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The International Code

Law Crac Brg2003

As Promulgated in the Western Hemisphere

by

AmERICAN CONTRACT bRIDgE LEAguE

American Edition

Eective January 1, 2003

Authorized Publishers in the Western Hemisphere

American Contract Bridge League

2990 Airways Blvd. Memphis TN 381163847

www.acbl.org


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Copyright 1993 by theAmerican Contract Bridge League

All rights reserved. No part o this book may be reproduced

or utilized in any orm or by any means, electronic or mechanical,including photocopying, recording, or by any inormation storage andretrieval system, without permission in writing rom the publisher.

Inquiries should be addressed to the American Contract BridgeLeague, 2990 Airways Boulevard, Memphis, Tennessee 381163847.

Printed in the United States o America

Second Printing, April 1997, Third Printing, October 2003

ISBN: 0943855098


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Ackwldgmts

The National Laws Commission acknowledges

with gratitude the contributions made since the1981 publication by the ollowing members o

the National Laws Commission who died during

the years o preparation o the new Laws: B. Jay

Becker, Easley Blackwood, Sam Gold, Charles

Goren, Lee Hazen, Oswald Jacoby, Robin Mac

Nab, Don Oakie and Jerome Silverman.

Grateul acknowledgment also is accorded to

the late Colin Harding o Great Britain, chairman

o the Card Committee o the Portland Club, who

was a major contributor to these Laws.


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Prmulgatig Bdis th 1993 Laws

The National Laws Commission of theAmerican Contract Bridge League

Edgar Kaplan, Co-chairman*

Ralph Cohen, Co-chairman

Edgar Theus, Chairman Emeritus*

Karen Allison Je PolisnerRichard Goldberg* Eric Rodwell

John Guoba George Rosenkranz

Richard G. Hewitt Roger Stern

Amalya Kearse Peggy Sutherlin

Sami Kehela Robert S. WolChip Martel

Drafting Committee for Contract BridgeEdgar Kaplan Karen Allison

Roger Stern Ralph Cohen

Robert S. Wol

The Laws Commission of theWorld Bridge Federation

Edgar Kaplan (Chairman)

European Bridge LeagueGrattan Endicott (Delegate)

Card Committee of the Portland ClubStuart Wheeler (Chairman)

*Deceased


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Th Scp th LawsThe Laws are designed to dene correct procedure

and to provide an adequate remedy whenever a playeraccidentally, carelessly or inadvertently disturbs theproper course o the game, or gains an unintentionalbut nevertheless unair advantage. An oendingplayer should be ready to pay a prescribed penaltygraciously.

These Laws do not deal with dishonorable practices;ostracism is the ultimate remedy.

Th PrpritisThe object o the Proprieties is to amiliarize players

with the customs and etiquette o the game, generallyaccepted over many years, and to enlighten those whomight otherwise ail to appreciate when or how they areimproperly conveying inormation to their partners, orare acting on the basis o improper inormation.

AppdicsMost players will nd the Laws and the proprieties

sucient to their needs. Some, however, may wish toadopt procedures to reduce the risk that, unintentionally,extraneous inormation is given to partners, or properinormation is withheld rom opponents. Possible

procedures, very similar to those successully used incompetitive bridge, are set out in appendices 1, 2 and3. Note that these appendices are not part o the Lawsor the Proprieties o Rubber Bridge.


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TABLe o ConTenTS

Th Scp th Laws ......................................................... viii

Th Prpritis ..................................................................... viiiAppdics ............................................................................ viiiTh Laws Ctract Bridg .................................................1

Proprieties .......................................................................44Alternative Club Laws ....................................................49Rules or Club Procedure ................................................56

Four-Deal Bridge ...........................................................58Part I Dfitis ..................................................................1Part II Prlimiaris

1. The Players The Pack ................................................42. Rank o Cards ................................................................43. The Draw ........................................................................4

Part III Th Dal

4. The Shufe .....................................................................55. The Cut ...........................................................................56. New Cut New Shufe ...............................................57. Change o Pack ..............................................................68. The Deal .........................................................................69. Rotation o the Turn to Deal ...........................................6

10. Redeal ............................................................................711. Missing Card ..................................................................812. Surplus Card ..................................................................8

Part IV Gral Laws Gvrig Irrgularitis

13. Procedure Following an Irregularity ..............................914. Assessment o a Penalty .................................................915. Waiver or Foreiture o a Penalty ..................................9

16. Unauthorized Inormation ...........................................10Part V Th Aucti

Crrct Prcdur

17. Duration o the Auction ...............................................1118. Bids ..............................................................................1119. Doubles and Redoubles ................................................1120. Review and Explanation ..............................................12

21. Call Based on Misinormation .....................................1222. Procedure ater the Auction Is Closed ........................12


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Irrgularitis

23. Card Exposed or Led during the Auction ....................1324. Immediate Correction o a Call ...................................13

25. Change o Call .............................................................1326. Change o Call Lead Penalties ................................1427. Insucient Bid ............................................................14

Call ut Rtati

28. Calls Considered to Be in Rotation ..............................1629. Procedure ater a Call out o Rotation .........................1630. Pass out o Rotation .....................................................1631. Bid out o Rotation.......................................................1732. Double or Redouble out o Rotation ...........................1833. Simultaneous Calls.......................................................1834. Retention o the Right to Call .....................................18

Iadmissibl Calls

35. Inadmissible Call Condoned ........................................19

36. Inadmissible Double or Redouble ................................1937. Bid, Double or Redouble in Violation

o the Obligation to Pass ..............................................1938. Bid o More Than Seven ..............................................2039. Call ater the Auction Is Closed ...................................2040. Partnership Agreements ...............................................20

Part VI Th Play

Crrct Prcdur41. Opening Lead, Review, Questions ...............................2142. Dummys Rights ...........................................................2143. Dummys Limitations ...................................................2244. Sequence and Procedure o Play ..................................2245. Card Played ..................................................................23

46. Partial Designation o a Card to BePlayed rom Dummys Hand ........................................2447. Retraction o a Card Played ........................................24

Palty Card

48. Exposure o Declarers Cards .......................................2549. Exposure o a Deenders Cards ...................................2550. Disposition o a Penalty Card ......................................25

51. Two or More Penalty Cards ..........................................2652. Failure to Lead or Play a Penalty Card ........................26


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Lad ut Tur

53. Lead out o Turn Accepted ...........................................2754. Opening Lead out o Turn ............................................2755. Declarers Lead out o Turn ..........................................28

56. Deenders Lead out o Turn .........................................29Irrgular Lads ad Plays

57. Premature Lead or Play by a Deender ........................2958. Simultaneous Leads or Plays .......................................3059. Inability to Lead or Play as Required ..........................3060. Play ater an Illegal Play ..............................................30

Th Rvk

61. Failure to Follow Suit InquiriesConcerning a Revoke ...................................................31

62. Correction o a Revoke ................................................3163. Establishment o a Revoke ..........................................3264. Procedure ater Establishment o a Revoke .................32

Tricks

65. Collection and Arrangement o Tricks .........................3466. Inspection o Tricks ......................................................3467. Trick Either Appropriated in Error or Deective ..........34

Claims ad Ccssis

68. Declarers Claim or Concession o Tricks ....................3669. Procedure Following Declarers Claim

or Concession ...............................................................36

70. Deenders Claim or Concession o Tricks ..................3771. Concession Withdrawn.................................................38

Part VII Th Scr

72. Points Earned ...............................................................3973. Partscore Game .......................................................3974. The Rubber ...................................................................40

75. Method o Scoring .......................................................4076. Responsibility or the Score .........................................4077. Transerred Tricks .......................................................4178. Correction o the Score ................................................4179. Deals Played with an Incorrect Pack ...........................4180. Incomplete Rubber .......................................................4181. Scoring Table ...............................................................42

Prpritis1. General Principles ..........................................................442. Communication between Partners .................................45


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3. Conduct and Etiquette ....................................................464. Partnership Agreements ................................................475. Spectators .......................................................................47

AppdicsAppendix 1 .........................................................................48Appendix 2 .........................................................................48Appendix 3 .........................................................................48

Part VIII Altrativ Club LawsClub Law 13 .......................................................................49Club Laws 14 and 16 .........................................................50Club Law 23 .......................................................................51Club Law 25 ......................................................................51Club Law 27 .......................................................................51Club Laws 30, 31 and 32 ..................................................51Club Law 36 .......................................................................52Club Law 38 .......................................................................52

Club Laws 39 and 40 .........................................................52Club Law 47 .......................................................................52Club Law 55 .......................................................................52Club Law 64 .......................................................................52Club Law 69 .......................................................................52Club Law 74 .......................................................................54

Club Appals Cmmitt .......................................................55

Ruls r Club Prcdur ......................................................56A. Denitions .....................................................................56B. Time Limit on Right to Play ..........................................56C. Newly Formed Tables ....................................................56D. Cutting In .......................................................................57E. Going Out ......................................................................57

F. Membership Limited to One Table .................................57ur-Dal BridgA. Basic Rules ....................................................................58B. The Rubber ....................................................................58C. Vulnerability ..................................................................58D. Premiums .......................................................................59E. The Score .......................................................................59

F. Partscores .......................................................................59G. Deal out o Turn ............................................................60H. Optional Rules and Customs .........................................60


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definitionsPart i

defnonAuction 1. The process o determining the contract by

means o successive calls. 2. The aggregate o calls made.Bid A declaration to win at least a specied number o

odd tricks in a specied denomination.

