LAW 72 – GENERAL PRINCIPLES

A. Observance of Laws

Duplicate bridge tournaments should be played in strict accordance with the Laws. The chief object is to obtain a higher score than other contestants whilst complying with the lawful procedures and ethical standards set out in these laws.

B. Infraction of Law

1. A player must not infringe a law intentionally, even when willing to accept a prescribed rectification.
2. In general there is no obligation to draw attention to an infraction of law committed by one’s own side (but see Law 20F for a mistaken explanation and see Laws 62A and 79A2).
3. A player may not attempt to conceal an infraction, as by committing a second revoke, concealing a card involved in a revoke or mixing the cards prematurely.

C. Awareness of Potential Damage

If the Director determines that an offender could have been aware at the time of their irregularity that it could well damage the non-offending side, the auction and play is required to continue (if not completed).  At the conclusion of play an adjusted score is awarded if the Director considers the offending side has gained an advantage through the irregularity.

LAW 73 – COMMUNICATION, TEMPO AND DECEPTION

A. Appropriate Communication between Partners

1. Communication between partners during the auction and play shall be effected only by means of calls and plays, except as specifically authorized by these laws.
2. Calls and plays should be made without undue emphasis, mannerism or inflection, and without undue hesitation or haste. But Regulating Authorities may require mandatory pauses, as on the first round of the auction, or after a skip-bid warning, or on the first trick.

B. Inappropriate Communication between Partners

1. Partners shall not communicate by means such as the manner in which calls or plays are made, extraneous remarks or gestures, questions asked or not asked, or alerts and explanations given or not given.
2. The gravest possible offence is for a partnership to exchange information through prearranged methods of communication other than those sanctioned by these Laws.

C. Player Receives Unauthorized Information from Partner

1. When a player has available unauthorized information from partner, such as from a remark, question, explanation, gesture, mannerism, undue emphasis, inflection, haste or hesitation, an unexpected alert or failure to alert, the player must carefully avoid taking any advantage from that unauthorized information [see Law 16B1(a)].
2. A penalty may be assessed against a player who violates C1, but if the opponents have been damaged, see also Law 16B3.

D. Variations in Tempo or Manner

1. It is desirable, though not always required, for players to maintain steady tempo and unvarying manner.  However, players should be particularly careful when variations may work to the benefit of their side.  Otherwise, unintentionally to vary the tempo or manner in which a call or play is made is not an infraction. Inferences from such variations are authorized only to the opponents, who may act upon the information at their own risk.
2. A player may not attempt to mislead an opponent by means of a question, remark or gesture; by the haste or hesitancy of a call or play (as in hesitating before playing a singleton); by the manner in which a call or play is made; or by any purposeful deviation from correct procedure (see also Law 73E2).

E. Deception

1. A player may appropriately attempt to deceive an opponent through a call or play (so long as the deception is not emphasized by unwonted haste or hesitancy, nor protected by concealed partnership understanding or experience).
2. If the Director determines that an innocent player has drawn a false inference from a question, remark, manner, tempo or the like, of an opponent who has no demonstrable bridge reason for the action, and who could have been aware, at the time of the action, that it could work to their benefit, the Director shall award an adjusted score.

LAW 74 – CONDUCT AND ETIQUETTE

A. Proper Attitude

1. A player should maintain a courteous attitude at all times.
2. A player should carefully avoid any remark or extraneous action that might cause annoyance or embarrassment to another player or might interfere with the enjoyment of the game.
3. Every player should follow uniform and correct procedure in calling and playing.

B. Etiquette

As a matter of courtesy a player should refrain from:

1. paying insufficient attention to the game.
2. making gratuitous comments during the auction and play.
3. detaching a card before one’s turn to play.
4. prolonging play unnecessarily (as in playing on despite being certain to take all the tricks) for the purpose of disconcerting an opponent.
5. summoning and addressing the Director in a manner discourteous to the Director or to other contestants.

