Laws 17–40 · Everyday Language edition
The auction period on a deal begins for a side once either partner takes their cards from the board.
The player the board designates as dealer makes the first call.
The player to dealer’s left calls second, and after that each player calls in turn, clockwise.
1. The auction period ends once either defender faces an opening lead, after the auction itself has ended as in Law 22A. (For a lead out of turn, see Law 54.) The gap between the end of the auction and the end of the auction period is called the Clarification Period.
2. If no one ever bids (see Law 22B), the auction period ends once all four hands are back in the board.
3. If a call is followed by three passes, the auction doesn’t end if any of those passes was out of turn and cost a player their turn to call. When that happens, the auction goes back to the player who missed their turn; every later pass is cancelled, and the auction carries on normally. Law 16C applies to the cancelled calls, and any player who passed out of turn is the offender.
A bid names a number of odd tricks (tricks beyond the first six), from one to seven, and a denomination. (Pass, double, and redouble are calls, but not bids.)
A bid supersedes an earlier one if it names either the same number of odd tricks in a higher-ranking denomination, or more odd tricks in any denomination.
A bid that supersedes the last preceding bid is sufficient.
A bid that fails to supersede the last preceding bid is insufficient. Making one is an infraction (see Law 27 for rectification).
Highest to lowest: no trump, spades, hearts, diamonds, clubs.
Regulating Authorities may authorize other ways of making calls.
1. A player may double only the last preceding bid, and only if an opponent made it, with no call other than pass in between.
2. When doubling, a player should not name the number of odd tricks or the denomination — the only correct form is the single word “Double.”
3. If a player misstates the bid (or its odd-trick count or denomination) while doubling, the double applies to the bid as it was actually made. (Law 16, unauthorized information, may apply.)
1. A player may redouble only the last preceding double, and only if an opponent made it, with no call other than pass in between.
2. When redoubling, a player should not name the number of odd tricks or the denomination — the only correct form is the single word “Redouble.”
3. If a player misstates the doubled bid (or its odd-trick count or denomination) while redoubling, the redouble applies to the bid as it was actually made. (Law 16 may apply.)
Any double or redouble is superseded by a later legal bid.
If no legal bid follows a doubled or redoubled bid, scoring values increase as Law 77 sets out.
A player may ask for clarification right away if in doubt about what call was made.
During the auction, a player is entitled to have all previous calls restated at their turn to call, unless they’re required by law to pass. Alerts should be included in the restatement. A player may not ask for only part of the calls to be restated, and may not stop the review once it’s started.
1. After the final pass, either defender may ask whether it’s their opening lead (see Laws 47E and 41).
2. Declarer, or either defender, may require all previous calls to be restated at their first turn to play (see Laws 41B and 41C). As in B, a player may not ask for a partial restatement or stop the review.
Only an opponent should respond to a request to have calls restated.
Every player, including dummy or a player who must pass, is responsible for promptly correcting any error in a restatement (see Law 12C1 if an uncorrected error causes damage).
1. During the auction, before the final pass, any player may ask — at their own turn to call — for an explanation of the opponents’ auction. A player is entitled to know which calls were actually made, what relevant alternative calls were available but not made, and what inferences follow from the choice of action, where these are matters of partnership understanding. Unless the Director says otherwise, the partner of whoever made the call in question should answer. The partner of a player who asks a question may not ask a follow-up question until their own turn to call or play. Law 16 may apply, and the Regulating Authority may set regulations for written explanations.
2. After the final pass, and throughout the play period, either defender may ask for an explanation of the opposing auction at their turn to play. Declarer may ask about a defender’s call or card-play understandings before playing from hand or dummy. Explanations follow the same basis as in 1, given by the partner of whoever’s action is being explained.
3. Under 1 and 2, a player may ask about a single call, but Law 16B1 may apply.
4. (a) If a player gives an explanation that’s wrong or incomplete and realizes this during the auction, the Director must be summoned — and the misexplanation corrected — before the end of the Clarification Period. The Director may be called sooner, though there’s no obligation to. (For a correction during the play period, see Law 75B2.)