Call Any bid, double, redouble or pass,

Contract The undertaking by declarers side to win,at the denomination named, the number odd tricks

specied in the nal bid, whether undoubled, doubledor redoubled.

Deal 1. The distribution o the pack to orm the handso the our players. 2. The cards so distributed as a unit,including the auction and play thereo.

Declarer The player who, or the side that makes the

nal bid, rst bid the denomination named in that nalbid. He becomes declarer when a legal opening lead ismade and the dummy is aced.

Deender An opponent o declarer.

Denomination The suit or notrump specied in a bid.

Double A call over an opponents bid increasing the

scoring value o ullled or deeated contracts(see Law 19).

Dummy 1. Declarers partner. 2. Declarers partnerscards, once they are spread on the table ater theopening lead.

Follow suit Play a card o the suit that has been led.

Game A unit in scoring denoting 100 or more trickpoints scored on one deal, or accumulated over two ormore deals (see Laws 72 and 73).

Group A number o players who have agreed to ollowthe same procedures.

Hand The cards originally dealt to a player, or the

remaining portion thereo.Honor Any ace, king, queen, jack or ten.


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Irregularity A deviation rom the correct procedures setorth in these Laws.

LHO Let-hand opponent.

Lead The rst card played to a trick.

Odd trick Each trick to be won by declarers side inexcess o six.

Opening lead The card led to the rst trick.

Opponent A member o the partnership to which one isopposed.

Overtrick Each trick won by declarers side in excess othe contract.

Pack The 52 playing cards with which the game ocontract bridge is played.

Partner The player with whom one plays as a side

against the other two players.Partscore 90 or ewer trick points.

Pass A call speciying that a player does not, at that turn,elect to bid, double or redouble.

Penalty An obligation or restriction imposed upon a sideor violations o these Laws.

Penalty card A card prematurely exposed by a deender.It may be a major or a minor penalty card (see Law 50).

Play 1. The contribution o a card rom ones hand to atrick, including the rst card, which is the lead. 2. Theaggregate o plays made. 3. The period during whichthe cards are played, starting immediately ater the nalpass.

RHO Right-hand opponent.

Redeal A second or subsequent deal to replace a aultydeal.

Redouble A call over an opponents double increasingthe scoring value o ullled or deeated contracts(see Law 19).

Revoke The play o a card o another suit by a player whois able to ollow suit or to comply with a lead penalty.


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definitions

Rotation The clockwise order in which the right to deal,to call or to play progresses.

Rubber The scoring period that ends when one side has

scored two games.

Side Two players who constitute a partnership againstthe other two players.

Slam A contract to win 12 tricks (called small slam) or13 tricks (called grand slam).

Suit One o our groups o cards in the pack, each group

comprising 13 cards and having a characteristic symbol:spades (), hearts (), diamonds (), clubs ().

Trick The unit by which the outcome o the contractis determined, regularly consisting o our cards, onecontributed by each player in rotation, beginning withthe lead.

Trump Each card o the suit, i any, named in thecontract.

Undertrick Each trick by which declarers side alls shorto ullling the contract.

Vulnerable The status o a side that has won a game andis thereore exposed to greater undertrick penalties and

entitled to greater premiums.


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Part ii

PelmneLaw 1 The Players The Pack

Contract bridge is played by our players with a pack o 52cards o identical back design and color, consisting o 13 cardsin each o our suits. Two packs should be used, o which onlyone is in play at any time, and each pack should be clearlydistinguishable rom the other in back design or color.

Law 2 Rank o Cards

The suits rank downward in order spades (), hearts,(), diamonds (), clubs (). The cards o each suit rankin descending order: ace, king, queen, jack, 10, 9, 8, 7, 6, 5,4, 3, 2.

Law 3 The DrawBeore every rubber, each player draws a card rom a pack

shufed and spread ace down on the table. A card should notbe exposed until all the players have drawn.

Unless it is otherwise agreed, the two players who draw thehighest cards play as partners against the other two players.When cards o the same rank are drawn, the rank o suitdetermines which is higher.

The player with the highest card deals rst and has the rightto choose his seat and the pack with which he will deal. Hemay consult his partner, but having announced his decisionmust abide by it. His partner sits opposite him. The opponentsthen occupy the two remaining seats as they wish, and havingmade their selection must abide by it

A player must draw again i he draws more than one card,

or one o the our cards at either end o the pack, or a cardadjoining one drawn by another player, or a card rom theother pack.


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Part iii

the delLaw 4 The Shufe

Beore the rst deal o a rubber, the player to the dealerslet should shufe the pack thoroughly*, without exposingthe ace o any card, in ull view o the players and to theirsatisaction. Thereater, as each player deals, the dealerspartner shufes the other pack or the next deal and placesthe pack ace down on his right.

A pack properly prepared should not be disturbed until the

dealer picks it up or his deal, at which time he is entitled tothe nal shufe.

No player other than the dealer and the player designatedto prepare the pack may shufe.

Law 5 The CutThe pack must be cut immediately beore it is dealt. The

dealer presents the pack to his RHO, who lits o a portionand places it on the table toward the dealer. Each portionmust contain at least our cards. The dealer completes thecut by placing what was originally the bottom portion uponthe other portion.

No player other than the dealers RHO may cut the pack.

Law 6 New Cut New ShufeThere must be a new cut i any player demands one beore the

rst card is dealt. In this case, the dealers RHO cuts again.There must be a new shufe, ollowed by a cut,

(a) i any player demands one beore the dealerhas picked up the pack or his deal. In this

case, the player designated to prepare the packshufes again.

(b) i any player demands one ater the dealer haspicked up the pack but beore the rst card isdealt. In this case, only the dealer shufes.

(c) i a card is turned ace up in shufing. In this

case, the player who was shufing shufes again.

*It is recommended that the pack be shued at least fve times.


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(d) i a card is turned ace up in cutting. In this case,only the dealer shufes.

(e) i there is a redeal (see Law 10).

Law 7 Change o PackThe two packs are used alternately, unless there is a

redeal.A pack containing a card so damaged or marked that it may

be identied rom its back must be replaced* i attention isdrawn to the imperection beore the last card o the current

deal has been dealt.A pack originally belonging to a side must be restored ondemand o any player beore the last card o the current dealhas been dealt.*

Law 8 The DealThe dealer distributes the cards ace down, one at a time in

rotation into our separate hands o 13 cards each, the rstcard to the player on his let and the last card to himsel. I hedeals two cards simultaneously or consecutively to the sameplayer, or ails to deal a card to a player, he may rectiy theerror, provided he does so immediately and to the satisactiono the other players. The dealer must not allow the ace o anycard to be seen while he is dealing.

Players should not look at the ace o any card until thedeal is completed. A player who violates this provision oreitsthose rights to a change o pack (Law 7) or redeal (Law 10)marked with an asterisk (*).

Law 9 Rotation o the Turn to DealThe turn to deal passes in rotation, unless there is a redeal.

I a player deals out o turn, and attention is not drawn to theerror beore the last card has been dealt, the deal stands asthough it had been in turn. The player who dealt the cardsis the dealer (he makes the rst call), the player who missedhis turn to deal has no redress and the rotation continues asthough the deal had been in turn, unless a redeal is required

under Law 10.

*See Law 8.


