The (nearly) weekly Neuse River Duplicate Bridge Club member update usually features a brief “rules and procedures” column we refer to as Providing Information to S______ Seniors. You can fill in the blank, some of the possibilities include smart, senile, silly, sophisticated and stupid. Pick the one that fits!
DISCLAIMER. The author of this column is not a bridge expert or an expert in the rules of bridge. He just gets a question, researches the answer and puts forth his conclusion, sometimes without going into esoteric exceptions. If you determine the information herein is not accurate, congratulations, you may be correct, but we do the best we can.
COMPARABLE CALL 2 11/21/24). As noted last week, there are three tests to determine if a call is comparable. All three tests are independent and if any one is met, the call is comparable. The second test is if the substitute call defines a subset of the meanings of the withdrawn call. Subset has a defined meaning: all of the meanings of the replacement call must fit into the meaning of the withdrawn call. This is an absolute. ALL of the meanings mean all. The director has no discretion under this test. On the other hand, the third test, which is “has the same purpose,” gives the director some discretion. It does not have to have the same meaning, but must convey generally the same information. As an example, if a player opens 1 NT our of turn, it is not accepted, the proper player opens 2 hearts weak, then the player that bid out of turn bids 2NT, it serves the same purpose as 1NT, even though the point spread may be a point different.
COMPARABLE CALL (11/14/24). In 2017, the bridge gods introduced the concept of “Comparable Call” into bridge lexicon. This concept is applied when there is a call out of rotation or one that is insufficient. What is a comparable call? The intention of the party making the call is irrelevant. A comparable call is one in which the substitute call has roughly the same meaning as the withdrawn call, or it defines a subset of the meanings attributable to the withdrawn call, or has the same purpose as what is attributable to the withdrawn call. These are independent tests. In making a determination, the director must take into consideration all possible meanings of the withdrawn call. For instance, after an opening of 2 hearts, the first opponent to bid says 2 clubs. Did he not realize that the opener had bid, and thus the 2-club bid would be strong? Or did he think the opener bid 1 heart, in which case the bid was a potentially weak overcall? Both are attributable to the bid Therefore, the bid of 3 clubs would not fit the definition of comparable. I note that a difference in point count of 2 or 3 is generally considered within comparable range.
MISINFORMATION (10/25/24). Until the end of the auction period and provided that his partner has not subsequently called, a player may change a call without other rectification for his side if the director judges that the decision to make the call could well have been influenced by misinformation given by an opponent. Failure to alert when required is deemed misinformation. If a player is allowed to change a call by the director, his LHO may also change his call, but it can be determined to be unauthorized information. If misinformation is provided and it is too late to change a call, the director can adjust the score if an advantage was gained by the offending side.
EXPLANATION OF CALLS 4 (10/11/24). If a player realizes his partner has given a mistaken explanation, he MUST NOT correct the error during the auction, nor may he indicate in any manner that a mistake has been made. This includes a failure to alert or an announcement that is not required. The director must be called for a defender, at the end of the play and for the declarer or dummy, after the final auction pass. If the director determines that the misinformation had no impact on the bidding or play, there is no rectification. If the error did influence bidding or play in the opinion of the director, he generally will award an adjusted score.
EXPLANATION OF CALLS 3 (10/4/24). If a player realizes during the auction that HIS OWN explanation was erroneous or incomplete, he MUST summon the direction before the end of the Clarification Period and correct the error. He may elect to call the director sooner, but he is under no obligation to do so. The Clarification Period is the time between the end of the bidding and the facing of the lead. The director has a choice of rectification. One is to allow correction of any bid that was made based on the misinformation. If the director believes that will not adequately address the issue, he may issue an adjusted score after the hand is complete. IT IS IMPORTANT TO NOTE THAT THE PARTNER OF THE PLAYER GIVING THE EXPLANATION CAN IN NO WAY MAKE IT KNOWN THAT THE EXPLANATION WAS INCORRECT.
EXPLANATION OF CALLS 2 (9/27/24). After the final pass and throughout the play period, either defender at his own turn to play may request an explanation of the opposing auction. At his turn to play from his hand or dummy declarer may request an explanation of a defender’s call or card play understandings. While it is permitted for a player to inquire concerning a single call, one must be careful in doing so because unauthorized information might be given and rectification will then be required.
EXPLANATION OF CALLS (9/20/24). During the auction and before the final pass any player that is not by law required to pass may request, at his own turn to call, an explanation of the opponents’ auction. He is entitled to know about calls actually made, about relevant alternative calls available that were not made and about inferences from the choice of action where there are matters of partnership understanding. Except on the instruction of the Director, replies should be given by the partner of the player that made the call in question. The partner of the player that asks a question may not ask a supplementary question until his turn to call or play.
EXPOSURE OF CARD BY DEFENDER (9/13/24). When a defender’s card is exposed to the extent that his partner COULD POSSIBLY have seen it, or when a defender names a card as being in his hand, each such card becomes a penalty card. The director should be called. However, whether it is a major penalty card or a minor penalty card might be determined by the “why” it was exposed. If a small card is dropped by accident, it is generally a minor penalty card. Otherwise, the card will generally be a major penalty card. And the director may use his judgment if the exposure is caused by an outside influence, like spilling coffee in one’s lap. Also, even if the players have agreed on the penalty, the director can overrule it if he believes it incorrect.