(b) Once summoned, the Director applies Law 21B or Law 40B3.
5. (a) A player whose partner has given a mistaken explanation may not correct it during the auction, or hint in any way that a mistake was made. ‘Mistaken explanation’ here covers failing to Alert or announce when regulations require it, or Alerting (or announcing) when they don’t.
(b) A player who believes their partner’s explanation was wrong (see Law 75B) must call the Director and tell the opponents — but only at the first legal opportunity, which is:
(i) for a defender, at the end of play;
(ii) for declarer or dummy, after the final pass of the auction.
6. If the Director decides a player based an action on misinformation from an opponent, see Law 21 or Law 47E, as appropriate.
1. A player may not ask a question purely to help their partner.
2. A player may not ask a question purely to trick an opponent into an incorrect response.
3. Except where the Regulating Authority allows it, a player may not consult their own system card or notes during the auction or play [but see Law 40B2(b)].
No rectification or redress is due to a player who acts on their own misunderstanding.
1. (a) Until the end of the auction period (see Law 17D), and provided partner hasn’t called since, a player may change a call — with no other rectification for their side — if the Director judges the call could well have been influenced by misinformation an opponent gave them. Failing to Alert promptly, where the Regulating Authority requires an Alert, counts as misinformation.
(b) In the absence of evidence otherwise, the Director assumes a Mistaken Explanation rather than a Mistaken Call.
2. If a player changes a call because of misinformation (as in 1), their left-hand opponent may then change any later call they made in turn — but Law 16C applies.
3. If it’s too late to change a call, and the Director judges the offending side gained an advantage from the irregularity, an adjusted score is awarded.
The auction ends when either:
A. Following one or more bids, there are three consecutive passes in rotation after the last bid. The last bid becomes the contract (but see Law 19D).
B. All four players pass (but see Law 25). The hands go back into the board unplayed, and there is no redeal.
A call that replaces a withdrawn call is a comparable call if it:
1. has the same or a similar meaning to the withdrawn call, or
2. covers a subset of the withdrawn call’s possible meanings, or
3. serves the same purpose (e.g. an asking bid or a relay) as the withdrawn call.
If a call is cancelled (per Law 29B) and the offender, in their proper turn, replaces the irregularity with a comparable call, the auction and play continue with no further rectification. Law 16C2 doesn’t apply here, but see C below.
If, after a comparable-call substitution [see Laws 27B1(b), 30B1(b)(i), 31A2(a), and 32A2(a)], the Director judges at the end of play that the board’s outcome could well have been different without the benefit gained from the infraction, and the non-offending side was damaged as a result, an adjusted score is required to be awarded [see Law 12C1(b)].
If the Director finds that, during the auction, one or more of a player’s cards were in a position for partner to see their face because of the player’s own error, the Director is required to have every such card placed face up on the table until the auction ends. Information from those exposed cards is authorized for the non-offending side, but unauthorized for the offending side (see Law 16C).
If it’s a single card below honour rank and wasn’t led prematurely, there’s no further rectification (but see E).
If it’s a single card of honour rank, or any card led prematurely, the offender’s partner must pass at their next turn to call (see Law 72C if that pass damages the non-offending side).
If two or more cards are exposed this way, the offender’s partner must pass at their next turn to call (see Law 72C if that pass damages the non-offending side).
If the offender becomes declarer or dummy, the cards are picked up and returned to the hand.
If the offender ends up defending, every such card becomes a penalty card (see Laws 50 and 51).
1. If a player makes a call they didn’t intend, and this is discovered before partner calls, it may be replaced with the intended call. The second (intended) call stands and is governed by the appropriate Law, but the lead restrictions in Law 26 don’t apply.
2. If the player’s original intent was to make the call they actually selected or said, that call stands. A change is allowed for a mechanical error or slip of the tongue, but not for a change of mind about what to do.
3. A player may replace an unintended call under the A1 conditions, however the error came to light.
4. No substitution is allowed once partner has made a later call.
5. If the auction ends before reaching the player’s partner, no substitution can happen after the auction period ends (see Law 17D).
