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LAW 41 – COMMENCEMENT OF PLAY
A. Face-down Opening Lead
After a bid, double or redouble has been followed by three passes in rotation, the defender on presumed declarer’s left makes the opening lead face down[1]. The face-down lead may be withdrawn only upon instruction of the Director after an irregularity (see Laws 47E and 54); the withdrawn card must be returned to the defender’s hand.
B. Review of Auction and Questions
Before the opening lead is faced, the leader’s partner and the presumed declarer (but not the presumed dummy) each may require a review of the auction, or request explanation of an opponent’s call (see Law 20F2 and 20F3). Declarer[2] or either defender may require a review of the auction at their first turn to play a card. This right expires when this hand plays a card. The defenders (subject to Law 16) and the declarer retain the right to request explanations throughout the play period, each at their [3] turn to play.
C. Opening Lead Faced
Following this Clarification Period, the opening lead is faced, the play period begins irrevocably, and dummy’s hand is spread (but see Law 54A for a faced opening lead out of turn). After it is too late to have previous calls restated (see B), declarer or either defender is entitled to be informed as to what the contract is and whether, but not by whom, it was doubled or redoubled at their 11 turn to play.
D. Dummy’s Hand
After the opening lead is faced, dummy spreads their hand directly in front on the table, face up, sorted into suits, the cards in order of rank with lowest ranking cards towards declarer, and in separate columns pointing lengthwise towards declarer. Trumps are placed to dummy’s right. Declarer then plays both hands.
LAW 42 – DUMMY’S RIGHTS
A. Absolute Rights
- Dummy is entitled to give information, in the Director’s presence, as to fact or law.
- Dummy may keep count of tricks won and lost.
- Dummy plays the cards of the dummy as declarer’s agent as directed and ensures that dummy follows suit (see Law 45F if dummy suggests a play).
B. Qualified Rights
Dummy may exercise other rights subject to the limitations stated in Law 43.
- Dummy may ask declarer (but not a defender) when they have failed to follow suit to a trick whether the hand has a card of the suit led.
- Dummy may try to prevent any irregularity.
- Dummy may draw attention to any irregularity, but only after play of the hand is concluded.
LAW 43 – DUMMY’S LIMITATIONS
Except as Law 42 allows:
A. Limitations on Dummy
- (a)Dummy may not initiate a call for the Director during play unless another player has drawn attention to an irregularity.(b) Dummy may not call attention to an irregularity during play. (c) Dummy must not participate in the play, nor communicate anything about the play to declarer.
- (a) Dummy may not exchange hands with declarer. (b) Dummy may not leave their seat to watch declarer’s play of the hand. (c) Dummy may not look at the face of a card in either defender’s hand.
- A defender may not show their hand to dummy.
B. If Violation Occurs
- Dummy is liable to penalty under Law 90 for any violation of the limitations listed in A1 and A2.
- If dummy, after violation of the limitations listed in A2: (a) warns declarer not to lead from the wrong hand, either defender may choose the hand from which declarer shall lead. (b) is the first to ask declarer if a play from declarer’s hand constitutes a revoke, declarer must substitute a correct card if the play was illegal, and the provisions of Law 64 then apply as if the revoke had been established.
- If dummy after violation of the limitations listed in A2 is the first to draw attention to a defender’s irregularity, there is no immediate rectification. Play continues as though no irregularity had occurred. At the end of play if the defending side has gained through its irregularity the Director adjusts only its score, taking away that advantage. The declaring side retains the score achieved at the table.
LAW 44 – SEQUENCE AND PROCEDURE OF PLAY
A. Lead to a Trick
The player who leads to a trick may play any card from their hand (unless subject to restriction after that side has committed an irregularity).
B. Subsequent Play to a Trick
After the lead, each other player in turn plays a card, and the four cards so played constitute a trick. (For the method of playing cards and arranging tricks see Laws 45 and 65 respectively.)
C. Requirement to Follow Suit
In playing to a trick, each player must follow suit if possible. This obligation takes precedence over all other requirements of these Laws.
D. Inability to Follow Suit
If unable to follow suit, a player may play any card (unless subject to restriction after that side has committed an irregularity)
E. Tricks Containing Trumps
A trick containing a trump is won by the player who has contributed to it the highest trump.
F. Tricks Not Containing Trumps
A trick that does not contain a trump is won by the player who has contributed to it the highest card of the suit led.
G. Lead to Tricks Subsequent to First Trick
The lead to the next trick is from the hand in which the last trick was won.
LAW 45 – CARD PLAYED
A. Play of Card from a Hand
Each player except dummy plays a card by detaching it from hand and facing[4] it on the table immediately in front.