EXPOSURE OF CARD BY DECLARER (9/5/24). The Declarer is not subject to restriction for exposing a card and no card of Declarer or dummy ever becomes a penalty card. Declarer is not required to play any card dropped accidentally. Note that the “card played” rule does apply to the Declarer. He cannot change a card he has played unless allowed to do so but rule (mechanical error, not change of mind).
After an opening lead out of turn, if Declarer begins to spread his hand, he becomes dummy and the presumed dummy is the new Declarer. However, if Declarer plays a card instead, he picks up the card and the director deals with the lead out of turn. If Declarer exposes cards after a lead out of turn that is face down, there is no rectification assuming the error in lead is corrected before the card is faced.
NO-TRUMP OPENING (8/30/24). I recently resent information concerning whether it is permissible to open 1NT with a hand that does not fit the definition of a “natural 1 NT” opening. I address today with information regarding the necessary (or not) point count required to open 1NT, assuming you play some form of Standard American. Some years ago, the ACBL changed the “natural” range from a spread of 4 to a spread of 5. Therefore, by partnership agreement, a pair may announce a range of 13-17, as an example. Whatever the agreed range, it must be announced. What if you have, for example, a bad 18, can you still bid 1NT? The answer is yes, if you think it best describes your hand and it is outside the scope of your partnership agreement. According to the ACBL, the range of points is not intended to keep a player from using his judgment to find a bid that best fits his hand. Your partner should bid his hand based on the assumption your bid was within the announced range. No alert is required if bigging outside the natural point range is done infrequently and is reasonably related to the hand.
CARD PLAYED CONTINUED (8/15/24). We move to when a card is deemed played by a defender. If a card is held so that it can be seen by his partner (regardless of whether it was actually seen), it is deemed played and must be faced. The only exception to this is if a single card below the rank of honor is dropped unintentionally (or otherwise exposed) it will be treated as a minor penalty card. Declarer is deemed to have played a card from his hand it if is either held face up, touching or nearly touching the table, or maintained in such a position as to indicated that is has been played. The fact that the hand holding the card remained in motion is not relevant. It is also not relevant as to whether or not either or both of the opponents saw the face of the card. In this instance, since exposure of the card helps only the defense, the director has some discretion in ruling on whether declarer has or has not played a card.
CARD PLAYED (7/24/24). The rule is simple sounding. Each player except dummy plays a card by detaching it from his hand and facing it on the table immediately before him. As to dummy, declarer plays a card from dummy by naming the card, after which dummy picks up the card and faces it on the table, but if necessary, declarer may pick up his chosen card himself. When the declarer plays from dummy himself, he MAY NOT correct the play but if the incorrect card is played (the card NOT called by declarer) declarer may correct it until the next card he plays from either his hand or dummy. The rule also is that declarer may only be allowed to change a called designation based on slip of the tongue, not because of lack of concentration or reconsideration. If disputed, the director must be called. There is a strong presumption that a call is correct. The declarer’s standard of proof to be allowed to change the designation is “overwhelming” evidence, a very hard showing.
PROCEDURE AFTER REVOKE ESTABLISHED (7/17/24). Law 64 states that there are two categories of revokes after establishment, those that require an automatic trick adjustment and those that do not. It is important to remember that the Director MUST further adjust the score to restore equity regardless of the type, in addition to the otherwise determined rectification.
1) If the revoking PLAYER won the trick, that trick is transferred to the other side. If the offending SIDE wins any additional trick afterwards, an additional trick is transferred (two total tricks).
2) If the offending player’s partner wins the trick or any subsequent trick only one trick is transferred to the other team.
3) There are a number of cases in which no automatic trick adjustment is required, most of which rarely occurs. This includes the second revoke by the same player in the same suit, the revoke was failure to play a penalty card or a card from dummy, attention was drawn to the revoke after a member of the non-revoking side has made a call on a subsequent deal, attention was first drawn to the revoke after the round has ended, or when both sides make an established revoke on the same deal. In all those cases, equity governs.
REVOKE ESTABLISHMENT (7/5/24). Today I am going to reiterate what "establishment of a revoke" means, as it is a key element of rectification when there is a revoke. Last week we looked at what happens if a revoke is identified prior to establishment, next week we will likely look at what happens if it is identified after establishment. So what is establishment, you ask, forgetting the discussion from a few years ago (which will now be on-line, so it can be referenced in the future. Establishment occurs when one of four events occur:
Since you probably can't remember all of this, it is pretty easy to remember that the revoke is established when the offender or his partner makes a call or plays the next trick! Remember that and you will be good 99% of the time.
REVOKES (6/27/24). There is rarely a game in which there is not at least one revoke, so I revisit the relevant rules. First, a player MUST correct his revoke if attention is drawn to it before it becomes established. Establishment occurs:
Ø When the offender or his partner leads or plays to the following trick, or
Ø When the offender of his partner names a card to be played to the following trick, or
Ø When the offender or his partner claims or concedes.
The offender is not under an obligation to draw attention to the revoke, but the penalty is almost always less if he does so before it becomes established. If corrected, the incorrectly played card becomes a major penalty card is from the hand of a defender. If the incorrectly played card was from declarant or dummy, or from a defender not on the offending team, the card is replaced in the hand without penalty. Each member of the non-offending side may withdraw a card played after the offense, but before establishment, without penalty. There is no automatic scoring penalty for this infraction, but rather the director can give rectification if the cards played before correction and before establishment provide unauthorized information to the non-offending side. Remember, this paragraph is only applicable to non-established revokes. What happens when a revoke is established comes next week.