6. If a substitution is allowed, LHO may withdraw any call they made over the first call. Information from that withdrawn call is authorized for their own side and unauthorized for the opponents.
1. A substitution that A doesn’t permit may still be accepted by the offender’s LHO — accepted if LHO calls intentionally over it. The first call is then withdrawn, the second call stands, and the auction continues (Law 26 may apply).
2. Otherwise, a substitution A doesn’t permit is cancelled. The original call stands and the auction continues (Law 26 may apply).
3. Law 16C applies to any call withdrawn or cancelled here.
If an offending player’s withdrawn call is replaced with a comparable call (see Law 23A), and that side ends up defending, there are no lead restrictions. Law 16C doesn’t apply, but see Law 23C.
If an offending player’s withdrawn call is not replaced with a comparable call, and the offender ends up defending, declarer may — at the offender’s partner’s first turn to lead — forbid them from leading any one suit the offender didn’t specify in the legal auction. That prohibition lasts as long as the offender’s partner holds the lead.
1. Any insufficient bid may be accepted as legal, at the option of the offender’s LHO — accepted if that player calls.
2. If a player makes an insufficient bid out of turn, Law 31 applies instead.
If an insufficient bid made in turn isn’t accepted (see A), it must be corrected with a legal call (but see B3):
1. (a) If it’s corrected with the lowest sufficient bid naming the same denomination(s) as the withdrawn call, the auction proceeds with no further rectification. Laws 26B and 16C don’t apply, but see D.
(b) Otherwise, if it’s corrected with a comparable call (see Law 23A), the auction proceeds with no further rectification. Law 16C doesn’t apply, but see D.
2. Otherwise, if it’s corrected with a sufficient bid or a pass, the offender’s partner must pass at every later turn to call. The lead restrictions in Law 26B may apply (see also Law 72C).
3. Unless B1(b) applies, if the offender tries to replace the insufficient bid with a double or redouble, that attempted call is cancelled — the offender must replace it as above, and partner must then pass at every turn to call. Law 26B’s lead restrictions may apply (see also Law 72C).
4. If the offender tries to replace one insufficient bid with another insufficient bid, and LHO doesn’t accept it under A1, the Director rules as in B3.
If the offender replaces an insufficient bid before the Director has ruled, the substitution stands (if legal) unless the insufficient bid is accepted under A1 (but see B3). The Director then applies whichever section above fits the substitution.
If, after B1 applies, the Director judges at the end of play that the board’s outcome could well have been different without the benefit gained from the infraction, and the non-offending side was damaged as a result (see Law 12B1), an adjusted score is required to be awarded. The Director should aim to recreate, as closely as possible, the likely outcome had the insufficient bid never happened.
A call counts as being in rotation if made at RHO’s turn to call, when RHO is required by law to pass.
A call counts as in rotation if made by the player whose actual turn it was, before the Director has ruled on a call an opponent made out of turn. Making that call forfeits the right to any rectification for the out-of-turn call — the auction proceeds as though the opponent hadn’t called at all at that turn. Law 26 doesn’t apply, but see Law 16C2.
After a call out of turn, the offender’s LHO may choose to call anyway, which forfeits their side’s right to any rectification.
Unless A applies, a call out of turn is cancelled, and the auction goes back to whoever’s turn it actually was. The offending side is then subject to Law 30, 31, or 32.
If the out-of-turn call was artificial, Laws 30, 31, and 32 apply based on the denomination(s) it actually specified, not the denomination it named.
If a player passes out of turn and the call is cancelled (with the Law 29A option not used), the following applies — unless the pass was artificial, see C:
If the pass out of turn came at the offender’s RHO’s turn, the offender must pass at their next turn to call (Law 72C may apply).
1. If the offender passed at partner’s turn, or at LHO’s turn (having not called before), then:
(a) offender’s partner may make any legal call in their proper turn, but Law 16C2 applies;
(b) the offender may make any legal call in their correct turn, and:
(i) if it’s a comparable call (see Law 23A), there’s no further rectification — Law 26B doesn’t apply, but see Law 23C;
(ii) if it’s not a comparable call, the offender’s partner must pass at their next turn to call — Laws 16C, 26B, and 72C may apply.