C. Violations of Procedure

The following are examples of violations of procedure:

1. using different designations for the same call.
2. indicating approval or disapproval of a call or play.
3. indicating the expectation or intention of winning or losing a trick that has not been completed.
4. commenting or acting during the auction or play so as to call attention to a significant occurrence, or to the number of tricks still required for success.
5. looking intently at any other player during the auction and play, or at another player’s hand as for the purpose of seeing their cards or of observing the place from which a player draws a card (but it is appropriate to act on information acquired by unintentionally seeing an opponent’s card[1]).
6. showing an obvious lack of further interest in a deal (as by folding one’s cards).
7. varying the normal tempo of bidding or play for the purpose of disconcerting an opponent.
8. leaving the table needlessly before the round is called.

LAW 75 – MISTAKEN EXPLANATION OR MISTAKEN CALL

After a misleading explanation has been given to opponents the responsibilities of the players (and the Director) are as follows:

A. Mistake Causing Unauthorized Information

Irrespective of whether or not an explanation is a correct statement of partnership agreement, a player, having heard partner’s explanation, knows that their own call has been misinterpreted.  This knowledge is unauthorized information (see Law 16A) and the player must carefully avoid taking any advantage from it (see Law 73C); otherwise the Director shall award an adjusted score.

B. Mistaken Explanation

1. When the partnership agreement is different from the explanation given, the explanation is an infraction of Law.  When this infraction results in damage to the non-offending side, the Director shall award an adjusted score.
2. A player who becomes aware of their own mistake, must summon the Director before the opening lead is faced (or during the play, if discovered later), and then provide a correction explanation.  The player is also permitted to call the Director before the auction ends, but is under no obligation to do so (see Law 20F4).
3. The player’s partner must do nothing to correct the mistaken explanation while the auction continues and must call the Director and correct the explanation only after play ends if partner becomes a defender.  The partner of the player must call the Director after the final pass and then provide a correction if partner is to be declarer or dummy.

C. Mistaken Call

When the partnership agreement has been explained correctly, the mistake being the call made and not the explanation, there is no infraction.  The explanation must not be corrected (nor must the Director be notified) immediately and there is no obligation to do so subsequently.  Regardless of damage, the result stands [but see Law 21B1(b)].

D. Director’s Determination

1. Players are expected to disclose their partnership agreements accurately (see Law 20F1); failure to do so constitutes Misinformation.
2. It is a condition of any partnership agreement that both players possess the same mutual understanding, and it is an infraction to describe an agreement where the same mutual understanding does not exist.  If the Director determines that the misleading explanation was not based upon a partnership agreement, Law 21B is applied.
3. When there is an infraction (as per B1 or D2) and sufficient evidence exists as to the agreed meaning of the call, the Director awards an adjusted score based upon the likely outcome had the opponents received the correct explanation in a timely manner.  If the Director determines that the call has no agreed meaning, an adjusted score is awarded based upon the likely outcome had the opponents been so informed.

LAW 76 – SPECTATORS

A. Control

1. Spectators in the playing area[2] are subject to the control of the Director under the regulations for the tournament.
2. Regulating Authorities and Tournament Organizers who grant facilities for electronic transmission of play as it occurs may establish by regulation the terms by which such transmissions are viewed and prescribe acceptable conduct for viewers. (A viewer must not communicate with a player in the course of a session in which the latter is playing.)

B. At the Table

1. A spectator may not look at the hand of more than one player unless allowed by regulation.
2. A spectator must not show any reaction to the bidding or play when a deal is in progress.
3. During a round a spectator must refrain from mannerisms or remarks of any kind and must have no conversation with a player.
4. A spectator must not disturb a player.
5. A spectator at the table shall not draw attention to any aspect of the game.

C. Participation

1. A spectator may speak as to fact or law within the playing area24 only when requested to do so by the Director.
2. Regulating Authorities and Tournament Organizers may specify how to deal with irregularities caused by spectators.

D. Status

Any person in the playing area[2] other than a player or a tournament official, has the status of a spectator unless the Director specifies differently.