MISTAKEN EXPLANATION CONTINUED (6/13/24). When a partnership agreement is different from an explanation given, the explanation is an infraction. The director should award an adjusted score if the action results in damage to the non-offending pair.
If a player becomes aware of his own mistake, he must summon the director before the opening lead is faced (or during play, if discovered later. The player then provides a correction. The player may call the director during the auction, but is not required to do so.
The offender’s partner must do nothing to correct the mistaken explanation while the auction continues, and if he subsequently becomes a defender, he must call the director and correct the explanation only after play ends. If the offender’s partner is to be declarer or dummy, he must, after the final pass, call the director and provide the explanation.
MISTAKEN EXPLANATION (6/6/24). If a player having heard his partner’s explanation of a call or partnership agreement, realizes that his own call has been misinterpreted, this knowledge is unauthorized information. The player must carefully avoid taking any advantage from it. Otherwise, the director shall award an adjusted score. If, during the subsequent action, the other team believes that unauthorized information was likely taken advantage of, they should announce that they reserve the right to call the director at the end of the auction or the play of the hand. If the offending party disagrees that there has been unauthorized information given or relied upon when that reservation is made, they should immediately call the director.
DECEPTION (5/24/24). Deceiving an opponent is legal and appropriate, but only if through a call or play, not through tempo, expression, method of play, etc. The deception must be equally likely to deceive one’s partner as one’s opponent. Can a player deceive by a question asked, such as, when a king is played, asking if the partnership plays a king ace-king if holding them both, when the one asking is holding the ace? The answer is one should not ask any card specific questions about leads or cards played, because that could give the inference that the one asking the question does not hold the ace. The question that is always appropriate is “please explain your leads and carding.”
COMMUNICATION AND TEMPO (5/17/24). Rules and procedures regarding communication and tempo are in all likelihood the most violated of all bridge rules, even though most are unintentional. It should go without saying, but I will state it anyway—no information can be conveyed to your partner except by calls and play, and even then, the opponents should know what your partner knows about the call or the play. Calls should be made without emphasis, mannerism or inflection, and without undue hesitation or haste. There is an exception. Many remember the “stop” card that once was in the bid box, but is no longer used. However, did you know that your left-hand opponent is OBLIGATED TO WAIT APPROXIMATELY 10 SECONDS following a jump in the bidding! And that 10 seconds must be used staring at one’s hand, not looking around the room or at other players.
What is challenging is that a variation in tempo is not generally an infraction, if unintentional, unless it occurs in a “time sensitive situation.” That is a judgment call, but is often self-apparent. If the hesitation could give your partner an inference, it is clearly a time sensitive situation. The most obvious example is a long pause when another player (your partner or otherwise) is followed by a pass. The clear inference is that your hand was close to being bid worthy, and that is valuable information for your partner. A long hesitation before playing a card in a finesse situation may infer you could or could not cover. A long hesitation before playing a singleton conveys a false impression.
If the director determines there is an infraction, he may adjust the score or otherwise restore equity. I do note that it is always appropriate for the declarer, when the dummy comes down, to take the time necessary to plan the play.
CLAIMS AND SUCH (5/10/24). By request of some of our players, I address claims and “play any card” from dummy. First, if a claim is made for the remaining tricks, the claimant must show his hand and must clearly state his line of play to capture all the remaining tricks he is claiming. If the opponents agree, end of story. If they disagree (and here I am oversimplifying pages of examples) the director determines what would have happened, generally if the line of play is most unfavorable to the claimant. As an example, if there is a trump outstanding and there is a possibility that the play could have allowed a trick to be trumped, even if it could have been drawn, too bad for the claimant. The director can require all players to face their cards. Generally, play does not resume, the director determines what might happen, with the presumption being against the line of play most favorable to claimant. I also note that all restrictions on dummy go away when a claim is made. She becomes a player with all rights to enter the discussion.
The other issue, somewhat related, is when a declarant, thinking the line of play is determined and the dummy irrelevant, just says “play anything” to the dummy. That is a not supposed to happen. What if the dummy realizes a trump is out but the declarer does not, and the dummy plays the top trump, taking the outstanding one? That cannot be allowed. The director can require that the dummy play the card least favorable to declarer.
IRREGULARITY PROCEDURE (5/3/2024). First, any player, including dummy, may act to prevent an irregularity from happening. This generally occurs when someone is about to lead out of turn, or when dummy tells declarer he took a trick rather than dummy. But if an irregularity occurs, but it is during the auction period, any player may call attention to it. However, if an irregularity occurs during play, the dummy may not call attention to it until play of the hand is completed. There is no requirement to call attention to an irregularity by one’s own side. I also note that any player, including dummy, may call attention to a quitted trick pointed the wrong way, but it must be before he or his partner play to the next trick, or a penalty can be assessed if the director thinks warranted. There are also specific rules regarding when a correction of an incorrect call must or may be made. This will be addressed in a future PISS.