2. If the offender had already called, a pass out of turn at their LHO’s turn is treated as a change of call — Law 25 applies.
If the out-of-turn pass was artificial, or was a pass of an artificial call, Law 31 applies instead of Law 30.
If a player has bid out of turn, passed artificially, or passed partner’s artificial call (see Law 30C), and the call is cancelled (with the Law 29A option not used), the following applies:
If the offender called at RHO’s turn, then:
1. if RHO passes, the offender must repeat the out-of-turn call — and if it’s legal, there’s no rectification;
2. if RHO makes a legal bid, double, or redouble, the offender may make any legal call:
(a) if it’s a comparable call (see Law 23A), there’s no further rectification — Law 26B doesn’t apply, but see Law 23C;
(b) if it’s not a comparable call, the offender’s partner must pass at their next turn to call — Laws 16C, 26B, and 72C may apply.
If the offender bid at partner’s turn, or at LHO’s turn (having not called before), then:
1. offender’s partner may make any legal call in their proper turn, but Law 16C2 applies;
2. the offender may make any legal call in their correct turn, and the Director rules as in A2(a) or A2(b) above.
These are treated as changes of call; Law 25 applies.
A double or redouble out of turn may be accepted, at the option of the next opponent in rotation (see Law 29A) — except an inadmissible double or redouble (see Law 36), which can never be accepted. If it’s not accepted, it’s cancelled, and:
If the double or redouble out of turn was made at the offender’s RHO’s turn, then:
1. if RHO passes, the offender must repeat the out-of-turn double or redouble, with no rectification — unless it’s inadmissible, in which case Law 36 applies;
2. if RHO bids, doubles, or redoubles, the offender may then make any legal call:
(a) if it’s a comparable call (see Law 23A), there’s no further rectification — Law 26B doesn’t apply, but see Law 23C;
(b) if it’s not a comparable call, the offender’s partner must pass at their next turn to call — Laws 16C, 26B, and 72C may apply.
If the double or redouble out of turn came at the offender’s partner’s turn, then:
1. offender’s partner may make any legal call, but Law 16C2 applies;
2. the offender may make any legal call in their proper turn, and the Director rules as in A2(a) or A2(b) above.
These are treated as changes of call; Law 25 applies.
A call made at the same time as the call of the player whose actual turn it was counts as coming after it.
If three consecutive passes follow a call, and one or more of those passes was out of turn, Law 17D3 applies.
These calls are inadmissible:
A. A double or redouble Law 19 doesn’t permit — Law 36 applies.
B. A bid, double, or redouble by a player required to pass — Law 37 applies.
C. A bid of more than seven — Law 38 applies.
D. A call made after the auction’s final pass — Law 39 applies.
If offender’s LHO calls before an inadmissible double or redouble is rectified, that call and everything after it is cancelled. The auction goes back to whoever’s turn it actually was and continues as if the irregularity never happened. Law 26B’s lead restrictions don’t apply.
When A doesn’t apply:
1. any double or redouble Law 19 doesn’t permit is cancelled;
2. the offender must substitute a legal call; the auction continues, and the offender’s partner must pass at every turn to call;
3. Law 72C may apply, and so may Law 26B’s lead restrictions;
4. if the call was also out of turn, the auction goes back to whoever’s turn it was; the offender may then make any legal call in turn, and partner must still pass at every turn to call. Law 72C and Law 26B’s lead restrictions may apply.
If an inadmissible double or redouble isn’t noticed until after the opening lead is faced, the final contract is scored as though it had never been made.
If the inadmissible call was a bid, double, or redouble by a player who was required to pass (but not a breach of Law 19A1 or 19B1), and offender’s LHO calls before the Director rules, that call and everything after it stands. An offender still required to pass for the rest of the auction must keep passing at later turns. Law 26B’s lead restrictions don’t apply.
When A doesn’t apply:
1. any bid, double, or redouble by a player required to pass is cancelled;
2. a pass replaces it, the auction continues, and every member of the offending side must pass at every turn to call. Law 72C and Law 26B’s lead restrictions may apply.