LAW 77 – DUPLICATE BRIDGE SCORING TABLE

Trick Score

Scored by declarer’s side if the contract is fulfilled.

If Trumps are:	♠	♥	♦	♣
For each odd trick bid and made
Undoubled	20	20	30	30
Doubled	40	40	60	60
Redoubled	80	80	120	120

At a No-trump Contract
For first odd trick bid and made
Undoubled	40
Doubled	80
Redoubled	160

For each additional odd trick
For first odd trick bid and made
Undoubled	30
Doubled	60
Redoubled	120

A trick score of 100 points or more, made on one board, is GAME.

A trick score of less than 100 points is a PARTSCORE.

Premium Score

Scored by declarer’s side

Slams – For making a slam 

Small Slam (12 tricks)bid and made          500  Not Vulnerable 750 Vulnerable
Grand Slam (all 13 tricks) bid and made    1000   Not Vulnerable  1500 Vulnerable

Overtricks		Not Vulnerable	Vulnerable
	Undoubled	Trick Value	Trick Value
	Doubled	100	200
	Redoubled	200	400
Premiums for Game, Partscore, Fulfilling Contract
For making GAME vulnerable	500
For making GAME, not vulnerable	300
For making any PARTSCORE	50
For making any doubled, but not redoubled contract	50
For making any redoubled contract	100
Undertrick Penalties Scored by declarer’s opponents if the contract is not fulfilled
Undertricks Tricks by which declarer falls short of the contract
For first undertrick		Not Vulnerable	Vulnerable
	Undoubled	50	100
	Doubled	100	200
	Redoubled	200	400
For each additional undertrick	Undoubled	50	100
	Doubled	200	300
	Redouble	400	600
Bonus for the fourth and each subsequent undertrick	Undoubled	0	0
	Doubled	100	0
	Redoubled	200	0
If all four players pass (see Law 22) each side enters a zero score.

LAW 78 – METHODS OF SCORING AND CONDITIONS OF CONTEST

A. Matchpoint Scoring

In matchpoint scoring each contestant is awarded, for scores made by different contestants who have played the same board and whose scores are compared with the contestant’s own, two scoring units (matchpoints or half matchpoints) for each score that is inferior, one scoring unit for each score that is equal, and zero scoring units for each score that is superior.

B. International Matchpoint Scoring

In international matchpoint scoring, on each board the total point difference between the two scores compared is converted into IMPs according to the following scale.

In international matchpoint scoring, on each board the total point difference between the two scores compared is converted into IMPs according to the following scale.

In total point scoring, the net total point score of all boards played is the score for each contestant.

If approved by the Regulating Authority other scoring methods (for example conversions to Victory Points) may be adopted. The Tournament Organizer should publish Conditions of Contest in advance of a tournament or contest. These should detail conditions of entry, methods of scoring, determination of winners, breaking of ties, and the like. The Conditions must not conflict with law or regulation and shall incorporate any information specified by the Regulating Authority. They should be available to contestants.

LAW 79 – TRICKS WON

A. Agreement on Tricks Won

1. The number of tricks won shall be agreed upon before all four hands have been returned to the board.
2. A player must not knowingly accept either the score for a trick that their side did not win or the concession of a trick that the opponents could not lose.   

B. Disagreement on Tricks Won

If a disagreement arises, the Director must be called, then:

1. The Director determines whether there has been a claim or concession and, if so, applies Law 69B or Law 71.
2. If B1 above does not apply, the Director rules what score is to be recorded.
3. If the Director is not called before the round ends, the score may be changed for both sides only when the Director is clearly convinced as to the result obtained at the table. Otherwise the recorded score shall stand, or the score for one side will be decreased without increasing it for the other.

