Laws Q&A

Law Questions and Answers

(updated August 2017)

Q1 – 7
1. May dummy tell another player that he has a quitted trick pointed the wrong way?

Only if he does so before a lead is made to the next trick. Law 65B3: Declarer may require that a card pointed incorrectly is pointed as above (ie as in 65B1 & 65B2). Dummy or either defender may draw attention to a card pointed incorrectly, but for these players the right expires when a lead is made to the following trick. If done later Law 16B may apply.
16B concerns extraneous information from partner.

2. The dummy has been displayed when it is realised that a player holds his cards from the previous board. What happens? *

Play cannot continue. Law 15A2(a). If the offenders partner has subsequently called, the Director shall award an adjusted score.

3. What classification is an opening bid of 2D that shows either a balanced hand 21-22 hcp or 5+ in spades or hearts and 5-9 hcp?

This 2D may be played as part of any system without affecting the system classification. Although the bid may be weak without a known suit there is dispensation from being a Brown Sticker Convention under 2.5(a)(ii) of the QBA Systems Regulations which says, “Exceptions: (ii) A two level opening bid in a minor may show a weak hand with 5+ cards in either major only, or as an option among any number of strong hand types.”

4. Must a player advise the opponents that he has made a call that is not systemically correct? *

No. Law 40A3: A player may make any call or play without prior announcement provided that such call or play is not based on an undisclosed partnership understanding (see Law 40C1).
Law 40C1: A player may deviate from his side’s announced understandings always provided that his partner has no more reason than the opponents to be aware of the deviation [but see B2(a)(v) above]. Repeated deviations lead to implicit understandings which then form part of the partnership’s methods and must be disclosed in accordance with the regulations governing disclosure of system. If the Director judges there is undisclosed knowledge that has damaged the opponents he shall adjust the score and may assess a procedural penalty.

5. A player has opened 2NT to show 8-11 hcp and 5+ in both minors. LHO bids 3D showing a good hand with spades. Does 3D require an alert?

No. QBA Alerting Regulations 2.4 lists cue bids of an opponent’s denomination/suit as self-alerting and 2.3 says, “For the purposes of these Regulations, a cue bid of opponent’s suit is defined as a bid of any denomination bid by the opponent or of a suit shown by the opponent’s bid.”

6. Declarer tells dummy to “play anything” to a trick. May a defender now tell dummy which legal card to play?

Yes. Law 46B5: 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.

7. Does a minor penalty card have to be played at the first legal opportunity?

No. Law 50C: When a defender has a minor penalty card, he may not play any other card of the same suit below the rank of an honour until he has first played the penalty card, but he is entitled to play an honour card instead. Offender’s partner is not subject to lead restriction, but information gained through seeing the penalty card is unauthorized (see E following).

Q8 – 14

8. Must declarer play a card that has been detached from his hand just because an opponent has seen its face?

No. Law 45C2: Declarer must play a card from his 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.

9. South is the presumed declarer however North tells East that it is his opening lead. East faces the D4. May South accept East’s lead?

No. Law 47E1: A lead out of turn (or play of a card) may be retracted without further rectification if the player was mistakenly informed by an opponent that it was his turn to lead or play. A lead or play may not be accepted by his LHO in these circumstances.

10. Declarer calls for “Queen” from dummy but there are two Queens. May either defender say which Queen is to be played?

No. Except when declarer’s different intention is incontrovertible, Law 46B3 applies. If declarer designates a rank but not a suit
(a) In leading, declarer is deemed to have continued the suit in 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 he can legally do so; but if there are two or more such cards that can be legally played declarer must designate which is intended.

11. A player sitting North in a matchpointed Mitchell movement accidentally learns that East on Board 7 holds the SAK. Can this board still be played at his table?

Yes, by arrowswitching the board so that North holds the East hand. Law 16C2(a): If the Director considers that the information could interfere with normal play he may, before any call has been made: (a) adjust the players’ positions at the table, if the type of contest and scoring permit, so that the player with information about one hand will hold that hand.