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Law 10 RedealA redeal cancels the aulty deal; the same dealer deals again,

unless he was dealing out o turn; the same pack is used, unlessit has been replaced as provided in Law 7, and the cards are

shufed and cut anew as provided in Laws 4 and 5.There must be a redeal

(a) i, beore the last card has been dealt, it isdiscovered that

(i) a card has been turned ace up in dealing oris ace up in the pack or elsewhere, or

(ii) the cards have not been dealt correctly*, or

(iii) a player is dealing out o turn or is dealingwith a pack that was not shufed or not cut,provided any player* demands a redeal.

(b) i, beore the rst call has been made, it isdiscovered that a player has picked up another

players hand and has seen a card in it.(c) i, beore play has been completed, it is

discovered that

(i) the pack did not conorm in every respectto the requirements o Law 1, including anycase in which a missing card cannot be ound

ater due search, or(ii) one player has picked up too many cards,

another too ew, or

(iii) two or more players on opposing sides haveallowed any cards rom their hands to bemixed together, ollowing a claim that a

redeal is in order.

*See Law 8.


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Law 11 Missing CardWhen a player has too ew cards and a redeal is not required

by Law 10 (c), the deal stands as correct, and

(a) i he has played more than once to previoustrick, Law 67 applies.

(b) i a missing card is ound elsewhere, not ina previous trick, that card is deemed to havebelonged continuously to the decient hand andmust be restored to that hand; it may become a

penalty card, as provided in Law 23 or Law 49,and ailure to have played it may constitute arevoke.

Law 12 Surplus CardWhen a player has too many cards and a redeal is not required

by Law 10 (c), the deal stands as correct, and

(a) i the oender has omitted to play to a trick, Law67 applies.

(b) i the oender has picked up a surplus card roma previous trick, or rom dummys hand, or romthe other pack, or elsewhere, such surplus cardshall be restored to it proper place, and

(i) i the surplus card is in the oenders handwhen it is discovered, there is no penalty.

(ii) i the surplus card has been led or played,or had been played to a previous trick, theoender must substitute or it a card romhis hand that he can legally play to the trick,

and, i possible, a card o the same suit asthe surplus card. The oending side may notthereby win a trick it had lost, but it may losea trick it had won. When attention is drawnto the oense beore the lead to the nexttrick, either member o the nonoendingside may, without penalty, withdraw a

play made subsequent to the oense andsubstitute any legal play.


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Part iV

Genel Lw Govenngiegule

Law 13 Procedure Following an Irregularity(Club Law 13 on page 49)

When an irregularity has occurred, any player exceptdummy as restricted by Law 43 may draw attention to itand give or obtain inormation as to the Law applicable toit. The act that a player draws attention to an irregularitycommitted by his side does not aect the rights o theopponents.

Ater attention has been drawn to an irregularity, noplayer should call or play until all questions in regard to theassessment o a penalty have been determined. Prematurecorrection o an irregularity on the part o the oender maysubject him to urther penalty (see Law 26).

Law 14 Assessment o a Penalty(Club Law 14 on page 50)

A penalty may not be imposed until the nature o theirregularity to be penalized has been determined and theapplicable penalty has been clearly stated, but a penaltyonce paid, or any decision agreed and acted upon by the

players, stands and should not, except by agreement o allour players, be corrected even though at some later time itmay be judged incorrect.

Law 15 Waiver or Foreiture o a PenaltyThe right to penalize an oense is oreited i

(a) both members o the nonoending side waivethe penalty.

(b) a member o the nonoending side calls(Law 34) or plays (Law 60) ater an irregularitycommitted by his RHO.


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Law 16 Unauthorized Inormation(Club Law 16 on page 50)

A player may be subject to penalty i he conveys inormation

to his partner other than by a legal call or play.Inormation conveyed by an illegal call, play or exposure o a

card is subject to the applicable Law in Part V or Part VI.I a player conveys inormation to his partner by means o a

remark or question or by unmistakable hesitation or unwontedspeed, special emphasis, tone, gesture, movement, mannerismor any other action that suggests a call, lead or plan o play,

and i attention is drawn to the oense immediately, when theoending side has proted through the doubtul call or playso suggested, it should, in conormance with Proprieties 1,redress any damage done to the nonoending side.


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Part V

the auconCorrect Procedure

Law 17 Duration o the AuctionThe auction begins when the last card o a correct deal has

been placed on the table. The dealer makes the rst call, andthereater each player calls in rotation. When three passes inrotation have ollowed any call, the auction is closed, unless

Law 34 applies.

Law 18 BidsEach bid * must name a number o odd tricks, rom one

to seven, and a denomination. A bid supersedes the previousbid i it names either a greater number o odd tricks or thesame number o odd tricks in a higher denomination. A bid

that ullls these requirements is sucient; one that does notis insucient. The denominations rank in descending ordernotrump, spades, hearts, diamonds, clubs.

Law 19 Doubles and RedoublesA player may double only the last preceding bid, and then

only i it was made by an opponent and no calls other than

pass have intervened.A player may redouble only the last preceding double, and

then only i it was made by an opponent and no calls otherthan pass have intervened.

A player should not, in doubling or redoubling, state thenumber o tricks or the denomination, but i he states eitheror both incorrectly, he is deemed to have doubled or redoubledthe bid as it was made. The only correct orm is the singleword Double or Redouble.

All doubles and redoubles are superseded by a subsequentlegal bid. I there is no subsequent bid, scoring values areincreased as provided in Law 81.

* Pass, double and redouble are calls, not bids.


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ieguleLaw 23 Card Exposed or Led during the Auction

(Club Law 23 on page 51)Whenever during the auction a player aces a card on the

table or holds a card so that it is possible or his partner to seeits ace, every such card must be let ace up on the table untilthe auction closes, and (penalty) i the oender subsequentlybecomes a deender, declarer may treat every such card as apenalty card (Law 50).

In addition,

(a) i it is a single card below the rank o an honor andnot prematurely led, there is no urther penalty.

(b) i it is a single card o honor rank or any cardprematurely led or i more than one card is soexposed, (penalty) the oenders partner mustpass when next it is his turn to call.

(c) when the penalty under this or any other Lawcompels the oenders partner to pass andoender could have known at the time o hisinraction that the enorced pass would be likelyto damage the nonoending side, the oendersshould redress the damage in accordance withProprieties 1.

Law 24 Immediate Correction o a CallA player may substitute his intended call or an inadvertent

call, but only i he does so, or attempts to do so, without pauseor thought. I legal, his last call stands without penalty; iillegal, it is subject to the applicable Law.

Law 25 Change o Call(Club Law 25 on page 51)

When a call is substituted or a call made previously atthe same turn, and it is too late or correction as providedin Law 24, then

(a) i the rst call was illegal, the substitute callis canceled and the oender is subject to theapplicable Law.


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(b) i the rst call was legal, the oender musteither

(i) allow his rst call to stand, and (penalty) hispartner must pass when next it is his turn to

call, or

(ii) make any other legal call, and (penalty) hispartner must pass whenever it is his turn tocall.

The oenders partner will also be subject to a lead penaltyas provided in Law 26 i he becomes a deender. Law 23(c)

may apply to (b) (i) and (b) (ii).

Law 26 Change o Call Lead Penalties

When a player makes a call and subsequently changes itto another legal call (except as permitted under Law 24),then i he becomes a deender,

(a) i the changed call was in a suit, and thesubstituted call did not repeat that suit, declarermay* either require the oenders partner tolead, or prohibit him rom leading, such suitwhen rst the oenders partner has the lead(including the opening lead). A prohibitioncontinues or as long as oenders partner

retains the lead. When the irregular callarticially relates to a denomination other thanthe one actually named, such suit is the suit orsuits to which the call relates.

(b) i the changed call was

(i) in notrump and the players (or the

oenders) nal call at that turn was not, or(ii) pass, double or redouble, other than an

out-o-rotation call repeated in turn inaccordance with Law 30(a) or Law 32(b)(i), declarer may * prohibit oenders

*Declarer makes the decision at the time that oenders

partner frst has the lead.


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partner rom leading any one speciedsuit when rst the oenders partner hasthe lead (including the opening lead).This prohibition continues or as long as

oenders partner retains the lead.

Law 27 Insucient Bid(Club Law 27 on page 51)

Any insucient bid may be accepted (treated as legal) atthe option o oenders LHO and is accepted i that opponent

calls.An insucient bid made in rotation must be corrected by the

substitution o either a sucient bid (not a double or double)or a pass*, unless the irregular bid is accepted.

I the call substituted is

(a) the lowest sucient bid in the samedenomination, the auction proceeds as thoughthe irregularity had not occurred**.