B. Play of Card from Dummy
Declarer plays a card from dummy by naming the card, after which dummy picks up the card and faces it on the table. In playing from dummy’s hand declarer may, if necessary, pick up the desired card.
C. Card Deemed to be Played
- A defender’s card held so that it is possible for partner to see its face is deemed played to the current trick (if the defender has already made a legal play to the current trick, see Law 45E).
- Declarer is deemed to have played a card from hand if it is:
(a) held face up, touching or nearly touching the table; or
(b) maintained in such a position as to indicate that it has been played. - A card in the dummy is played if it has been deliberately touched by declarer except for the purpose either of arranging dummy’s cards, or of reaching a card above or below the card or cards touched.
- (a) A card is played if a player names or otherwise designates it as the card being proposed to play (but see Law 47).
(b) Declarer may correct an unintended designation of a card from dummy until a card is next played either from hand or from dummy. A change of designation may be allowed after a slip of the tongue, but not after a loss of concentration or a reconsideration of action. If an opponent has, in turn, played a card that was legal before the change in designation, that opponent may withdraw the card so played, return it to hand, and substitute another (see Laws 47D and 16C1). - A penalty card, major or minor, may have to be played (see Law 50).
D. Dummy Picks up a Non-designated Card
- If dummy places in the played position a card that declarer did not name, the card must be withdrawn if attention is drawn to it before each side has played to the next trick, and a defender may withdraw and return to hand a card played after the error but before attention was drawn to it; if declarer’s RHO changes their play, declarer may withdraw a card subsequently played to that trick. (See Law 16C).
- When it is too late to change dummy’s wrongly placed card (see above), the play continues normally without alteration of the cards played to this or any subsequent trick. If the wrongly placed card was the first card of the trick, then the failure to follow suit to that card may now constitute a revoke (see Laws 64A, 64B7 and 64C). If the wrongly placed card was contributed to a trick already in progress and dummy thereby has revoked, see Laws 64B3 and 64C.
E. Fifth Card Played to Trick
- A fifth card contributed to a trick by a defender becomes a penalty card, subject to Law 50, unless the Director deems that it was led, in which case Law 53 or 56 applies.
- When declarer contributes a fifth card to a trick from hand or dummy, it is returned to the hand without further rectification unless the Director deems that it was led, in which case Law 55 applies.
F. Dummy Indicates Card
After dummy’s hand is faced, dummy may not touch or indicate any card (except for purpose of arrangement) without instruction from declarer. The Director should be summoned forthwith and informed of the action if dummy does so. Play continues. At the end of the play if the Director judges that dummy suggested a play to declarer and the defenders were damaged by the play suggested, an adjusted score shall be awarded.
G. Turning the Trick
No player should turn a card face down until all four players have played to the trick.
LAW 46 – INCOMPLETE OR INVALID DESIGNATION OF A CARD FROM DUMMY
A. Proper Form for Designating Dummy’s Card
When calling for a card to be played from dummy declarer should clearly state both the suit and the rank of the desired card.
B. Incomplete or Invalid Designation
In the case of an incomplete or invalid designation, the following restrictions apply (except when declarer’s different intention is incontrovertible):
- (a) If declarer in playing from dummy calls ‘high’, or words of like meaning, the highest card of the suit led is deemed to have been called.
(b) If declarer directs dummy to ‘win’ the trick, the lowest card that it is known will win the trick is deemed to have been called.
(c) If declarer calls ‘low’, or words of like meaning, the lowest card of the suit led is deemed to have been called. - If declarer designates a suit but not a rank the lowest card of the suit indicated is deemed to have been called.
- If declarer designates a rank but not a suit:
(a) In leading, declarer is deemed to have continued the suit with which dummy won the preceding trick provided there is a card of the designated rank in that suit.
(b) In all other cases declarer must play a card from dummy of the designated rank if legally able to do so; but if there are two or more such cards that can be legally played declarer must designate which is intended. - If declarer calls for a card that is not in dummy the call is invalid and declarer may designate any legal card.
- If declarer indicates a play without designating either a suit or a rank (as by saying ‘play anything’ or words of like meaning) either defender may designate the play from dummy.
LAW 47 – RETRACTION OF CARD PLAYED
A. In Course of Rectification
A card once played may be withdrawn when required by rectification following an irregularity (but a defender’s withdrawn card may become a penalty card, see Law 49).
B. To Correct an Illegal Play
A played card may be withdrawn to correct an illegal play (for defenders, except as this Law provides, see Law 49 – penalty card). For simultaneous play see Law 58.
C. To Change an Unintended Designation
A played card may be withdrawn and returned to the hand without further rectification after a change of designation permitted by Law 45C4(b).
D. Following Opponent’s Change of Play
After an opponent’s change of play a played card may be withdrawn and returned to the hand without further rectification and another card may be substituted. (Law 16C and 62C2 may apply.)