C. Error in Score

1. An error in recording or computing the agreed-upon score, whether made by a player or an official, may be corrected until the expiration of the period(s) specified by the Tournament Organizer. Unless the Tournament Organizer specifies a later[1] time, this Correction Period expires 30 minutes after the official score has been made available for inspection.
2. Subject to approval by the Tournament Organizer, a scoring error may be corrected after expiry of the Correction Period if the Director is satisfied beyond reasonable doubt that the record is wrong.

LAW 80 – REGULATION AND ORGANIZATION

A. The Regulating Authority

1. The Regulating Authority under these laws is: (a)for its own world tournaments and events the World Bridge Federation. (b) the respective Zonal Authority for tournaments and events held under its auspices. (c) for any other tournament or event the National Bridge Organization under whose  auspices the tournament takes place.
2. The Regulating Authority has the responsibilities and powers specified in these laws.
3. The Regulating Authority may delegate its powers (retaining ultimate responsibility for their exercise) or it may assign them (in which case it has no further responsibility for their exercise).

B. Tournament Organizer

1. The Regulating Authority may recognize an entity, designated the ‘Tournament Organizer’, which subject to the requirements of the Regulating Authority and these laws is responsible for arranging and preparing a tournament or event. The Tournament Organizer’s powers and duties may be delegated but the responsibility for their performance is retained. The Regulating Authority and the Tournament Organizer may be the same body.
2. The Tournament Organizer’s powers and duties include:
      (a) appointment of the Director. If there is not one appointed the players should designate a person to perform the Director’s functions.
       (b) to make advance arrangements for the tournament, including playing quarters, equipment and all other logistical requirements.
      (c) to establish the date and time of each session.
      (d) to establish the conditions of entry.
      (e) to establish the conditions for bidding and play in accordance with these laws, together with any special conditions (as, for example, play with screens – provisions for rectification of actions not transmitted across the screen may be varied).
       (f) to announce regulations supplementary to, but not in conflict with, these Laws.
       (g) (i)  to arrange[2] for the appointment of any assistants required for the Director.
          (ii) to appoint other staff and prescribe their duties and responsibilities.
      (h) to arrange[2] for entries to be accepted and listed.
      (i) to establish suitable conditions of play and announce them to the contestants.
      (j) to arrange[2] for scores to be collected, results tabulated, and an official record made of them.
      (k) to make suitable arrangements for the conduct of appeals under Law 93.
      (l) any other powers and duties conferred in these laws.

LAW 81 – THE DIRECTOR

A. Official Status

The Director is the official representative of the Tournament Organizer.

B. Restrictions and Responsibilities

1. The Director is responsible for the on-site technical management of the tournament and has powers to remedy any omissions of the Tournament Organizer.
2. The Director applies, and is bound by, these Laws and supplementary regulations announced under authority given in these Laws.

C. Director’s Duties and Powers

The Director (not the players) has the responsibility for rectifying irregularities and redressing damage. The Director’s duties and powers normally include also the following:

1. to maintain discipline and to ensure the orderly progress of the game.
2. to administer and interpret these Laws and to advise the players of their rights and responsibilities thereunder.
3. to rectify an error or irregularity after becoming aware by any manner, within the periods established in accordance with Laws 79C and 92B.
4. to assess rectification when applicable and to exercise the powers in Laws 90 and 91.
5. to waive rectification for cause, at their own discretion, upon the request of the non-offending side.
6. to adjust disputes.
7. to refer any matter to an appropriate committee.
8. to report results for the official record if the Tournament Organizer requires it and to deal with any other matters delegated by the Tournament Organizer.

D. Delegation of Duties

The Director may delegate duties to assistants, but is not thereby relieved of responsibility for their correct performance.

LAW 82 – RECTIFICATION OF ERRORS OF PROCEDURE

A. Director’s Duty

It is the responsibility of the Director to rectify errors of procedure and to maintain the progress of the game in a manner that is not contrary to these Laws.

B. Rectification of Error

To rectify an error in procedure the Director may:

1. award an adjusted score as permitted by these Laws.
2. require, postpone, or cancel the play of a board.
3. exercise any other power given in these Laws.