(b) any other sucient bid or pass, (penalty) theoenders partner must pass whenever it is histurn to call (Law 23(c) may apply), and the leadpenalties o Law 26 will apply i he becomes adeender.

I the oender attempts to substitute a double or redouble, itis canceled; he must pass at that turn, and the oense is subjectto the penalty provided in subsection (b) above.

I a player makes an insucient bid out o rotation, Law31 applies.

*The oender is entitled to select his fnal call at that turn

ater the applicable penalties have been stated, and any call

he has previously attempted to substitute is canceled, but the

lead penalties o Law 26 will apply i he becomes a deender.**Oenders partner must not base any subsequent calls or

plays on inormation gained rom such a withdrawn bid.


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Cll ou o roonLaw 28 Calls Considered to Be in Rotation

A call is considered to be in rotation

(a) when it is made without waiting or the RHO topass, i that opponent is required by Law to pass.

(b) when it is made by the player whose turn it wasto call, beore a penalty has been imposed ora call out o rotation by an opponent. It waivesany penalty or the call out o rotation, and the

auction proceeds as though that opponent hadnot called at that turn.

Law 29 Procedure ater a Call out o Rotation

Ater a call out o rotation, oenders LHO* may either

(a) make any legal call. I he chooses to do so, the

call out o rotation stands as i it were legal (buti it is an inadmissible call, see Law 35), and theauction proceeds without penalty, or

(b) require that the call out o rotation be canceled.The auction reverts to the player whose turn itwas to call. The oender may make any legal call

in proper turn subject to Laws 30, 31 and 32.

Law 30 Pass out o Rotation(Club Law 30 on page 51)

When a player has passed out o rotation

(a) beore any player has bid or when it was the turn

o his RHO** to call, (penalty) the oender mustpass when next it is his turn to call.

* He alone exercises the option, although any player may

draw attention to the irregularity.

**Ater any player has bid, a call at the turn o oenders LHO

is a change o call; Law 25 applies and not this section.


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(b) ater any player has bid and when it was theturn o the oenders partner to call, (penalty)the oender must pass whenever it is his turnto call. The oenders partner may make a

sucient bid or may pass, but may not double orredouble at that turn.

Law 31 Bid out o Rotation(Club Law 31 on page 51)

When a player has bid out o rotation

(a) at the turn o oenders partner to call or beoreany player has called when oenders LHO wasthe dealer, (penalty) the oenders partner mustpass whenever it is his turn to call (Law 23 (c)may apply), and the lead penalties o Law 26 willapply i he becomes a deender.

(b) at the turn o the oenders RHO* to call,(i) i RHO passes, the bid out o rotation must

be repeated, and there is no penalty (i thebid out o rotation was insucient, it mustbe corrected as provided in Law 27).

(ii) i RHO makes a legal** bid, double or

redouble, the oender may in turn makeany legal call. I such call repeats thedenomination o the bid out o rotation,(penalty) the oenders partner must passwhen next it is his turn to call (Law 23 (c)may apply). I the substituted call does notrepeat the denomination, (penalty) the

oenders partner must pass whenever it ishis turn to call (Law 23 (c) may apply), andthe lead penalties o Law 26 will apply i hebecomes a deender.

*Ater any player has bid, a call at the turn o oenders LHO

is a change o call; Law 25 applies and not this section.

**An illegal call by that opponent may be penalized in the

usual way, ater which this subsection, (b)(ii), applies.


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Law 32 Double or Redouble out o Rotation(Club Law 32 on page 51)

When a player has doubled or redoubled out o rotation*,

(a) i it was the oenders partners turn to call,(penalty) the oenders partner must passwhenever it is his turn to call (Law 23 (c) mayapply). The oender may not thereater, in turn,double or redouble the same bid he doubled outo turn, and the lead penalties o Law 26 (b) willapply i he becomes a deender.

(b) i it was the turn o oenders RHO* to call,

(i) i oenders RHO passes, the double orredouble out o rotation must be repeatedand there is no penalty.

(ii) i oenders RHO bids, the oender may inturn make any legal call, and (penalty) the

oenders partner must pass when next it ishis turn to call (Law 23 (c) may apply), andthe lead penalties o Law 26 (b) will apply ihe becomes a deender.

Law 33 Simultaneous Calls

A call made simultaneously with one made by the playerwhose turn it was to call is deemed to be a subsequent call.

Law 34 Retention o the Right to CallWhen a call has been ollowed by three passes, the auction

does not end when one o those passes was out o rotation,thereby depriving a player o his right to call at that turn.The auction reverts to the player who missed his turn. Allsubsequent passes are canceled and the auction proceeds asthough there had been no irregularity.

*Ater any player has called, a call at oenders LHOs turn is

a change o call; Law 25 applies and not this section.


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inmble CllLaw 35 Inadmissible Call Condoned

When, ater an inadmissible call specied below, oendersLHO makes a call beore a penalty has been assessed, there isno penalty or the oense (the lead penalties o Law 26 do notapply). I the inadmissible call was

(a) a double or redouble not permitted by Law 19,that call and all subsequent calls are canceled.The auction reverts to the player whose turn it isto call and proceeds as though there had been no

irregularity.(b) a bid, double or redouble by a player required by

Law to pass, that call and subsequent legal callsstand, but i the oender was required to pass orthe remainder o the auction, he must still passat subsequent turns.

(c) a bid o more than seven, that call and allsubsequent calls are canceled. The oender mustsubstitute a pass, and the auction proceeds asthrough there had been no irregularity.

(d) a call ater the auction is closed, that call and allsubsequent calls are canceled without penalty.

Law 36 Inadmissible Double or Redouble(Club Law 36 on page 52)

Any double or redouble not permitted by Law 19 is canceled.The oender must substitute a legal call, and (penalty) theoenders partner must pass whenever it is his turn to call(Law 23 (c) may apply), and the lead penalties o Law 26 (b)

will apply i he becomes a deender.I the right o the nonoending side to penalize is oreited,

Law 35 applies.

Law 37 Bid, Double or Redouble in Violation o theObligation to Pass

A bid, double or redouble by a player who is required byLaw to pass is canceled, and (penalty) both members o theoending side must pass during the remainder o the auction


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(Law 23 (c) may apply), and the lead penalties o Law 26 willapply i they become deenders.

Law 38 Bid o More Than Seven(Club Law 38 on page 48)

No contract o more than seven is ever permissible. A bid omore than seven by any player is canceled, and (penalty) bothmembers o the oending side must pass during the remaindero the auction (Law 23 (c) may apply), and the lead penaltieso Law 26 will apply i they become deenders.

Law 39 Call ater the Auction Is closed(Club Law 39 on page 52)

A call ater the auction is closed is canceled, and

(a) i it is a pass by a deender or any call by declareror dummy, there is no penalty.

(b) i it is a bid, double or redouble by a deender,the lead penalties o Law 26 apply, unless the callhas been condoned (see Law 35 (d)).

Law 40 Partnership Agreements(Club Law 40 on page 52)

A player may make any call or play (including an intentionally

misleading call such as a psychic bid or a call or play thatdeparts rom commonly accepted or previously announcedpractice) without prior announcement, provided that it is notbased on a partnership understanding. But a player may notmake use o a bidding or play agreement unless

(a) his side has disclosed its use o such a call or

play beorehand, or(b) it has been agreed beorehand that the use o

partnership understandings be disclosed atthe time they are used. His partner must thendisclose it. In this case, partners disclosure mustbe conned to an indication that a partnershipunderstanding has been used; he should not oer

any explanation unless requested to do so.Any group may restrict the use o special partnership

understandings in its games.


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Part Vi

the PlyCorrect Procedure

Law 41 Opening Lead, Review, QuestionsAter the auction closes*, declarers LHO makes the opening

lead. Ater the opening lead, dummy spreads his hand in ronto him on the table, ace up, sorted into suits, the cards inorder o rank in columns pointing lengthwise toward declarer,with trumps, i any, to dummys right. Declarer plays both his

hand and that o dummy.Declarer, beore making any play, or either deender, at his

rst turn to play, may require a restatement o the auctionin its entirety.

Ater it is too late to have previous calls restated, declareror either deender is entitled to be inormed what thecontract is and whether, but not by whom, it was doubled

or redoubled.Either deender may require an explanation o the

partnership understanding relating to any call made by anopponent (see Proprieties 4), but only at that deenders ownturn to play. Declarer may at any time require an explanationo the partnership understanding relating to any call or playmade by a deender.