E. Change of Play Based on Misinformation
- A lead out of turn (or play of a card) is retracted without further rectification if the player was mistakenly informed by an opponent that it was their turn to lead, or play (see Law 16C). A lead or play may not be accepted by LHO in these circumstances and Law 63A1 does not apply.
- (a) A player may retract a card played because of a mistaken explanation of an opponent’s call or play and before a corrected explanation, without further rectification, but only if no card was subsequently played (see Law 16C). An opening lead may not be retracted after dummy has faced any card.
(b) When it is too late to correct a play under a) the Director may award an adjusted score.
F. Other Retraction
- A card may be withdrawn as Law 53B provides.
- Except as this Law specifies, a card once played may not be withdrawn.
LAW 48 – EXPOSURE OF DECLARER’S CARDS
A. Declarer Exposes a Card
Declarer is not subject to restriction for exposing a card (but see Law 45C2), and no card of declarer’s or dummy’s hand ever becomes a penalty card. Declarer is not required to play any card dropped accidentally.
B. Declarer Faces Cards
- When declarer faces cards after an opening lead out of turn, Law 54 applies.
- When declarer faces cards at any time other than immediately after an opening lead out of turn, it may be deemed that a claim or concession of tricks has been made (unless there was demonstrably no intention to claim), and Law 68 then applies.
LAW 49 – EXPOSURE OF A DEFENDER’S CARDS
Except in the normal course of play or application of law (see for example Law 47E), when a defender’s card is in a position in which partner could possibly see its face, or when a defender names a card as being in their hand, each such card becomes a penalty card (Law 50); but see Law 68 when a defender has made a statement concerning an uncompleted trick currently in progress, and see Law 68B2 when partner objects to a defender’s concession.
LAW 50 – DISPOSITION OF PENALTY CARD
A card prematurely exposed (but not led, see Law 57) by a defender is a penalty card unless the Director designates otherwise (see Law 49 and Law 72C may apply).
A. Penalty Card Remains Exposed
A penalty card must be left face up on the table immediately before the player to whom it belongs, until a rectification has been selected.
B. Major or Minor Penalty Card
A single card below the rank of an honour exposed unintentionally (as in playing two cards to a trick, or in dropping a card accidentally) becomes a minor penalty card. Any card of honour rank, or any card exposed through deliberate play (for example in leading out of turn, or in revoking and then correcting), becomes a major penalty card; when one defender has two or more penalty cards, all such cards become major penalty cards.
C. Disposition of Minor Penalty Card
A defender who has a minor penalty card may not play any other card of the same suit below the rank of an honour until the penalty card has been played, but an honour card may be played instead. Offender’s partner is not subject to lead restriction, but see E following.
D. Disposition of Major Penalty Card
When a defender has a major penalty card, both the offender and partner may be subject to restriction, the offender at each turn to play, the partner when on lead.
- (a) Except as provided in (b) below, a major penalty card must be played at the first legal opportunity, whether in leading, following suit, discarding or trumping. If a defender has two or more penalty cards that can legally be played, declarer designates which is to be played.
(b) The obligation to follow suit, or to comply with a lead or play restriction, takes precedence over the obligation to play a major penalty card, but the penalty card must still be left face up on the table and played at the next legal opportunity. - A defender who has the lead while partner has a major penalty card, may not lead until declarer has stated which of the options below is selected (if the defender leads prematurely, this is subject to rectification under Law 49). Declarer may choose:
(a) to require[5] the defender to lead the suit of the penalty card, or prohibit[5] the lead of that suit for as long as that defender retains the lead (for two or more penalty cards, see Law 51 ); if declarer exercises either of these options, the card is no longer a penalty card and is picked up.
(b) not to require or prohibit a lead, in which case the defender may lead any card and the penalty card remains on the table as a penalty card [6]- (a) Except as provided in (b) below, a major penalty card must be played at the first legal opportunity, whether in leading, following suit, discarding or trumping. If a defender has two or more penalty cards that can legally be played, declarer designates which is to be played.
(b) The obligation to follow suit, or to comply with a lead or play restriction, takes precedence over the obligation to play a major penalty card, but the penalty card must still be left face up on the table and played at the next legal opportunity.
- (a) Except as provided in (b) below, a major penalty card must be played at the first legal opportunity, whether in leading, following suit, discarding or trumping. If a defender has two or more penalty cards that can legally be played, declarer designates which is to be played.
E. Information from a Penalty Card
- Information derived from a penalty card and the requirements for playing that penalty card are authorized for all players for as long as the penalty card remains on the table.
- Information derived from a penalty card that has been returned to hand [as per Law 50D2(a)] is unauthorized for the partner of the player who had the penalty card (see Law 16C), but authorized for declarer.