LEAD OUT OF TURN (4/25/24). Today we address a previously discussed issue, but it is one that is frequently occurring, so some repetition is warranted. If the declarer leads out of turn, from either his hand or dummy, either defender may accept the lead. If the defenders disagree, the defender next in line to play makes the call. If the lead is not accepted, it is retracted. If the lead was from either his hand or dummy, play continues with declarer leading from the proper hand, with no further rectification. If the defense leads out of turn, the declarer may accept the lead. However, when a defender leads o the next trick before his partner has played to the current trick, or plays out of turn before his partner has played, the card so led becomes a major penalty card and the declarer has four options:
Ø Require defender’s partner to play the highest card he holds in the suit incorrectly led, or
Ø Require defender’s partner to play the lowest card he holds in the suit incorrectly led, or
Ø Require offender’s partner to play a card of another suit declarer selects, or
Ø Forbid offender’s partner from playing a card from another specified suit.
WRONG BOARD OR HAND CONTINUED (4/18/24). Today we consider what happens when a wrong board is discovered during the auction or play period. If, after commencement of the auction, it is discovered that a player is playing a board not intended to be then played, then the following actions are taken:
Ø If one or more of the players have previously played the board, with the correct opponents or otherwise, the board is cancelled for both pair.
Ø If none of the four players have previously played the board, play continues, using the incorrect board, if possible, and the score will stand. He may require both pairs to play the correct board against one another later.
Ø The director shall award an artificial adjusted score to any contestant deprived of the opportunity to earn a valid score.
Note from the author: This comes directly from Law 15B of the Laws. I have not discovered so far a rule that deals with the situation where play cannot continue, since the same cards appear in two or more hands. I will pursue this.
WRONG BOARD OR HAND (4/11/24). When a player pulls a hand from an incorrect board and makes a call, the call is cancelled as are all subsequent calls. If the offender’s partner has subsequently called, the director must award an adjusted score. Otherwise, after looking at the correct hand, the offender calls again and the auction continues normally. Information gathered by the non-offending side is authorized but any information conveyed by the offender’s partner is unauthorized, and if the director determines that the unauthorized information has impacted play, the director should adjust the score. Note that a non-offender should announce he reserves the right to call the director an the end of the play of the hand and then may call the director at such time.
INCORRECT NUMBER OF CARDS (3/29/24). If it is discovered that a player holds an incorrect number of cards and the discovery is made before any player has made a call, the director corrects the problem and, if no player has seen another’s card, play resumes normally. If the director determines that one player has seen a card from another hand, the director allows the play to continue and be scored. If at the conclusion of play the director believes that the card seen has effected the outcome, the direct shall adjust the score and MAY penalize the offender.
BOARDS AND CARDS (3/21/24). Since we have had some problems with fundamentals, the basics are going to be addresses for a few weeks, starting today. There are specific rules for almost all aspects of preparing for play, as well as the play itself.
ü The board is to be placed in the center of the table where it shall remain, correctly oriented, until play is complete.
ü Each player must count his cards, face down, to verify the required 13 cards.
ü No player shall touch any card other than their own.
ü Bidding “sight unseen” is not allowed.
ü After a board is played, a player may look at an opponent’s hand only with permission of the player whose hand it is.
ü After each hand, including pass outs, the hand must be shuffled and returned to the appropriate pocket of the board.
PARTNERSHIP UNDERSTANDINGS (3/1/24). Partnership understandings are an integral part of bridge. However, and equally important, your opponents are entitled to understand all such agreements, whether they be explicit or implicit through mutual experience or awareness of the players. A player may make any bid, as long as it fools his partner as much as the opponents. I also note that one may not look at his or her own convention card during play. It is also worth noting that a player must disclose ALL special information conveyed to him, although inferences drawn from knowledge and experience of matters generally known to bridge players need not be addressed. Finally, all partnership understandings must be mutual—one player cannot play a bid differently than his partner.
RETENTION OF RIGHT TO CALL (2/22/24). If a pass is made out of rotation and the pass is accepted by the next opposition player also passing, the director allows the auction to continues. However, if a player is skipped and does not get a chance to bid, the director cancels all passes (starting with the one out of rotation and reverts the bidding to the player who missed their turn. As is usually the case, the rules relating to unauthorized information are applicable.
DOUBLE OR REDOUBLE OUT OF ROTATION (2/9/24). A double or redouble may be accepted by the opponent next to bid. If it is not accepted:
· If offender’s RHO passes, offender must repeat their out-of-rotation double or redouble. There is no further rectification.
· If offender’s RHO bids, doubles or redoubles, the offender may, in turn, make any legal call. If the call is comparable, there is no further rectification, keeping in mind the director can, if circumstances require taking some action to restore equity, he can do so. If the call is not comparable, offender’s partner must pass at his next turn to bid.
CALL OUT OF TURN (2/1/24). The rules relating to making a call out of turn are too extensive to detail herein. However, an overview can be useful. This summary assumes the call was not accepted.
Ø For a pass made at RHO’s turn, the offender must repeat the pass and the auction continues normally. For a bid, double or redouble made at RHO’s turn, if RHO passes the offender must repeat the call and the auction continues normally.
Ø If the call was made at partner’s turn, or at LHO’s turn when they are the opener, the auction reverts to the player in turn and the call out of rotation is UI for offender’s partner.
Ø If the bid, double or redouble was made at RHO’s turn and RHO does not pass, and for all cases in the preceding bullet, when the offender’s turn comes, if the make a comparable call, the auction and play continues normally. If they don’t their partner will have to pass when next is their turn to call.