C. Director’s Error

If a ruling has been given that the Director subsequently determines to be incorrect, and if no rectification will allow the board to be scored normally, an adjusted score shall be awarded, treating both sides as non-offending for that purpose.

LAW 83 – NOTIFICATION OF THE RIGHT TO APPEAL

If the Director believes that a review of a decision on a point of fact or exercise of discretionary power could well be in order, a contestant shall be advised of the right to appeal or the matter may be referred to an appropriate committee.

LAW 84 – RULINGS ON AGREED FACTS

A Director called to rule on a point of law or regulation, and the facts are agreed, will rule as follows:

A No Rectification

If no rectification is prescribed by law, and there is no occasion to exercise discretionary powers, the Director directs the players to proceed with the auction or play.

B. Law Provides Rectification

If the case is clearly covered by a Law that prescribes the rectification for the irregularity, that rectification will be determined and implemented by the Director.

C. Player’s Option

If a Law gives a player a choice of rectification the Director explains the options and sees that the choice is made and implemented.

D. Director’s Option

Any doubtful point shall be ruled in favour of the non-offending side by the Director who seeks to restore equity. If the Director judges it is probable that a non-offending side has been damaged by an irregularity for which these laws provide no rectification the score will be adjusted (see Law 12).

LAW 85 – RULINGS ON DISPUTED FACTS

A Director called upon to rule on a point of law or regulation in which the facts are not agreed upon, will proceed as follows:

1. In determining the facts the Director shall use the balance of probabilities as a base, which is to say in accordance with the weight of the evidence able to be collected.
2. If the Director is then satisfied of having ascertained the facts, Law 84 applies.

A Director unable to determine the facts satisfactorily, makes a ruling that will permit play to continue.

LAW 86 – TEAM PLAY

A. Substitute Board

The Director shall not exercise Law 6 authority to order one board redealt when the final result of a match without that board could be known to a contestant.  Instead, awards an adjusted score.

B. Result Obtained at Other Table

1. Single Result Obtained. In team play when the Director awards an adjusted score and the result at the other table between the same contestants is clearly favourable to one side, the Director shall award an assigned adjusted score [see Law 12C1(c), but for multiple adjusted scores see B2 following].
2. Multiple Results Obtained at One or More Tables[3] In team play when two or more non-comparable results have been obtained between the same contestants or when these Laws otherwise require the Director to award more than one adjusted score: (a) If no contestant was at fault, the Director shall cancel the board(s) and award one or more artificial adjusted scores [see Law 12C2] or, if time permits, play one or more substitute boards (but see A above). (b) If only one contestant was at fault, the Director shall award to the non-offending side, for each board in question, either an artificial adjusted score of average plus [see Law 12C2(b)] or an assigned adjusted score, whichever is more favourable.  The offending side shall receive the complement of the score awarded to their opponents. (c) If both contestants were at fault, the Director shall cancel the board(s) and award one or more artificial adjusted scores [see Law 12C2].
3. The Regulating Authority may provide differently for circumstances where boards have been played at only one table between the same or multiple contestants.  The score awarded for each such board may be varied by regulation from that prescribed in B2, however in the absence of a relevant regulation, the Director proceeds as above.

LAW 87 – FOULED BOARD

A. Definition

A board is considered to be fouled if the Director determines that a card (or more than one) was displaced in the board, or determines the dealer or vulnerability differed between copies of the same board, and the contestants who should have had a score comparison did not play the board in identical form for such reason.

B. Pairs and Individual Scoring

In scoring a fouled board the Director determines as closely as possible which scores were obtained on the board in its correct form and which in the changed form(s). The scores are divided on that basis into groups and rates each group separately as provided in the regulations for the tournament. (In the absence of a relevant regulation the Director selects and announces the method.)

See Law 86B2.

LAW 88 – AWARD OF INDEMNITY POINTS

See Law 12C2.

LAW 89 – RECTIFICATION IN INDIVIDUAL EVENTS

See Law 12C3.