- Once a penalty card has been played, information derived from the circumstances under which it was created is unauthorized for the partner of the player who had the card. (For a penalty card which has not yet been played, see E1 above.)
- If following the application of E1 the Director judges at the end of play that without the assistance gained through the exposed card the outcome of the board could well have been different, and in consequence the non-offending side is damaged (see Law 12B1), an adjusted score shall be awarded. The adjustment should seek to recover as nearly as possible the probable outcome of the board without the effect of the penalty card(s).
LAW 51 – TWO OR MORE PENALTY CARDS
A. Offender to Play
If it is a defender’s turn to play and that defender has two or more penalty cards that can legally be played, declarer designates which is to be played at that turn.
B. Offender’s Partner to Lead
- (a) When a defender has two or more penalty cards in one suit, and declarer requires[7] the defender’s partner to lead that suit, the cards of that suit are no longer penalty cards and are picked up; the defender may make any legal play to the trick. (b) When a defender has two or more penalty cards in one suit, and declarer prohibits[7] the defender’s partner from leading that suit, the defender picks up every penalty card in that suit and may make any legal play to the trick. The prohibition continues until the player loses the lead.
- (a) When a defender has penalty cards in more than one suit [see Law 50D2(a)] and partner is to lead, declarer may require[8] the defender’s partner to lead a specified suit in which the defender has a penalty card [but B1(a) preceding then applies].
(b) When a defender has penalty cards in more than one suit and partner is to lead, declarer may prohibit15 the defender’s partner from leading one or more of such suits; the defender then picks up every penalty card in every suit prohibited by declarer and makes any legal play to the trick. The prohibition continues until the player loses the lead.
(c) When a defender has penalty cards in more than one suit and partner is to lead, declarer may elect not to require or prohibit a lead, in which case the defender’s partner may lead any card and the penalty cards remain on the table as penalty cards[8]. If this option is selected Laws 50 or 51 continue to apply for as long as the penalty cards remain.
LAW 52 – FAILURE TO LEAD OR PLAY A PENALTY CARD
A. Defender Fails to Play Penalty Card
A defender who fails to lead or play a penalty card as required by Law 50 or Law 51, may not, on their own initiative, withdraw any other card that has been played.
B. Defender Plays Another Card
- (a) If a defender has led or played another card when required by law to play a penalty card, declarer may accept such lead or play. (b) A declarer who thereafter played from hand or dummy, must accept such lead or play. (c) If the played card is accepted under either (a) or (b) any unplayed penalty card remains a penalty card.
- If declarer does not accept the card illegally played or led the defender must substitute the penalty card for the card illegally played or led. Every card illegally led or played by the defender in the course of committing the irregularity becomes a major penalty card.
LAW 53 – LEAD OUT OF TURN ACCEPTED
A. Lead Out of Turn Treated as Correct Lead
Prior to the thirteenth trick[9], any lead faced out of turn may be treated as a correct lead (but see Law 47E1). It becomes a correct lead if declarer or either defender, as the case may be, accepts it by making a statement to that effect, or if a play is made from the hand next in rotation to the irregular lead (but see B). If there is no such acceptance or play, the Director will require that the lead be made from the correct hand (and see Law 47B).
B. Proper Lead Made Subsequent to Irregular Lead
Subject to Law 53A, if it was properly the turn to lead of an opponent of the player who led out of turn, that opponent may make their proper lead to the trick of the infraction without the being deemed played to the irregular lead. When this occurs, the proper lead stands and all cards played in error to this trick may be withdrawn, but Law 16C applies.
C. Wrong Defender Plays Card to Declarer’s Irregular Lead
If declarer leads out of turn either from hand or from dummy, and the defender to the right of the irregular lead plays a card (but see B), the lead stands and Law 57 applies.
LAW 54 – FACED OPENING LEAD OUT OF TURN
When an opening lead out of turn is faced and offender’s partner leads face down, the Director requires the face down lead to be retracted. Also:
A. Declarer Spreads Their Hand
After a faced opening lead out of turn, declarer may spread their hand; and becomes dummy. If declarer begins to spread their hand, and in doing so exposes one or more cards, their entire hand must be spread. Dummy becomes declarer.
B. Declarer Accepts Lead
When a defender faces the opening lead out of turn declarer may accept the irregular lead as provided in Law 53, and dummy is spread in accordance with Law 41.
- The second card to the trick is played from declarer’s hand.
- If declarer plays the second card to the trick from dummy, dummy’s card may not be withdrawn except to correct a revoke.
C. Declarer Must Accept Lead
A declarer who could have seen any of dummy’s cards (except cards that dummy may have exposed during the auction and that were subject to Law 24) must accept the lead and the presumed declarer then becomes declarer.