Law 42 Dummys RightsDummy is entitled to give inormation as to act or Law

but may not initiate the discussion, and provided he has notoreited his rights (see Law 43), he may also

(a) ask declarer (but not a deender), when he has

ailed to ollow suit, whether he has a card o thesuit led.

(b) try to prevent any irregularity **by declarer.

(c) draw attention to any irregularity, but only aterplay is concluded.

*Ater the fnal pass, either deender has the right to ask i it is

his opening lead.

**He may, or example, warn declarer against leading rom

the wrong hand.


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Law 43 Dummys LimitationsDummy may not participate in the play (except to play the

cards o dummys hand as directed by declarer) or make anycomment on the bidding, play or score o the current deal. I

he does so, Law 16 may apply. During play, dummy may notcall attention to an irregularity once it has occurred.

Dummy oreits the rights provided in (a), (b) and (c) oLaw 42 i he exchanges hands with declarer, leaves his seat towatch declarer play or, on his own initiative, looks at the aceo a card in either deenders hand. I, thereater,

(a) he is the rst to draw attention to a deendersirregularity, declarer may not enorce anypenalty or the oense.

(b) he warns declarer not to lead rom the wronghand, (penalty) either deender may choose thehand rom which declarer shall lead.

(c) he is the rst to ask declarer i a play romdeclarers hand constitutes a revoke, declarermust substitute a correct card i his play was arevoke, and (penalty) unless Law 64(d) applies,one trick is transerred to the deending side.

Law 44 Sequence and Procedure o Play

The player who leads to a trick may play any card in hishand*. Ater the lead, each other player in turn plays a card,and the our cards so played constitute a trick.

In playing to a trick, each player must ollow suit i possible.This obligation takes precedence over all other requirementso these Laws. I unable to ollow suit, a player may play anycard*.

A trick containing a trump is won by the player who hascontributed to it the highest trump. A trick that does notcontain a trump is won by the player who has contributed toit the highest card o the suit led. The player who has wonthe trick leads to the next trick.

*Unless he is subject to restriction ater an irregularity

committed by his side.


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Law 45 Card PlayedEach player except dummy should play a card by detaching

it rom his hand and placing it ace up on the table, whereother players can easily reach and see it. Dummy, i instructed

by declarer to do so, may play rom his hand a card named ordesignated by declarer*.

A card must be played

(a) i it is a deenders card held so that it is possibleor his partner to see its ace.

(b) i it is a card rom declarers hand that declarer

holds ace up, touching or nearly touchingthe table, or maintains in such a position as toindicate that it has been played.

(c) i it is a card in dummy deliberately touchedby declarer except or the purpose o arrangingdummys cards or o reaching a card above orbelow the card or cards touched.

(d) i the player who holds the card names orotherwise designates it as the card he proposesto play. A player may, without penalty, changean inadvertent designation i he does so withoutpause or thought, but i an opponent has, inturn played a card that was legal beore the

change o designation, that opponent may,without penalty, withdraw any card so playedand substitute another.

(e) i it is a penalty card subject to Law 50.A card played may not be withdrawn except as provided

in Law 47.

*I dummy places in played position a card declarer did not

name, the card must be withdrawn i attention is drawn to itbeore each side has played to the next trick, and a deender

may withdraw (without penalty) a card played ater the error

but beore attention was drawn to it (see Law 47).


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Law 46 Partial Designation o a Card to Be Playedrom Dummys Hand

When declarer instructs dummy to play a card romdummys hand, as permitted by Law 45, but names only a

suit or only the rank o the card, or the equivalent, withoutully speciying the card to be played, declarer must completehis partial designation. Dummy must not play a card beoredeclarer has completed his partial designation.

Law 47 Retraction o a Card Played

(Club Law 47 on page 52)A card once played may be withdrawn only

(a) to comply with a penalty, or to correct anillegal play or to correct the simultaneousplay o two or more cards (see Law 58); ia deenders card that has been exposed iswithdrawn under this sub-section, it becomes a

penalty card (see Law 50), or

(b) ater a change o designation as permitted byLaw 45 (d), or

(c) ater an opponents change o play, to substitutea card or one played*, or

(d) to correct a play* ater misinormation by an

opponent. A lead out o turn may be retractedwithout penalty i the leader was mistakenlyinormed by an opponent that it was his turnto lead.

*The oending side must not base any subsequent plays on

inormation gained rom such a withdrawn play.


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Penly CLaw 48 Exposure o Declarers Cards

Declarer is not subject to penalty or exposing a card, andno card o declarers or dummys ever becomes a penaltycard. Declarer is not required to play any card droppedaccidentally.

When declarer aces his cards ater an opening lead out oturn, Law 54 applies. When declarer aces his cards at any othertime, he may be deemed to have made a claim or concessiono tricks, in which case Law 68 applies.

Law 49 Exposure o a Deenders CardsWhenever a deender aces a card on the table, holds a card

so that it is possible or his partner to see its ace or names acard as being in his hand beore he is entitled to do so in thenormal course o play or application o the Law, (penalty) eachsuch card becomes a penalty card (Law 50).*

Law 50 Disposition o a Penalty cardA deenders card is a penalty card when prematurely

exposed. It must be let ace up on the table until it is playedor until an alternate penalty has been selected.

A single card below the rank o an honor and exposedinadvertently (as in playing two cards to a trick or in dropping

a card accidentally) becomes a minor penalty card. Any penaltycard o honor rank or any card exposed through deliberate play(as in leading out o turn or in revoking and then correcting)becomes a major penalty card; when one deender has twoor more penalty cards, all such cards become major penaltycards.

When a deender has a minor penalty card, he may not playany other card o the same suit below the rank o an honoruntil he has rst played the penalty card. (However, he isentitled to play an honor card instead o the minor penaltycard.) There is no urther penalty, but the oenders partnermust not base any subsequent play on inormation gainedthrough seeing the penalty card.

*Exposure o a card or cards by a deender who is making a

clam or concession o tricks is subject to Law 70.


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When a deender has a major penalty card, such card mustbe played at the rst legal opportunity, whether in leading,ollowing suit, discarding or trumping. I a deender has twoor more penalty cards that can legally be played, declarer may

designate which is to be played. The obligation to ollow suitor to comply with a lead or play penalty takes precedenceover the obligation to play a penalty card, but the penaltycard must still be let ace up on the table and played at thenext legal opportunity.

When a deender has the lead while his partner has a majorpenalty card, declarer may choose to impose a lead penalty at

this point; he may require that deender to lead the suit o thepenalty card or may prohibit that deender rom leading thatsuit (a prohibition continues or as long as he retains the leads).I declarer does impose a lead penalty, the penalty card is pickedup at once. I declarer does not, the deender may lead any card,but the penalty card remains a penalty card. The deender may

not lead until declarer has indicated his choice.

Law 51 Two or More Penalty CardsWhen a deender has two or more penalty cards in one suit,

and declarer requires or prohibits the lead o that suit, thedeender may pick up every penalty card in that suit and maymake any legal play to the trick.

When a deender has penalty cards in more than one suit,declarer may prohibit the deenders partner rom leadingevery such suit or require him to lead one such suit, but thedeender may then pick up every penalty card in every suitrequired or prohibited by declarer and may make any legalplay to the trick.

Law 52 Failure to Lead or Play a Penalty CardWhen a deender is required by Law 50 to play a penalty

card but instead plays another card, he must leave the illegallyplayed card ace up on the table and

(a) declarer may accept the deenders lead or playand must do so i he has thereater played rom

his or dummys hand, but the unplayed penaltycard remains a penalty card, or


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(b) declarer may require the deender to substitutethe penalty card or the card illegally played, inwhich case the illegally played card becomes amajor penalty card.

Le ou o tunLaw 53 Lead out o Turn Accepted

Any lead out o turn may be treated by an opponent as a

correct lead. It becomes a correct lead i an opponent acceptsit by making a statement to that eect or i that opponent nextto play plays a card to the irregular lead*.

However, the player whose turn it was to lead unless he isthe oenders partner may make his proper lead subsequentto the inraction without his card being treated as played to

the irregular lead. The proper lead stands, and all cards playedin error to this trick may be withdrawn without penalty.

Law 54 Opening Lead out o TurnWhen a deender makes the opening lead out o turn,

(a) declarer may accept the irregular lead asprovided in Law 53. Dummys hand is spread inaccordance with Law 41, and the second cardto the trick is played rom declarers hand, buti declarer rst plays to the trick rom dummyshand, dummys card may not be withdrawnexcept to correct a revoke.