WITHDRAWN CALL (1/25/24). In 2017, the rules relating to withdrawn calls was greatly simplified. The rule now states that when an offending player’s call is withdrawn and it is replaced by a comparable call, then, if he becomes a defender there are no lead restrictions for his side. You may recall that a comparable call was defined recently. If the offending player does not replace the bid with a comparable call, if he becomes a defender, AT THE DEFENDER’S PARTNER’S FIRST TURN TO LEAD (WHICH MAY OR MAY NOT BE THE OPENING LEAD), the declarer may prohibit the partner from leading any ONE named suit WHICH HAS NOT BEEN SPECIFIED IN THE LEGAL AUCTION BY THE DEFENDER. This prohibition contains for as long as offender’s partner holds the lead. Note that the defender may NOT demand a suit be led. Note that generally in the rules, a “bid” is a suit or no-trump, while a “call” includes a pass, double or redouble. See Rule 26 for a fuller explanation.
CHANGE OF CALL RULE (1/19/24). When using a bid box, it is permissible for a player to change an unintended call before his partner bids. Unintended means a slip of the fingers, not a lack of concentration or change of mind. The rule of thumb (which the director should consider, but is not dispositive) is that if the call made is on the card beside or quite near the card that was pulled, it is likely unintended, if the player so claims. How or when the error is discovered (as long as before partner bids) does not matter. If partner bids, the original “mistaken” bid stands and the bidder should not announce the mistake.
CARD EXPOSED DURING AUCTION (1/11/24). If, during the auction, a player by error allows his partner to see one or more cards in her hand, the Director must require that all such cards by placed face up on the table until the end of the auction. Information gleaned from seeing the card is authorized for the opposition but unauthorized for the partner of the exposed card(s). The additional penalty, if any, is dependent on what card(s) is exposed. If it is a single card not an honor, there is no rectification. If it is a single card that is an honor, the offender’s partner must pass at his next turn to bid. If more than one card is exposed, the partner must pass at her next turn to bid. If at the end of the auction, the offender is to become a defender, the exposed card(s) becomes a penalty cards(s). NOTE THAT IF THE EXPOSURE IS BEFORE THE AUCTION BEGINS, THESE RULES DO NOT APPLY. Instead, the penalty for unauthorized information is applicable, applicable to ALL players at the table..
COMPARABLE CALL (1/04/24). Everyone knows (I hope) that when ruling on an insufficient bid or a call out of rotation, if the call is not accepted, there is generally no penalty if the call is replaced by a “comparable call.” This is a concept fairly new to the bridge laws. When the director is determining whether a call is comparable, he must take into account all attributable meanings of the withdrawn call. That is to say, what information may the partner gather from the withdrawn call? The intent of the bidder is not relevant. To be comparable, the call must meet ONE of the following three independent tests: 1) both calls have more or less the same meaning, or 2) the call defines a subset of the meanings attributable to the withdrawn call, or 3) the call has the same purpose as what is attributable to the withdrawn call. Subset is defined: to be a subset, ALL of the meanings of the replacement call must fit into the meaning of the withdrawn call.
Note that if the replacement call is not deemed comparable, the offender’s substitute call will bar partner from bidding for one round (call out of rotation) or for the remainder of the auction (an insufficient call).
PASSED OUT HAND, FIRST BOARD (12/21/2023). A hand is passed out and no one else has played the board. YOU MAY NOT SHUFFLE AND REDEAL. The primary reason for this is that players evaluate hands differently and another pair may bid, where no one at your table elected to do so.
MISINFORMATION 2 (12/14/2023). Another circumstance is a player bidding after mistaken information (including failure to promptly alert when required). Until the end of the auction period and provided his partner has not subsequently called, a player may change a call without other rectification for his side when the director judges that the decision to make the call could well have been influenced by the misinformation given to the player by an opponent. The obvious corollaries to this are that the call can not be changed is it did not influence the subsequent call or is one’s partner makes a call.
MISINFORMATION (12/7/2023). Today’s lesson is simple—a player mistakenly bids, forgetting the partnership agreement and the bidder’s partner explains correctly what the bid should mean (which is what the partner believes the bid means). THIS IS NOT MISINFORMATION and the rules relating to misinformation do not apply. Rather, they apply when the explanation given in incorrect. Where the mistake is the bidders mistake, the bidder cannot state his error, as that would give his partner unauthorized information. However, the bidder “must not act on the unauthorized information he now is deemed to have and must bid as if their initial understanding of their own call remained the same. Players are only authorized to the correct meaning of a bid, not what the bidder’s actual intent was, if that intent was contrary to the partnership agreement.
IRREGULARITIES 4 (11/30/2023). And they just keep coming:
What is it is not discovered until the end of the play of a hand that one hand has a card too many? The play must be cancelled and an adjusted score awarded. Any offending contestant is liable to assigned a procedural penalty.
What about discovering there are only 51 cards in the deck when dealt? If before play, the director, if possible, reconstructs the hands, using a new deck if necessary. If during play, this usually is the result of a player unwittingly having played two cards to a trick. If that is the case, the card faced is in play and the other card returned to the hand. It is deemed to have been continuously in hand, so a revoke penalty is possible.
