bucky, on 2010-October-28, 16:54, said:
Says who (or which law clause)?
Well, I think it goes down to whether the other pairs are considered contestants. If they are, then they can directly ask the TD for a ruling, so the scenario of talking to another pair into asking for ruling won't exist.
The definition of "contestant" in the laws is
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Contestant: in an individual event, a player; in a pair event, two players playing as partners throughout the event; in a team event, four or more players playing as teammates.
Law 92A says
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A contestant or his captain may appeal for a review of any ruling made at his table by the director. Any such appeal, if deemed to lack merit, may be the subject of a sanction imposed by regulation.
The emphasis is mine.
David Stevenson, eminent international TD and senior moderator of the International Bridge Laws Forum here says
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I have always understood that you cannot ask for a ruling or appeal at another table. Presumably it is an interpretation of the wording of Law 92A.
My understanding accords with David's. He also said
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You could always persuade a pair who were at the table to ask for a ruling or to appeal, I suppose.
Having looked through the law book now, and not found support in it for my position that one can't do this, I must agree with David that one can. On the other question, though, the interpretation David cites extends the restriction ("at his table") to asking for rulings as well as appealing.
Note: when we speak of "interpretation" of the laws, we mean interpretation by the lawmakers or the regulating authority.