D. Declarer Refuses Opening Lead
Declarer may require a defender to retract a faced opening lead out of turn. The withdrawn card becomes a major penalty card and Law 50D applies.
E. Opening Lead by Wrong Side
If a player of the declaring side attempts to make an opening lead Law 24 applies.
LAW 55 – DECLARER’S LEAD OUT OF TURN
A. Declarer’s Lead Accepted
If declarer has led out of turn from hand or from dummy, then either defender may accept the lead as provided in Law 53 or require its retraction (after misinformation, see Law 47E1). If the defenders choose differently then the option expressed by the player next in turn to the irregular lead shall prevail.
B. Declarer Required to Retract Lead
- If declarer has led from hand or from dummy when it was a defender’s turn to lead, and has been required to retract such lead per Law 55A, declarer restores the card led in error to the proper hand. No further rectification applies.
- A declarer who has led from the wrong hand when the lead should have come from hand or dummy, and has been required to retract the lead per Law 55A, must withdraw the card led in error. The lead must be made from the correct hand.
C. Declarer Might Obtain Information
When declarer adopts a line of play that could have been based on information obtained through their infraction, Law 16 applies.
LAW 56 – DEFENDER’S LEAD OUT OF TURN
When a lead out of turn is faced, declarer may:
A. Accept the irregular lead as provided in Law 53, or
B. Require the defender to retract the faced lead out of turn. The withdrawn card becomes a major penalty card and Law 50D applies.
LAW 57 – PREMATURE LEAD OR PLAY
A. Premature Play or Lead to Next Trick
When a defender leads to the next trick before partner has played to the current trick, or plays out of turn before partner has played, the card so led or played becomes a major penalty card, and declarer selects one of the following options:
- Require offender’s partner to play the highest card of the suit led, or
- Require offender’s partner to play the lowest card of the suit led, or
- Require offender’s partner to play a card of another suit specified by declarer, or
- forbid offender’s partner to play a card of another suit specified by declarer.
B. Offender’s Partner Cannot Comply with Rectification
When offender’s partner is unable to comply with the rectification selected by declarer (see A above) any card may be played, as provided in Law 59.
C. Declarer or Dummy Has Played
- A defender is not subject to rectification for playing before partner if declarer has played from both hands. However a card is not considered to be played from dummy until declarer has instructed (or otherwise indicated[10]) the play.
- A defender is not subject to rectification for playing before partner if dummy has of their own volition prematurely selected a card before RHO or has illegally suggested that one be played.
- A premature play (not a lead) by declarer from either hand is a played card and if legal may not be withdrawn.
D. Premature Play at RHO’s Turn
When a defender attempts to play (not lead) to a trick at RHO’s turn, Law 16 may apply. If that card can be legally played to the trick, it must be played in proper turn: otherwise, it becomes a major penalty card.
LAW 58 – SIMULTANEOUS LEADS OR PLAYS
A. Simultaneous Plays by Two Players
A lead or play made simultaneously with another player’s legal lead or play is deemed to be subsequent to it.
B. Simultaneous Cards from One Hand
If a player leads or plays two or more cards simultaneously:
- If the face of only one card is visible, that card is played; all other cards are picked up and there is no further rectification (see Law 47F).
- If the face of more than one card is visible, the offending player designates the card to be played; for a defender, each other card exposed becomes a penalty card (see Law 50).
- After an offending player withdraws a visible card, an opponent who subsequently played to that trick may withdraw and substitute another card without further rectification (but see Law 16C).
- If the simultaneous play remains undiscovered until both sides have played to the next trick, Law 67 applies.
LAW 59 – INABILITY TO LEAD OR PLAY AS REQUIRED
A player may play any otherwise legal card when unable to lead or play as required to comply with a rectification, whether due to holding no card of the required suit, or only cards of a suit whose lead is prohibited, or obligation to follow suit.
LAW 60 – PLAY AFTER AN ILLEGAL PLAY
A. Play of Card after Irregularity
- A play by a member of the non-offending side after RHO has led or played out of turn or prematurely, and before rectification has been assessed, forfeits the right to rectification of that offence.
- Once the right to rectification has been forfeited, the illegal play is treated as though it were in turn (except when Law 53B applies).
- If the offending side has a previous obligation to play a penalty card, or to comply with a lead or play restriction, the obligation remains at future turns.
B. Defender Plays before Required Lead by Declarer
When a defender plays a card after declarer has been required to retract a lead out of turn from either hand, but before declarer has led from the correct hand, the defender’s card becomes a major penalty card (Law 50).
C. Play by Offending Side before Assessment of Rectification
A play by a member of the offending side before rectification has been assessed does not affect the rights of the opponents, and may itself be subject to rectification.