IRREGULARITIES 3 (11/16/2023). And even more on irregularities:
When the cards get messed up and there are too many cards in one hand and too few in another, what happens? Assuming you count your cards and the problem is discovered before anything happens, the director goes to those that have played it previously and corrects the holdings. Play on. If a bid has been made by a player with the wrong number of cards when the director is called, again the director is called and, after the error is corrected, if the director finds that the call made was reasonable once the hand is corrected, play it out as is. The director can adjust the score if he believes it equitable. If the director determines the original call would not now be reasonable, he must issue an adjusted score and he may penalize the player that bid with the incorrect number of cards.
IRREGULARITIES 2 (11/13/2023). More on irregularities:
Keep in mind the following:
A very important point. Law 64C STATES THAT THE DIRECTOR SHOULD ADJUST THE SCORE IN FAVOR OF THE NON-OFFENDING SIDE IF, AFTER AN ESTABLISHED REVOKE, THE AUTOMATIC TRICK PENALTY DOES NOT PROVIDE ENOUGH COMPENSATION FOR THE DAMAGE CAUSED BY THE REVOKE. However, the director cannot waive the automatic penalty because the revoke caused no harm. As an example, on a bid of 7, there is a revoke by the defense, but the defense had an ace that would have taken the trick regardless of the revoke, there is still a one trick penalty even though the declarer could never have made the 7 he now gets credit for. There is no exception for "no damage." There is ALWAYS a penalty.
IRREGULARITIES 1 (11/2/2023). Here begins a series on irregularities, an area of frequent mistakes by players.
Unless prohibited by a law, any player may draw attention to an irregularity during the auction period, regardless of whether or not it is his turn to call. The main exception to this is that the dummy may not do so (see next sentence) until play of the board is completed. The exception is that dummy may correct declarer's mistaken explanation of a bid, or may take action to prevent an irregularity, generally calling attention to the proper party to lead when an improper party is about to pull a card from his hand. Also, in a previous PISS, it was noted that no one can call attention to a quitted trick pointed incorrectly after a lead to the next trick has been made. Also note that, with the exception of correcting an incorrect explanation, no one is REQUIRED to call attention to her partner's error.
Once an irregularity has been announced, THE DIRECTOR MUST BE CALLED, even if you know the remedy. ANY PREMATURE CORRECTION OF AN IRREGULARITY BY THE OFFENDER IS ANOTHER OFFENSE AND MAY RESULT IN ADDITIONAL RECTIFICATION. This is an oft ignored rule, so don't act impatiently if the director is called when you goof. It is best to call the director immediately. In some instances, such as a long hesitation, it is possible for the players to finish the hand and then have the director determine that the hesitation impacted the bidding, in which case the director can adjust the score.
DEFECTIVE TRICKS 3 (10/26/2023). Here is the final PISS on defective tricks. What if the offender has too few cards? The director inspects the played cards and requires the offender to restore to his hand all extra cards, leaving among the played cards the one faced. If the director cannot determine which card was faced, the defender leaves the highest-ranking card that he could have legally played. Ownership of the defective trick does not change. Note that a restored card is deemed to have belonged continuously to the offender’s hand and a failure to have to played it when required to an earlier trick may constitute a revoke.
DEFECTIVE TRICKS 2 (10/12/2023). What happens when both sides play to the next trick? First, the director identifies the defective trick. Then, if the offender has too many cards in his hand and he has a card in the suit led in the defective trick, he must choose a card from that suit and place among his played cards. If he has no card in the suit led in the defective trick, then he can choose any card and place it among his played cards. The trick that was defective is not altered but the side in error is subject to a one trick revocation penalty.
DEFECTIVE TRICKS (10/12/2023). A DEFECTIVE TRICK IS ONE TO WHICH A PLAYER EITHER FAILED TO PLAY A CARD OR PLAYED TOO MANY CARDS. I know, you are thinking that only a defective player would need to know this rule, but surprisingly it takes up about 4 pages in the Duplicate Decisions book, so there must be some defective players out there. A defective trick MUST be corrected if attention is drawn to the irregularity before a player on each side has played to the following trick. In that event, if a player has failed to play a card, they must play an appropriate card. If a player has played two cards to a trick, but not simultaneously the fifth card becomes a penalty card, unless the Director deems that it was led to the next trick in which it should be led. However, if the fifth card is played by declarer or dummy, but not led to the next trick, it’s picked up without penalty. If the two cards are played simultaneously, it can be replaced in hand if no one can read it (stuck behind the first and proper card). If it can be seen, it generally is a penalty card unless the director determines it should not be, likely because it was exposed by a player on the other team trying to be helpful.
MORE ON TRICKS (10/5/2023). A basic rule is that so long as his side has not led or played to the next trick, declarer or either defender may, until he has turned his own card face down, require that all cards just played to the trick be faced. Also, until his side has led or played to the next trick, declarer or either defender may inspect, but not expose, his own last card played. Thereafter, until play ceases, the cards of quitted tricks may not be inspected unless the Director so instructs. Finally, 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 his own.
TRICKS (9/28/23). We all know that each player is required to lineup all of his played cards in front of himself, pointing each card in the direction of the pair that won the trick. Today, just two pointers. The first is that any player may draw attention to any trick that is not faced in the correct position, BUT ONLY UNTIL HIS SIDE LEADS OR PLAYS TO THE FOLLOWING TRICK. Violation of this rule allows the director to assess a procedural penalty or even, if the director believes it appropriate, an unauthorized information penalty. The second rule is that the tricks must remain in place until there is an agreement as to the final result. Failure to do so may result in your side’s waiver of a challenge as to the final result or as to whether or not a revoke in fact happened.