*When such a play is made by a deender who is not next to

play ater the irregular lead, Law 57 applies.


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(b) declarer must accept the irregular lead i hecould have seen any o dummys cards (exceptcards exposed during the auction, subject to Law23). He is deemed to have accepted the irregular

lead i he begins to spread his hand as thoughhe were dummy and in so doing exposes oneor more cards; declarer must spread his entirehand, and dummy becomes declarer*.

(c) declarer may accept the irregular lead byspreading his hand and becoming dummy; his

partner becomes the declarer.(d) declarer may require the deender to retract his

irregular lead (except as provided in (b) above),and then Law 56 applies.

Law 55 Declarers Lead out o Turn(Club Law 55 on page 52)

When declarer leads out o turn rom his or dummyshand,

(a) either deender may accept that lead as providedin Law 53.

(b) either deender may require declarer to retractthat lead. Then,

(i) i it was a deenders turn to lead, declarerrestores the card led in error to his ordummys hand without penalty.

(ii) i declarer has led rom the wrong hand whenit was his turn to lead rom his or dummyshand, he withdraws the card led in error; he

must lead a card rom the correct hand.

*I cards are so exposed rom both declarers and dummyshands, the player who was regularly to become declarer

remains declarer.


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(iii) i declarer adopts a line o play that couldhave been based on inormation obtainedthrough his inraction, the oenders shouldredress the damage in accordance with

Proprieties 1.

Law 56 Deenders Lead out o TurnWhen a deender leads out o turn,

(a) declarer may accept that lead as provided inLaw 53.

(b) declarer may require the deender to retractthat lead; the card illegally led becomes a majorpenalty card (see Law 50 note that leadpenalties are provided).

iegul Le n PlyLaw 57 Premature Lead or Play by a DeenderWhen a deender leads to the next trick beore his partner

has played to the current trick or plays out o turn beore hispartner has played, (penalty) declarer may

(a) require oenders partner to play his highest

card o the suit led, or(b) require oenders partner to play his lowest card

o the suit led, or

(c) prohibit oenders partner rom playing any cardo one dierent suit specied by declarer.

Declarer must select one o these options, and i theoenders partner cannot comply with the penalty selected,he may play any card, as provided in Law 59.

When, as a result o the application o the penalty, theoenders partner wins the current trick, he leads to thenext trick, and any card led or played out o turn by the otherdeender becomes a major penalty card (Law 50).

A deender is not subject to penalty or playing beore his

partner i declarer has played rom both hands, but a singletonor one o two or more equal cards in dummy is not consideredautomatically played unless dummy has played the card.


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Law 58 Simultaneous Leads or PlaysA lead or play made simultaneously with another players

legal lead or play is deemed to be subsequent to it.

I a deender leads or plays two or more cards simultaneously,and i only one such card is visible, he must play that card; imore than one card is exposed, he must designate the cardhe proposes to play, and each other card exposed becomes apenalty card ( Law 50).

I declarer leads or plays two or more cards simultaneouslyrom either hand, he must designate the card he proposes to play

and must restore any other card to the correct hand. I declarerwithdraws a visible card and a deender has already played to thatcard, such deender may, without penalty, withdraw his card andsubstitute another (see ootnote to Law 47).

I the error remains undiscovered until both sides haveplayed to the next trick, Law 67 applies.

Law 59 Inability to Lead or Play as RequiredA player may play any otherwise legal card i he is unable

to lead or play as required to comply with a penalty, whetherbecause he holds no card o the required suit, or because hehas only cards o a suit he is prohibited rom leading or becausehe is obliged to ollow suit.

Law 60 Play ater an Illegal PlayA play by a member o the nonoending side ater his RHO

has played out o turn and beore a penalty has been imposedoreits the rights to penalize the oense. The illegal play istreated as though it were in turn (but Law 53 applies to theplayer whose turn it was). I the oending side had a previous

obligation to play a penalty card or to comply with a lead orplay penalty, the obligation remains at uture turns.

When a deender plays ater declarer has been requiredto retract his lead out o turn rom either hand but beoredeclarer has led rom the correct hand, the deenders cardbecomes a penalty card (Law 50).

A play by a member o the oending side beore a penalty

had been imposed does not aect the rights o the opponentsand may itsel be subject to penalty.


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the revokeLaw 61 Failure to Follow Suit Inquiries

Concerning a RevokeFailure to ollow suit in accordance with Law 44 or ailure

to lead or play, when able, a card or suit required by Lawor specied by an opponent in accordance with a penaltyconstitutes a revoke. Any player may ask a player who hasailed to ollow suit whether he has a card o the suit led andmay demand that an opponent correct his revoke, except thatdummy* may ask o declarer, but not o a deender. (A claim

o revoke does not warrant inspection o quitted tricks, exceptas permitted in Law 66.)

Law 62 Correction o a RevokeA player must correct his revoke i he becomes aware o

it beore it becomes established (see Law 63). To correct arevoke, the oender withdraws the card he played in revoking

and ollows suit with any card. A card so withdrawn becomes amajor penalty card (Law 50) i it was played rom a deendersunaced hand. The card may be replaced without penalty iit was played rom declarers or dummys hand** or i it wasa deenders aced card. Each member o the nonoendingside may, without penalty, withdraw any card he may have

played ater the revoke but beore attention was drawn to it(see ootnote to Law 47). Ater a nonoender so withdrawsa card, the hand o the oending side next in rotation maywithdraw a played card, which becomes a major penalty cardi played rom a deenders hand.

On the 12th trick, a revoke, even i established, must becorrected i discovered beore the cards have been mixed

together. I the revoke was committed by a deender beore hispartner has played to the 12th trick, and i oenders partnerholds cards o more than one suit, (penalty) declarer may thenrequire the oenders partner to play to that trick either othe two cards he could legally have played.

*Unless he has oreited his rights, as specifed by Law 43.**Subject to Law 43. A clam o revoke does not warrant

inspection o quitted tricks, except as permitted in Law 67.


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Law 63 Establishment o a RevokeA revoke becomes established when the oender or his

partner leads or plays (whether legally or illegally) to theollowing trick, or names or otherwise designates a card to be

so played or makes a claim or concession o tricks orally or byacing his hand. The revoke may then no longer be corrected(except or a revoke on the 12th trick see Law 62), and thetrick on which the revoke occurred stands as played.

Law 64 Procedure ater Establishment o a Revoke(Club Law 64 on page 52)

When a revoke has become established,

(a) i the oending player* won the trick on whichthe revoke occurred, (penalty) that trick and oneo any subsequent tricks won by the oendingside are transerred** to the nonoending side(i no subsequent trick was won by the oending

side, only the revoke trick is transerred).(b) i the oenders partner won the trick on which

the revoke occurred, (penalty) that trick istranserred** to the nonoending side, and ithe oending player himsel won a subsequenttrick with a card that could legally have beenplayed to the revoke trick, one additionaltrick (but no more) is transerred ** to thenonoending side.

(c) i the nonoending side won the trick on whichthe revoke occurred, and i the oending sidewon any trick ater the revoke, (penalty)

(i) the rst such trick is transerred** to the

nonoending side, and

* I declarer revokes but wins the trick on which the revokeoccurred in dummy, subsection (b) applies.

**See Law 77 or the scoring o transerred tricks.


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(ii) i the oending side won two or more tricksater the revoke, any o which was won by theoending player with a card he could legallyhave played to the revoke trick, an additional

trick is transerred* to the nonoending side.(d) there is no trick penalty or the established

revoke

(i) i the oending side did not win either thetrick on which the revoke occurred or anysubsequent trick, or

(ii) i the revoke was a subsequent revoke in thesame suit by the same player, or

(iii) i the revoke was made in ailing to play anycard aced on, or belonging to a hand acedon, the table, including a card rom dummyshand, or

(iv) i attention was rst drawn to the revokeater all players had abandoned theirhands and permitted the cards to be mixedtogether, or

(v) i the revoke was on the 12th trick(see Law 62).

N.B. When any established revoke, including one notsubject to penalty, causes damage to the nonoending sideinsuciently compensated by the Law, the oending sideshould, under Proprieties 1, transer additional tricks so asto restore equity.

*See Law 77 or the scoring o transerred tricks.


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tckLaw 65 Collection and Arrangement o Tricks

The cards constituting each completed trick are collected bya member o the side that won the trick and are then turnedace down on the table. Each trick shall be identiable as such,and all tricks taken by a side shall be arranged in sequence inront o declarer or o one deender, as the case may be, in sucha manner that each side can determine the number o tricksit has won and the order in which they were taken.