LAW 90 – PROCEDURAL PENALTIES

A. Director’s Authority

The Director, in addition to implementing the rectifications in these Laws, may also assess procedural penalties for any offence that unduly delays or obstructs the game, inconveniences other contestants, violates correct procedure, or requires the award of an adjusted score.

B. Offences Subject to Procedural Penalty

The following are examples of offences subject to procedural penalty (but the offences are not limited to these):

1. arrival of a contestant after the specified starting time.
2. unduly slow play by a contestant.
3. discussion of the bidding, play or result of a board, which may be overheard at another table.
4. unauthorized comparison of scores with another contestant.
5. touching or handling of cards belonging to another player (see Law 7).
6. placing one or more cards in an incorrect pocket of the board.
7. errors in procedure (such as failure to count cards in one’s hand, playing the wrong board, etc.) that require an adjusted score for any contestant.
8. failure to comply promptly with tournament regulations or with instructions of the Director.

LAW 91 – PENALIZE OR SUSPEND

A. Director’s Powers

In the line of duty to maintain order and discipline, the Director is empowered to assess disciplinary penalties in points or to suspend a player or contestant for the current session or any part thereof. The Director’s decision under this clause is final (see Law 93B3).

B. Right to Disqualify

The Director is empowered to disqualify a player or contestant for cause, subject to approval by the Tournament Organizer.

LAW 92 – RIGHT TO APPEAL

A. Contestant’s Right

A contestant or the team’s captain may appeal for a review of any ruling made at that table by the Director. Any such request, if deemed to lack merit, may be the subject of a sanction imposed by regulation.

B. Time of Appeal

The right to request or appeal a Director’s ruling expires 30 minutes after the official score has been made available for inspection unless the Tournament Organizer has specified a different time period.

C. How to Appeal

All requests for a review of a ruling shall be made through the Director.

D. Concurrence of Appellants

An appeal shall not be heard unless:

1. in a pairs event both members of the partnership concur in making the appeal (but in an individual contest an appellant does not require partner’s concurrence).
2. in a team event the team captain concurs in making the appeal.

LAW 93 – PROCEDURES OF APPEAL

A. No Appeals Committee

The Director in charge shall hear and rule upon all appeals if there is no Appeals Committee [or if no alternative arrangement has been made under Law 80B2(k)], or if such cannot operate without disturbing the orderly progress of the tournament.

B. Appeals Committee Available

If a committee (or authorized alternative) is available:

1. The Director in charge shall hear and rule upon such part of the appeal as deals solely with the Law or regulations. This ruling may be appealed to the committee.
2. The Director in charge shall refer all other appeals for adjudication.
3. In adjudicating appeals, the committee (or the authorized alternative) may exercise all powers assigned by these Laws to the Director, except that it may not overrule the Director in charge on a point of law or regulations, or on exercise of Law 91 disciplinary powers. (It may recommend that the Director in charge change such a ruling.)

C. Further Possibilities of Appeal

1. Regulating Authorities may establish procedures for further appeals after the foregoing procedures have been exhausted. Any such further appeal, if deemed to lack merit, may be the subject of a sanction imposed by regulation.
2. The Director in charge or the reviewing body may refer a matter for later consideration by the Regulating Authority. The Regulating Authority has authority to resolve any matter finally.
3. (a) Notwithstanding 1 and 2 above, where deeming it crucial to the progress of the tournament, the Regulating Authority may assign to a specified tournament body the responsibility for dealing finally with any appeal and, along with the parties to the appeal, is then bound by the outcome.
   (b) With due notice given to the contestants a Regulating Authority may authorize the omission or modification of such stages as it wishes of the appeals process set out in these Laws.[4]

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[1] An earlier time may be specified when required by the special nature of a contest

[2] It is normal in some jurisdictions for the Director to assume responsibility for some or all of the tasks that the Tournament Organizer is here required to arrange.

[3]  including results from a fouled board

[4] The Regulating Authority is responsible for compliance with any national law that may affect its action.