LAW 61 – FAILURE TO FOLLOW SUIT – INQUIRIES CONCERNING A REVOKE
A. Definition of Revoke
Failure to follow suit in accordance with Law 44 or failure to lead or play, when able, a card or suit required by law or specified by an opponent when exercising an option in rectification of an irregularity, constitutes a revoke. (When unable to comply see Law 59.)
B. Right to Inquire about a Possible Revoke
- Declarer may ask a defender who has failed to follow suit whether their hand has a card of the suit led.
- (a) Dummy may ask declarer [but see Law 43B2(b)]. (b) Dummy may not ask a defender and Law 16B may apply.
- Defenders may ask declarer and one another (at the risk of creating unauthorized information).
C. Right to Inspect Tricks
A claim of a revoke does not automatically warrant inspection of quitted tricks (see Law 66C).
LAW 62 – CORRECTION OF A REVOKE
A. Revoke Must Be Corrected
A player must correct a revoke if attention is drawn to the irregularity before it becomes established.
B. Correcting a Revoke
To correct a revoke the offender withdraws the card played and substitutes a legal card.
- A card so withdrawn becomes a major penalty card (Law 50) if it was played from a defender’s unfaced hand.
- The card may be replaced without further rectification if it was played from declarer’s [subject to Law 43B2(b)] or dummy’s hand, or if it was a defender’s faced card.
C. Subsequent Cards Played
- Each member of the non-offending side may withdraw and return to hand any card played after the revoke but before attention was drawn to it (see Law 16C).
- After a non-offender so withdraws a card, the player of the offending side next in rotation may withdraw their played card, which becomes a penalty card if the player is a defender (see Law 16C).
- If both sides revoke on the same trick and only one side has played to the subsequent trick, then both revokes must be corrected (see Law 16C2). Every card withdrawn by the defending side becomes a penalty card.
D. Revoke on Trick Twelve
- On the twelfth trick, a revoke, even if established, must be corrected if discovered before all four hands have been returned to the board.
- If a defender revokes on the twelfth trick before partner’s turn to play to the trick, Law 16C. applies.
LAW 63 – ESTABLISHMENT OF A REVOKE
A. Revoke Becomes Established
A revoke becomes established:
- when the offender or partner leads or plays to the following trick (any such play, legal or illegal, establishes the revoke).
- when the offender or partner names or otherwise designates a card to be played to the following trick.
- when a member of the offending side makes a claim or concession of tricks orally or by facing their hand or in any other way.
- when agreement is established (as per Law 69A) to an opponent’s claim or concession; the offending side having raised no objection to it before the end of the round, or before making a call on a subsequent board.
B. Revoke May Not Be Corrected
Once a revoke is established, it may no longer be corrected (except as provided in Law 62D for a revoke on the twelfth trick or as in Law 62C3), and the trick on which the revoke occurred stands as played.
LAW 64 – PROCEDURE AFTER ESTABLISHMENT OF A REVOKE
A. Automatic Trick Adjustment
When a revoke is established:
- and the trick on which the revoke occurred was won by the offending player[11], at the end of the play the trick on which the revoke occurred is transferred to the non-offending side together with one of any subsequent tricks won by the offending side.
- and the trick on which the revoke occurred was not won by the offending player19 then, if the offending side won that or any subsequent trick, after play ends one trick is transferred to the non-offending side.
B. No Automatic Trick Adjustment
There is no automatic trick adjustment following an established revoke (but see Law 64C) if:
- the offending side did not win either the revoke trick or any subsequent trick.
- it is a subsequent revoke in the same suit by the same player, the first revoke having been established.
- the revoke was made in failing to play a penalty card or any card belonging to dummy.
- attention was first drawn to the revoke after a member of the non-offending side has made a call on the subsequent deal.
- attention was first drawn to the revoke after the round has ended.
- it is a revoke on the twelfth trick.
- both sides have revoked on the same board and both revokes have become established.
- the revoke has been corrected as per Law 62C3.
C. Redress of Damage
- When, after any established revoke, including those not subject to trick adjustment, the Director deems that the non-offending side is insufficiently compensated by this Law for the damage caused, an adjusted score shall be assigned.
- (a) After repeated revokes by the same player in the same suit (see B2 above), the Director adjusts the score if the non-offending side would likely have made more tricks had one or more of the subsequent revokes not occurred. (b) When both sides have revoked on the same board (see B7 above) and the Director deems that a contestant has been damaged, an adjusted scored based on the likely result had no revokes occurred shall be awarded.
LAW 65 – ARRANGEMENT OF TRICKS
A. Completed Trick
When four cards have been played to a trick, each player turns their own card face down near on the table.