Law 66 Inspection o TricksDeclarer or either deender may, until a member o his side

has led or played to the ollowing trick, inspect a trick andinquire what card each player has played to it. Thereater, untilplay ceases, quitted tricks may be inspected only to accountor a missing or surplus card. Ater play ceases, the tricksand unplayed cards may be inspected to settle an allegation

o a revoke, o honors or o the number o tricks won or lost.I, ater an allegation has been made, a player on one sidemakes verication o the allegation impossible, as by mixingthe cards or merging the tricks, the issue must be decided inavor o the other side.

Law 67 Trick either Appropriated in Error or DeectiveA trick appropriated by the wrong side must, upon demand,be restored to the side that has in act won it*.

A trick containing more or ewer than our cards is deective.When one player is ound, during play, to have ewer ormore cards than all o the other players, the previous tricksshould be orthwith examined, ace down; i a deective trick

is discovered, the player with a correspondingly incorrectnumber o cards is held responsible. The deective trick isinspected ace up and

(a) until the responsible player has played to asubsequent trick, the deective trick is rectiedas ollows:

*See Law 78 i calls have been made on a subsequent deal.


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(i) i the oender has ailed to play a card to thedeective trick, he adds to that trick a card hecan legally play.

(ii) i the oender has played more than one card

to the deective trick, he withdraws all butone card, leaving a card he can legally play.

(iii) the nonoending side may, withoutpenalty, withdraw any cards played ater theirregularity and beore attention was drawn toit (see ootnote to Law 47), but the oending

side may not withdraw cards that constitutelegal plays, and any cards they withdraw maybecome penalty cards (Law 50).

(b) ater the responsible player has played to asubsequent trick, the ownership o the deectivetrick cannot be changed and

(i) i the oender has ailed to play a card to thedeective trick, he orthwith aces and addsa card to that trick, i possible one he couldlegally have played to it.

(ii) i the oender has played more than one cardto the deective trick, he withdraws all butone card, leaving the highest card he could

legally have played to that trick. A withdrawncard may become a penalty card (Law 50);such a card is deemed to have belongedcontinuously to the oenders hand andailure to have played it to an earlier trickmay constitute a revoke.


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Clm n ConceonLaw 68 Declarers Claim or Concession o Tricks

Declarer makes a claim or a concession whenever heannounces that he will win or lose one or more o the remainingtricks, or suggests that play be curtailed or aces his hand.Declarer should not make a claim or concession i there is anydoubt as to the number o tricks to be won or lost.

Law 69 Procedure Following Declarers Claimor Concession

(Club Law 69 on page 52)When declarer has made a claim or a concession, play is

temporarily suspended and declarer must place and leave hishand ace up on the table and orthwith make a comprehensivestatement as to his proposed plan o play, including the orderin which he will play the remaining cards.

Declarers claim or concession is allowed, and the deal is

scored accordingly i both deenders agree to it. The claim orconcession must be allowed i either deender has permittedany o his remaining cards to be mixed with another playerscards; otherwise, i either deender disputes declarers claimor concession, it is not allowed. Then, play continues.

When his claim or concession is not allowed, declarer mustplay on, leaving his hand ace up on the table. At any time,

either deender may ace his hand or inspection by his partner,and declarer may not impose a penalty or any irregularitycommitted by a deender whose hand is so aced.

The objective o subsequent play is to achieve a result asequitable as possible to both sides, but any doubtul pointmust be resolved in avor o the deenders. Declarer may not

make any play inconsistent with the statement he may havemade at the time o his claim or concession. I he ailed tomake any appropriate statement at that time, his choice oplays is restricted thereby:


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(a) i declarer made no relevant statement, he maynot nesse* in any suit unless an opponentailed to ollow in that suit beore the claim orconcession or would subsequently ail to ollow in

that suit on any conceivable sequence o plays.(b) i declarer may have been unaware at the

time o his claim or concession that a trumpremained in a deenders hand, either deendermay require him to draw or not to draw theoutstanding trump.

(c) i declarer did not, in his statement, mentionan unusual plan o play, he may adopt only aroutine line o play.

I declarer attempts to make a play prohibited under thisLaw, either deender may accept the play or, provided neitherdeender has subsequently played, require declarer to withdrawthe card so played and substitute another that conorms tohis obligations.

Law 70 Deenders Claim or Concession o Tricks(Club Law 70 on page 54)

A deender makes a concession when he agrees to declarers

claim or when he announces that he will lose one or more othe remaining tricks.

A deender makes a claim when he announces that he willwin one or more o the remaining tricks or when he showsany or all o his cards or this purpose. I

(a) the claim pertains only to an uncompleted trickcurrently in progress, play proceeds normally;cards exposed or otherwise revealed by thedeender in making his claim do not becomepenalty cards, but Law 16, UnauthorizedInormation, may apply to a claimers partner.

*For these purposes, a fnesse is a play the success o whichdepends on fnding one deender rather than the other with or

without a particular card.


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(b) the claim pertains to subsequent tricks, play istemporarily suspended; the claimer must placeand leave his hand ace up on the table and make

a comprehensive statement as to his proposedplan o deense. The claim is allowed and thedeal scored accordingly i declarer agrees to it. Ideclarer disputes the claim, the deenders mustplay on with the claimers hand ace up on thetable. Those cards do not become penalty cards.However, declarer may prohibit claimers partner

rom making any play that could be suggested tohim by seeing the aced cards.

Law 71 Concession WithdrawnA concession may be withdrawn

(a) i a player concedes a trick his side has in act

won, or i declarer concedes deeat o a contracthe has already ullled or i a deender concedesulllment o a contract his side has alreadydeeated. (I the score has been entered, seeLaw 78.)

(b) i a trick that has been conceded cannot belost by any probable sequence o play o theremaining cards and i attention is drawn to theact beore the cards have been mixed together.

(c) i a deender concedes one or more tricks andhis partner immediately objects, but Law 16may apply.


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P Vii

the scoeLaw 72 Points Earned

The result o each deal played is recorded in points, whichall into two classes:

1. Trick Points. Only declarers side can earn trickpoints and only by winning at least the numbero odd tricks specied in the contract. Only thevalue o odd tricks named in the contract may bescored as trick points (see Law 81). Trick points

mark the progression o the rubber toward itscompletion.

2. Premium Points. Either side or both sides mayearn premium points. Declarers side earnspremium points by winning one or moreovertricks, by ullling a doubled or redoubled

contract, by bidding and making a slam,by holding scorable honors in declarers ordummys hand or by winning the nal game o arubber.* The deenders earn premium points bydeeating the contract (undertrick penalty) or byholding scorable honors in either o their hands(see Law 81).

Each sides premium points are added to its trick points atthe conclusion o the rubber.

Law 73 Partscore GameThe basic units o trick points are partscore and game. A

partscore is recorded or declarers side whenever declarer

ullls a contract or which the trick points are less than 100points. Game is won by that side which is the rst to havescored 100 or more trick points either in a single deal orby addition o two or more partscores made separately. Nopartscore made by either side in the course o one game iscarried orward into the next game.

*See Law 80 or incomplete rubber.


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Law 74 The RubberA rubber ends when a side has won two games. At the

conclusion o the rubber, the winners o two games arecredited with a premium score o 500 points i the other side

has won a game or with 700 points i the other side has notwon a game. The trick points and the premium points scoredby each side in the course o the rubber are then added. Theside with the larger combined total wins the rubber, and thedierence between the two totals represents the margin ovictory computed in points.

Law 75 Method o ScoringThe score o each deal must be recorded, and it is preerable

that a member o each side should keep score.Scores are entered in two adjacent columns separated by a

vertical line. Each scorer enters points earned by his side inthe let-hand column and points earned by his opponents in

the right-hand column.Each side has a trick-point score and a premium-point

score, separated by a horizontal line intersecting the verticalline. All trick-point scores are entered, as they are earned, indescending order below the horizontal line (below the line).All premium-point scores are entered, as they are earned, inascending order above the horizontal line.

Whenever a game is won, another horizontal line is drawnunder all trick-point scores recorded or either side, in order tomark completion o the game. Subsequent trick-point scoresare entered below that line.

Law 76 Responsibility or the Score

When the play o a deal is completed, all our players areequally responsible or ascertaining that the number o trickswon by each side is correctly determined and that all scoresare promptly and correctly entered.


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Law 77 Transerred TricksA trick transerred through a revoke penalty is reckoned

or all scoring purposes as though it had been won in play bythe side to which it had been awarded*.