A contract of more than seven is never playable.
A bid of more than seven is cancelled, along with any calls after it.
A pass replaces it; the auction continues (unless it’s already finished), and every member of the offending side must pass at every turn to call.
Law 72C and Law 26B’s lead restrictions may apply — except that if the offender’s LHO called after the infraction but before the Director ruled, neither of those Laws is available.
Every call made after the auction’s final pass is cancelled.
If offender’s LHO calls before the Director rules, or the infraction was a defender’s pass or any call by the future declarer or dummy, there’s no further rectification.
If offender’s LHO hasn’t called since the infraction, and the infraction was a bid, double, or redouble by a defender, Law 26B’s lead restrictions may apply.
1. (a) Partnership understandings about a partnership’s methods can be reached explicitly, through discussion, or implicitly, through shared experience or awareness.
(b) Every partnership must make its understandings available to its opponents, in whatever way the Regulating Authority specifies.
2. Information passed to partner through these understandings must come from the calls, plays, and conditions of the current deal. Each player may take into account the legal auction and, subject to any exclusions in these Laws, any cards they’ve seen. Information these Laws specify elsewhere as authorized may also be used. (See Law 73C.)
3. A player may make any call or play without announcing it first, as long as it isn’t based on an undisclosed partnership understanding (see Law 40C1).
4. The agreed meaning of a call or play is not to change depending on which partner makes it. (This governs method, not style or judgement.)
1. (a) Any agreement between partners, explicit or implicit, is a partnership understanding.
(b) The Regulating Authority may, at its discretion, label certain understandings ‘special partnership understandings’ — ones whose meaning, in its judgment, a significant number of tournament players wouldn’t readily understand or expect.
(c) Unless the Regulating Authority decides otherwise, any call with an artificial meaning counts as a special partnership understanding.
2. (a) The Regulating Authority:
(i) may freely allow, disallow, or conditionally allow any special partnership understanding;
(ii) may require a System Card (with or without extra sheets) listing a partnership’s understandings in advance, and regulate how it’s used;
(iii) may set Alerting procedures or other ways partnerships must disclose their methods;
(iv) may disallow a partnership’s prior agreement to change its understandings during the auction or play in response to an opponent’s irregularity;
(v) may restrict the use of artificial psychic calls.
(b) Unless the Regulating Authority says otherwise, no player may consult their own system card between the start of the auction period and the end of play — except that players on the declaring side may consult theirs during the Clarification Period.
(c) Unless the Regulating Authority says otherwise, a player may consult an opponent’s system card:
(i) before the auction starts,
(ii) during the Clarification Period,
(iii) during the auction and play, but only at their own turn to call or play, and
(iv) after an opponent asks for an explanation under Law 20F, in order to explain partner’s call or play correctly.
(d) Unless the Regulating Authority says otherwise, a player isn’t entitled to any memory, calculation, or technique aids during the auction or play.
3. (a) A side damaged because its opponents failed to disclose the meaning of a call or play, as these Laws require, is entitled to an adjusted score.
(b) Repeated failures to disclose partnership understandings may be penalised.
4. If a side is damaged by an opponent’s special partnership understanding that breaks the tournament’s regulations, the score is required to be adjusted; the side in breach may also face a procedural penalty.
5. (a) When explaining partner’s call or play in answer to an opponent’s question (see Law 20), a player is required to disclose all special information from partnership agreement or experience — but need not disclose inferences drawn from general bridge knowledge.
(b) The Director adjusts the score if information left out of an explanation was crucial to an opponent’s decision and damaged them as a result.
1. A player may deviate from an announced understanding, as long as partner has no more reason than the opponents to expect it [but see B2(a)(v)]. Repeated deviations become implicit understandings in their own right, which then must be disclosed like any other part of the system. If the Director decides undisclosed knowledge damaged the opponents, the score is required to be adjusted, and a procedural penalty may follow.
2. Outside of C1, a player who deviates from an announced method isn’t otherwise obliged to tell the opponents.