B. Keeping Track of the Ownership of Tricks
- If the player’s side has won the trick, the card is pointed lengthwise toward partner.
- If the opponents have won the trick, the card is pointed lengthwise toward the opponents.
- A player may draw attention to a card pointed incorrectly, but this right expires when that side leads or plays to the following trick. If done later Law 16B may apply.
C. Orderliness
Each player arranges their own cards in an orderly overlapping row in the sequence played, so as to permit review of the play after its completion, if necessary to determine the number of tricks won by each side or the order in which the cards were played.
D. Agreement on Results of Play
A player should not disturb the order of played cards until agreement has been reached on the number of tricks won. A player who fails to comply with the provisions of this Law jeopardizes the right to claim ownership of doubtful tricks or to claim (or deny) a revoke.
LAW 66 – INSPECTION OF TRICKS
A. Current Trick
So long as that side has not led or played to the next trick, declarer or either defender may, until their card has been turned face down on the table, require that all cards just played to the trick be faced.
B. Own Last Card
Until that side has led or played to the next trick, declarer or either defender may inspect, but not expose, their own last card played.
C. Quitted Tricks
Thereafter, until play ceases, the cards of quitted tricks may not be inspected (except at the Director’s specific instruction; for example, if necessary to verify a claim of a revoke).
D. After the Conclusion of Play
After play ceases, the played and unplayed cards may be inspected to settle a claim of a revoke, or of the number of tricks won or lost; but no player should handle cards other than their own. If the Director can no longer ascertain the facts after such a claim has been made, and only one side has mixed its cards, the Director shall rule in favour of the other side.
LAW 67 – DEFECTIVE TRICK
A. Before Both Sides Play to Next Trick
When a player has omitted to play to a trick, or has played too many cards to a trick, the error must be rectified if attention is drawn to the irregularity before a player on each side has played to the following trick.
- To rectify omission to play to a trick, the offender supplies a legal card.
- To rectify the play of too many cards to a trick, Law 45E (Fifth Card Played to a Trick) or Law 58B (Simultaneous Cards from One Hand) shall be applied.
B. After Both Sides Play to Next Trick
When the Director determines that there has been a defective trick (from the fact that one player has too few or too many cards in their hand, and a correspondingly incorrect number of played cards); both sides having played to the next trick, the procedure is as follows:
- When the offender has failed to play a card to the defective trick, the Director shall require the player to forthwith expose a card face-up on the table and then place it appropriately among their played cards (this card does not affect ownership of the trick); (a) an offender who has a card of the suit led to the defective trick must choose such a card to place among the played cards. The offender is deemed to have revoked on the defective trick and is subject to the loss of one trick transferred in accordance with Law 64A2. (b) an offender who has no card of the suit led to the defective trick chooses any card to place among the played cards. The offender is deemed to have revoked on the defective trick and is subject to the loss of one trick transferred in accordance with Law 64A2.
- (a) When the offender has played more than one card to the defective trick, the Director inspects the played cards and requires the offender to restore to their hand all extra cards[12], leaving among the played cards the one faced in playing to the defective trick (if the Director is unable to determine which card was faced, the offender leaves the highest ranking of the cards that could have been legally played to the trick). Ownership of the defective trick does not change. (b) A restored card is deemed to have belonged continuously to the offender’s hand, and a failure to have played it to an earlier trick may constitute a revoke.
- When the Director determines that the offender did play a card to the trick, but that card was not placed among the quitted tricks, the Director finds the card and places it correctly among the offender’s played cards. The Director shall award an adjusted score if the same card was played to a subsequent trick and it is too late to correct the illegal play.
LAW 68 – CLAIM OR CONCESSION OF TRICKS
For a statement or action to constitute a claim or concession of tricks under these Laws, it must refer to tricks other than one currently in progress. If the statement or action pertains only to the winning or losing of an uncompleted trick currently in progress, play proceeds regularly; cards exposed or revealed by a defender do not become penalty cards, but Laws 16 and 57A may apply.
A. Claim Defined
Any statement by declarer or a defender to the effect that a side will win a specific number of tricks is a claim of those tricks. A player also claims with a suggestion that play be curtailed, or by showing their cards (unless there was demonstrably not an intention to claim – for example, if declarer faces their cards after an opening lead out of turn Law 54, not this Law, will apply).
B. Concession Defined
- Any statement by declarer or a defender to the effect that a side will lose a specific number of tricks is a concession of those tricks; a claim of some number of tricks is a concession of the remainder, if any. A player who abandons their hand concedes all the remaining tricks.
- Regardless of B1, if a defender attempts to concede one or more tricks and partner immediately objects; neither a concession nor a claim has occurred. Unauthorized information may exist, so the Director should be summoned immediately. Play continues. Any card that has been exposed by a defender in these circumstances is not a penalty card but Law 16C applies to information arising from its exposure and the information may not be used by the partner of the defender who has exposed it.