REVOKES 3 (9/21/23). What happens when a revoke is noted prior to establishment? It must be corrected. If by the declarer or dummy, the misplayed card is NOT a penalty card. If the left-hand opponent has played, he can withdraw the card played and it is not a penalty card. If the left-hand player (partner of offender) has played, and his right-hand opponent withdraws his play, then that player can withdraw his play as well, but if he has played incorrectly, his incorrect play does become a penalty card. Note that there is no automatic trick penalty here. There may or may not be a penalty card, depending on who revoked.
The tricky part is when a revoke is established. Generally, if the revoking player wins the revoke trick, that trick is transferred to the non-offending side and, if the offending side wins any other trick afterwards, an additional trick is transferred. If the revoking player did not win the trick but his partner did or won any other trick thereafter, only one trick is transferred. If the offending side did not win the trick or any other trick, there are no tricks transferred. Note that the intent of the rules is not to penalize the offending party, but rather to be sure the non-offending party is not damaged. Therefore, there is an over-riding provision that states that the director should adjust any score to the extent that the adjustment is warranted because the non-offending party, because of the revoke, ended up with a result that was less advantageous than what the result likely would have been had no revoke occurred, with no limit. So if the non-offending party would have taken 5 more tricks than they took because of the revoke, all 5 tricks can be transferred. I note that there is also a rule prohibiting revoking intentionally to gain an advantage.
REVOKES 2 (9/14/23). First note that a revoke MUST be corrected if it is reported before establishment. However, the player making the misplay need not remark upon it although it is generally best to do so, because the penalty for correcting a revoke prior to establishment is almost always less severe than for one found after establishment. In such an instance (pre-establishment) if the offender is from the offensive side, there is no penalty and if from the defense, the misplayed card simply becomes a major penalty card, required to be played at the first legal opportunity. Still before establishment, a card played by a non-offender before notice of revoke can be withdrawn without penalty and if withdrawn, subsequent players in rotation can also withdraw.
Enough of this, you think. What the heck is establishment? A revoke is established 1) if the offender or his partner leads or plays to the following trick or 2) when the offender or his partner names or otherwise designates a card to be played to the following trick, or 3) when a member of the offending side makes a claim or concession of tricks or 4) when agreement is established 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.
REVOKES (9/7/23). We all know that the failure to play a card of the suit led, when you have such a card in your hand, is a revoke, by definition. It is also a revoke when a player fails to lead what is required following a lead penalty, when one has the card to comply with the required lead. Finally, anytime there is a failure to play a card or a suit required by any law, when one is able to comply, is also a revoke.
It is even a revoke when a card not called for by the declarer is played from the dummy, even if it does not appear to matter, such as the declarer calling for a king and the dummy plays the ace. While this revoke does not carry with it an automatic penalty, the director may be called and assess a penalty if damage can be shown, but I have come up with no illustration of how this is possible. I note that readers of this column may recall that there are few instances when the dummy is allowed to speak, but one of them is that the dummy may ask the declarer about a possible revoke. However, the dummy CANNOT ask the defender about a possible revoke.
I also note that the declarer is under no obligation to call attention to a revoke, either before or after it is established. What does “establish” mean, you may ask. The answer is quite important in discussing remedies for a revoke, so we will get into all of that next week.
PLAY OUT OF TURN (1/8/25). Today, we again consider passes out of rotation, because that happens with some frequency. First, remember that the LHO of the bidder can always accept the bid by simply making a call, which includes a pass. In the event that the out of turn call is accepted, play proceeds from that point only. That essentially means that the bidding proceeds as though the call was in turn and a following bidder may then make a bid that is of lesser value than a previous bid, just as play progresses when an insufficient bid is accepted. The golden rule is that each player should play close attention to the previous bids because it is easy to accept the bid inadvertently!
PASS OUT OF TURN (1/16/25). What happens when a player passes out of rotation? Assuming it does not have an artificial meaning and is not a pass of your partners artificial bid, the following applies:
DOUBLE OUT OF ROTATION (2/5/24). I today PISS on a circumstance that rarely happens, but has and can happen, and that is a double or redouble out of rotation. First, it can be accepted by the next opponent in the rotation except as below noted. If it is not accepted, and the RHO of the sinner passes, the offender must repeat their out of rotation call. If the RHO does anything other than pass, the sinner may, in turn, make any legal call. If comparable, no rectification, if not comparable, sinner's opponent must pass at his next turn.
If sinner bids when it is her partner's turn to bid, the partner may make any legal call and then in turn the offender may make any legal call, but the rules pertaining to unauthorized information apply. This call cannot be accepted. If appropriate, the boss may impose lead restrictions as part of the UI rectification. Calls when it is the LHO's turn are treated as changes of call. If the director is called before the change is made, the director will not allow the change (if the incorrect call was legal). If the change is made before the director's call, it can be accepted and all proceeds normally. If not accepted, the second call is cancelled and the first call stands.
PARTNERSHIP UNDERSTANDINGS (3/13/25). Partnership understandings my be reached explicitly in discussion or implicitly through mutual experience or awareness of the players. If a player asks what a bid means and the answer is “no agreement” that means that the partnership is relying on knowledge and experience of matters generally known to bridge players. Even if there has been no discussion about a particular bid or play but the partners are “on the same wavelength” because of their past experiences, there is a partnership agreement that must be disclosed. All partnership understandings must be available to the opponents. The basic guideline is that, while a player may make any bid allowed by law, including psych bids, BUT THE PLAYERS PARTNER MUST BE FOOLED TO THE SAME EXTENT THAT THE OPPONENTS ARE.
