might have some useful lead restrictions if West is on lead.
5. If you don't see any advantage, then do not accept. The restrictions that will apply to the opponents' auction might create some problems for them.

THE PRINCIPLE: Given the option to accept an insufficient bid (or a call out of rotation, similarly), consider your choice carefully. Don't automatically refuse to accept. The Laws have given you a potential advantage and you should use it wisely. Your decision to accept or not gives partner some additional authorized information about your hand.

NOTE: Even if the offender immediately changes her call, you still have the option to accept the insufficient bid. Call the Director whenever there is an irregularity at the table.

-- Ray 

Better Bridge In Five Minutes. Guaranteed! (or the next one is free)

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LAW 27

INSUFFICIENT BID

A. Acceptance of Insufficient Bid

1. Any insufficient bid may be accepted (treated as legal) at the option of offender’s LHO. It is accepted if that player calls.
2. If a player makes an insufficient bid out of rotation Law 31 applies.

B. Insufficient Bid Not Accepted
If an insufficient bid in rotation is not accepted (see A) it must be corrected by the substitution of a legal call (but see 3 following. Then:.... (and there's more, of course). 

C. Premature Replacement
If the offender replaces his insufficient bid before the Director has ruled on rectification, the substitution, if legal, stands unless the insufficient bid is accepted as A1 allows (but see B3 above). The Director applies the relevant foregoing section to the substitution.