Law 78 Correction o the ScoreWhen it is acknowledged by a majority o the players that

a scoring error was made in recording an agreed-upon result(e.g., ailure to enter honors or incorrect computation o score),the error must be corrected i discovered beore the net score

o the rubber has been agreed to. However, except with theconsent o all our players, an erroneous agreement as to thenumber o tricks won by each side may not be corrected aterall players have called on the next deal.

In case o disagreement between two scores kept, the recollectiono the majority o the players as to the acts governs.

Law 79 Deals Played with an Incorrect PackScores recorded or deals played with an incorrect pack

are not subject to change by reason o the discovery o theimperection ater the cards have been mixed together.

Law 80 Incomplete Rubber

When, or any reason, a rubber is not nished, the score iscomputed as ollows:

I only one game has been completed, the winners o that gameare credited with 300 points; i only one side has a partscore orpartscores in a game not completed, that side is credited with100 points; the trick points and premium points o each sideare then added, and the side with the greater number o points

wins the dierence between the two totals.

*Declarer plays in 3 and takes eight tricks. A revoke by a

deender is ound to have been established, with the penalty

determined to be two tricks. Two tricks are transerred rom

the oenders to declarer, who thereore has 10 tricks. Sincehe bid only 3, he scores 90 trick points, which count toward

game, and 30 premium points or the overtrick.


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Law 81 Scoring TableTrick Score

Scored below the line by declarers side.Rubber, Game, Partscore, Contract Fullled

IF TRUMPS ARE

For each trick over six,

bid and madeUndoubled 20 20 30 30Doubled 40 40 60 60Redoubled 80 80 120 120

AT A NOTRUMP CONTRACTUndoubled Doubled Redoubled

For the rst trick over six,bid and made 40 80 160

For each additional trickover six, bid and made 30 60 120

The rst side to score 100 points below the line, in one ormore deals, wins a game. When a game is won, both sidesstart without trick score toward the next game. First side towin two games wins the rubber points.

Premium ScoreScored above the line by declarers side.

For winning the rubber, i opponents have won no game ... 700For winning the rubber, i opponents have won one game . 500For having won the only game in an unfnished rubber* ... 300For having the only partscore in an unfnished game* ...... 100For making any doubled contract ........................................... 50For making any redoubled contract ..................................... 100

Slams NotFor making a slam, Vulnerable Vulnerable

Small slam (12 tricks), 500 750bid and made

Grand slam (all 13 tricks), 1000 1500bid and made

*When there is more than one table in play or a session, both

sides may (should) receive the bonus or a partscore or game

in an unfnished rubber.


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Overtricks

For each overtrick Not(tricks made in Vulnerable Vulnerable

excess o contract)

Undoubled Trick Value Trick Value

Doubled 100 200

Redoubled 200 400

Honors

Scored above the line by either sideFor holding our o the ve trump honors

(A, K, Q, J, 10) in one hand ....................................... 100

For holding all ve trump honors(A, K, Q, J, 10) in one hand ....................................... 150

Fore holding all our aces in one hand

at a notrump contract ................................................ 150

Undertrick PenaltiesTricks by which declarer ails to ulll the contract: scored

above the line by declarers opponents, i contract is notullled.

NOT VULNERABLEUndoubled Doubled Redoubled

For rst undertrick 50 100 200

For second and third 50 200 400undertrick

For each additional 50 300 600

undertrick

VULNERABLEUndoubled Doubled Redoubled

For rst undertrick 100 200 400

For each additional 100 300 600

undertrick


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Popee1. General Principles

These Laws cannot cover every situation that might arise,nor can they produce equity in every situation covered.

Occasionally the players themselves must redress damage.The guiding principle: The side that commits an irregularitybears an obligation not to gain directly rom the inractionitsel; however, the oending side is entitled to prot ater aninraction, as an indirect result, through subsequent goodortune*.

To inringe a Law intentionally is a serious breach o ethics,

even i there is a prescribed penalty that one is willing topay. The oense may be the more serious when no penaltyis prescribed.

There is no obligation to draw attention to an inadvertentinraction o Law committed by ones own side. However, aplayer should not attempt to conceal such an inraction, asby committing a second revoke, concealing a card involvedin a revoke or mixing the cards prematurely.

It is proper to warn partner against inringing a Law o thegame: or example, against revoking or against calling, leadingor playing out o turn.

* Two examples may clariy the distinction between direct gainthrough an inraction and indirect gain through good luck.

(a) South, declarer at 3NT, will have nine tricks available ithe diamond suit six cards headed by the ace, king andqueen in dummy opposite declarers singleton dividesavorably, and the six missing diamonds are in act split

evenly, 33, between East and West. However, West, whoholds three diamonds heading by the jack, shows out onthe third round o diamonds, revoking. Thus, declarer

wins only three diamond tricks instead o six, or a totalo six tricks instead o nine. The established revokeis later discovered, so one penalty trick is transerredater play ends. But declarer is still down two. Here,EastWest gained two tricks as a direct consequence otheir inraction. The players should adjudicate this result,

scoring the deal as 3NT making three. Note that declareris not given a penalty trick in addition; the object is torestore equity, to restore the result likely to have occurredhad the inraction not been committed.


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2. Communication between PartnersCommunication between partners during the auction and

play should be eected only by means o the calls and playsthemselves, not through the manner in which they are made

nor through extraneous remarks and gestures, nor throughquestions asked o the opponents and explanations given tothem. Calls should be made in a uniorm tone without specialemphasis or infection and without undue hesitation or haste.Plays should be made without emphasis, gesture or mannerismand so ar as possible at a uniorm rate.

Inadvertently to vary the tempo or manner in which a call

or play is made does not in itsel constitute a violation opropriety, but inerences rom such variation may properly bedrawn only by an opponent, and at his own risk. It is improperto attempt to mislead an opponent by means o a remark or agesture, through the haste or hesitancy o a call or play (suchas a hesitation with a singleton) or by the manner in whichthe call or play is made.

Any player may properly attempt to deceive an opponentthrough a call or play (so long as the deception is not protectedby concealed partnership understanding). It is entirely properto make all calls and plays in unvarying tempo and manner inorder to avoid giving inormation to the opponents.

When a player has available to him improper inormationrom his partners remark, question, explanation, gesture,mannerism, special emphasis, infection, haste or hesitation,he should careully avoid taking any advantage that mightaccrue to his side.

(b) South, declarer at 4, is entitled to require or orbid adiamond opening lead rom West because o an auction-period inraction committed by East. Declarer instructs

West to lead a diamond but West, having no diamonds,leads another suit. East, now aware that partner is voidin diamonds, is able to nd what would be, under normalcircumstances, a most unnatural line o deense to let

West trump two diamonds. Thereby, EastWest deeata contract that would almost certainly have been madebut or the inraction. Here, EastWest proted onlyindirectly through their auction-period inraction; theirgain was the direct consequence o declarers decision

to require a diamond lead, and o Wests lucky void. So,the players should allow the result to stand. Declarerwas damaged not by the inraction itsel but by bad luckaterwards and luck is part o the game o bridge.


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3. Conduct and EtiquetteA player should maintain at all times a courteous attitude

toward his partner and opponents. He should careully avoid anyremark or action that might cause annoyance or embarrassment

to another player or might interere with the enjoyment o thegame. Every player should ollow uniorm and correct procedurein calling and playing, since any departure rom correctstandards may disrupt the orderly progress o the game.

As a matter o courtesy, a player should rerain rom

(a) paying insucient attention to the game (as when

a player obviously takes no interest in his hand orrequently requests a review o the auction).

(b) making gratuitous comments during the play asto the auction or the adequacy o the contract.

(c) detaching a card rom his hand beore it is histurn to play.

(d) arranging completed tricks in a disorderlymanner, thereby making it dicult to determinethe sequence o plays.

(e) making a claim or a concession o tricks i thereis any doubt as to the outcome o the deal.

() prolonging play unnecessarily or the purpose odisconcerting the other players.

Furthermore, the ollowing are considered breaches opropriety:

(a) using dierent designations or the same call.

(b) indicating approval or disapproval o a call orplay.

(c) indicating the expectation or intention owinning or losing a trick that has not beencompleted.

(d) commenting or behaving during the auctionor play so as to call attention to a signicantoccurrence, or to the state o the score or to thenumber o tricks still required or success.

(e) showing an obvious lack o urther interest inthe deal (as by olding ones cards).

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