C. Clarification Required
A claim should be accompanied at once by a clear statement of the line of play or defence through which the claimer proposes to win the tricks claimed, including the order in which the cards will be played. The player making the claim or concession faces their hand.
D. Suspension of Play
After any claim or concession, play is suspended.
- If the claim or concession is agreed, Law 69 applies.
- If it is doubted by any player (dummy included); either (a) the Director may immediately be summoned and no action should be taken pending the arrival, Law 70 applies; or (b) upon the request of the non-claiming or non-conceding side, play may continue subject to the following: (i) all four players must concur; otherwise the Director is summoned, who then proceeds as in (a) above. (ii) the prior claim or concession is void and not subject to adjudication. Laws 16 and 50 do not apply, and the score subsequently obtained shall stand.
LAW 69 – AGREED CLAIM OR CONCESSION
A. Establishment of Agreement
Agreement is established when a side assents to an opponent’s claim or concession, and raises no objection to it before making a call on a subsequent board or before the round ends, whichever occurs first. The board is scored as though the tricks claimed or conceded had been won or lost in play.
B. Withdrawal of Established Agreement
Agreement with a claim or concession (see A) may be withdrawn within the Correction Period established under Law 79C:
- if a player agreed to the loss of a trick that side had, in fact, won; or
- if a player has agreed to the loss of a trick that side would likely have won had the play continued.
The board is rescored with such trick awarded to that side.
LAW 70 – CONTESTED CLAIM OR CONCESSION
A. General Objective
In ruling on a contested claim or concession, the Director adjudicates the result of the board as equitably as possible to both sides, but any doubtful point as to a claim shall be resolved against the claimer. The Director proceeds as follows.
B. Clarification Statement Repeated
- The Director requires claimer to repeat the clarification statement made at the time of the claim.
- Next, the Director hears the opponents’ objections to the claim (but the Director’s considerations are not limited only to the opponents’ objections).
- The Director may require players to put their remaining cards face up on the table.
C. There Is an Outstanding Trump
When a trump remains in one of the opponents’ hands, the Director shall award a trick or tricks to the opponents if:
- claimer made no statement about that trump, and
- it is at all likely that claimer at the time of the claim was unaware that a trump remained in an opponent’s hand, and
- a trick could be lost to that trump by any normal[13] play.
D. Director’s Considerations
- The Director shall not accept from claimer any successful line of play not embraced in the original clarification statement if there is an alternative normal14 line of play that would be less successful.
- The Director does not accept any part of a defender’s claim that depends on partner selecting a particular play from among alternative normal14 plays.
E. Unstated Line of Play
- The Director shall not accept from claimer any unstated line of play the success of which depends upon finding one opponent rather than the other with a particular card, unless an opponent failed to follow to the suit of that card before the claim was made, or would subsequently fail to follow to that suit on any normal14 line of play.
- The Regulating Authority may specify an order (e.g. “from the top down”) in which the Director shall deem a suit played if this was not clarified in the statement of claim (but always subject to any other requirement of this Law).
LAW 71 – CONCESSION CANCELLED
A concession must stand, once made, except that within the Correction Period established under Law 79C the Director shall cancel a concession:
A. if a player conceded a trick the side had, in fact, won; or
B. if a player has conceded a trick that could not be lost by any normal[14] play of the remaining cards.
The board is rescored with such trick awarded to that side.
[1] Regulating Authorities may specify that opening leads be made face up.
[2] Declarer’s first turn to play is from dummy unless accepting an opening lead out of turn.
[3] Declarer may enquire before playing from dummy or from hand.
[4] The opening lead is first made face down unless the Regulating Authority directs otherwise.
[5] If the player is unable to lead as required see Law 59.
[6] If the partner of the defender with the penalty card retains the lead, and the penalty card has not yet been played, then all the requirements and options of Law 50D2 apply again at the following trick.
[7] If the player is unable to lead as required see Law 59.
[8] If the partner of the defender with the penalty cards retains the lead, then all the requirements and options of Law 51B2 apply again at the following trick.
[9] A lead out of turn at trick thirteen must be retracted.
[10] as by a gesture or nod
[11] A trick won in dummy is not won by declarer for the purposes of this Law.
[12] The Director should avoid, when possible, exposing a defender’s played cards, but if an extra card to be restored to a defender’s hand has been exposed, it becomes a penalty card (see Law 50).
[13] For the purposes of Laws 70 and 71, “normal” includes play that would be careless or inferior for the class of player involved.
[14] For the purposes of Laws 70 and 71, “normal” includes play that would be careless or inferior for the class of player involved.