PARTNERSHIP UNDERSTANDINGS 2 (3/20/25) Remember that partnership agreements need not be explicit. Both partners must use the same systems and conventions, and a partnership may not change its agreement during a session. A "special partnership agreement" is one that has an artificial meaning that is not generally known to most bridge players. While such an agreement is not barred per se, it can be barred if the regulating body determines it, after alert and explanation, could not readily be assimilated into a game. As an example, an opening bid or one of a suit or 1NT cannot show less than 8 points, even by partnership agreement. It seems the guiding principle in not allowing certain partnership agreements is that it makes the opponent's normal bidding systems unworkable. For example, if I bid 1NT with six points, what does an overcall show? Keep in mind that a psych bid is a different animal, because, unlike being bid by partnership agreement, presumably the partner of the opener will believe the opener has a 15–17-point hand and must respond accordingly. It is also prohibited to overuse psych bids. Doing so more than once in a round is questionable, more than twice in a round creates a presumption of an implicit partnership agreement. Also, using a psych bid repeatedly over time, such as 3 out of 4 consecutive sessions, could make for an interesting Director decision. The key is that the partner of the bidder must believe the bid is NOT psychic and must bid accordingly. Making such a bid a couple of times a year is clearly not an implicit agreement. However, making it repeatedly over time in similar circumstances can be deemed an implicit agreement. Note that stretching a requirement, such as bidding 1 NT with 18 points where the partnership agreement is 15-17 is not a psych bid, if one believes it is the best bid for the held hand. However, if it is routinely done, it should be alerted as 15-18.
CONVENTION CARDS (3/27/25). If you have been
reading PISS's for years, you might recall that there are four different
charts, depending on the level of the game. The Open chart is recommended
for club games, so I am not going off again on the various differences.
Here are the basic rules:
MISINFORMATION (4/11/25). Failure to alert when required is misinformation. The director MUST be called. But note that players who know or suspect what is happening may not be entitled to redress if they elect to proceed without clarification. A player who remembers he should have given an alert MUST call the director before the end of the clarification period (before the opening lead). Before the end of the auction period and provided his partner has not subsequently called, a player may change a call for his side when the director determines that the call could well have been influenced by the misinformation. If a call is changed, the LHO may also change his call. The director should call impacted players away from the table to discuss what calls they would like to change, so as to limit the amount of information conveyed to other players. If the misinformation is not identified until after one’s partner has bid but before the opening lead, the director has latitude to determine what action to take, which can include changes in calls or, if he determines that the non-offending side was not damaged or they should have known of the offense and did nothing, he can allow play to continue without rectification.
PASSED OUT BOARD (4/17/25). When a board has been passed out, YOU MAY NOT RESHUFFLE. The reason is obvious if it is not the first time that board has been played, less obvious if it is the first hand played. The natural inclination is to shuffle so you get to play the board. The rationale is that different players evaluate hands differently, so some players may bid a hand that others pass out. Of course, if hands are pre dealt it would create a major mess to reshuffle.
DUMMY (4/24/25). Dummy may not point out to declarer that they have a trick incorrectly turned unless they do so before their side leads or plays to the next trick. Dummy may ask the declarer (but not a defender) whether he has a card of the suit led. Dummy may try to PREVENT any irregularity, such as telling any player about to lead that it is not their play. He can only point out an irregularity after play of the hand is concluded (but he need not). In all these instances, while the director should be called, play continues until the hand is done and then the director can award an adjusted score. If the director does not think that another play by declarer may have occurred that would have altered the outcome, no rectification is warranted.
CARD PLAYED (5/24/25). I have addressed this issue before, but it continues to occur during play, so I think a refresher is warranted. First, I address correcting an unintended designation from dummy. The option to change a card from dummy is limited to situations where declarer calls for it to be played and then only if it is a slip of the tongue, not following a loss of concentration or a reconsideration. In determining whether a call is a slip of the tongue (unintended) the burden of proof is on the declarer. The standard of proof is “overwhelming.” It is therefore rare for a director to determine that a call was a slip of the tongue. The only possibility is for the correction to be made almost instantaneously and even then it may be judged a lack of concentration. The fact that the declarer would “never play that card in that situation” is NOT conclusive. Also note that if the declarer actually touches a dummy card to play it, it must be played, no correction allowed.
CARD PLAYER CONTINUED (5/29/25). As a defender, the card played rule is that a card held so that it is POSSIBLE for his partner to see it face is deemed played to the current trick. It matters not whether the partner actually saw it or whether the play was intentional or inadvertent. The exception to this rule is that if a single card not an honor is exposed accidentally, likely dropped, it is only a minor penalty card and is not deemed played. As for the declarer, if either of the following occurs, it is deemed played:
· It is held face up, touching or nearly touching the table, or
· It is maintained in such a position as to indicate that it has been played
This rule is a bit tricky, since maintained does not mean held, so being in motion or not is not determinative. However, if the declarer determines that he detached a card other than the one intended and he replaces it in the same motion, that is allowed. Since seeing the card only helps the defender, the director if called, has some discretion.