12. A player writes “3” then crosses it out and writes 1S. Is this OK?

“3” is not a bid and therefore 1S is permitted. There is unauthorised information to partner possibly that the player looked to have been considering opening at the 3 level. Law 18A: A bid designates a number of odd tricks (tricks in excess of six), from one to seven, and a denomination. (Pass, double and redouble are calls but not bids.)

13. A player has clearly thought about his call for some time before passing. Does his partner have to pass? *

No. Law 73D1: It is desirable, though not always required, for players to maintain steady tempo and unvarying manner. However, players should be particularly careful when variations may work to the benefit of their side. Otherwise, unintentionally to vary the tempo or manner in which a call or play is made is not an infraction. Inferences from such variations are authorised only to the opponents, who may act upon the information at their own risk. Law 16B1(a) and 73C also need to be considered: Any extraneous information from partner that might suggest a call or play is unauthorised. This includes remarks, a question, replies to questions, unexpected alerts or failure to alert, unmistakable hesitation, unwonted speed, special emphasis, tone, gesture, movement or mannerism. (a) A player may not choose a call or play that is demonstrably suggested over another by unauthorised information if the other call or play is a logical alternative.
73C: When a player has available to him unauthorized information from his partner, such as from a remark, question, explanation, gesture, mannerism, undue emphasis, inflection, haste or hesitation, an unexpected alert or failure to alert, he must carefully avoid taking any advantage from that unauthorized information.

14. Both defenders have a major penalty card and one is to lead to the next trick. Must he lead his major penalty card?

No. Law 50D1(b): (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.

Q15 – 21

15. Does the auction continue if an inadmissible double is followed by a call by the next player in rotation?

No. Law 36A: If offender’s LHO calls before rectification of an inadmissible double or redouble the inadmissible call and all subsequent calls are cancelled. The auction reverts to the player whose turn it was to call and proceeds as though there had been no irregularity. The lead restrictions in Law 26 do not apply.

16. Are the automatic trick adjustment laws applied after an established revoke from dummy? *

No. Law 64B3: There is no automatic trick adjustment following an established revoke (but see Law 64C) if: the revoke was made in failing to play a penalty card or any card belonging to dummy.
The Director would give redress for damage if necessary under Law 64C: 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, he shall assign an adjusted score.

17. May a player change his call providing his pencil has not left the paper? *

This is not a factor in determining whether a call was unintended as dealt with in Law 25A1: If a player discovers that he has not made the call he intended to make, he may, until his partner makes a call, substitute the call he intended to make for the unintended call. The second (intended) call stands and is subject to the appropriate Law, but the lead restrictions in Law 26 do not apply.
If the player’s original intent was to make the call selected or voiced, that call stands. A change of call may be allowed because of a mechanical error or a slip of the tongue, but not because of a loss of concentration regarding the intent of the action.
The director must be satisfied that the player has not had a change of mind.

18. A defender revokes at Trick 10 and it becomes established. As his partner won the trick anyway and as no later tricks were won by the side, do you impose a one trick automatic adjustment? *

Yes. Law 64A2: When a revoke is established and the trick on which the revoke occurred was not won by the offending player then, if the offending side won that or any subsequent trick, after play ends one trick is transferred to the non-offending side.

19. Are players required to count their cards before returning them to the board?

No, not really. Counting will reveal too many or too few cards however having 13 cards is no help if some belong to another player. Law 7C: After play has finished, each player should shuffle his original thirteen cards, after which he restores them to the pocket corresponding to his compass position.

20. May a player deliberately revoke a second time in order to conceal the first revoke?

No. Law 72B3: A player may not attempt to conceal an infraction, as by committing a second revoke, concealing a card involved in a revoke or mixing the cards prematurely.

21. South is declarer in 4S. East faces the D8 as the opening lead and South begins to spread his hand as the dummy with some cards visible to all. What happens now?

South must continue to spread his hand and becomes dummy. Law 54A: After a faced opening lead out of turn, declarer may spread his hand; he becomes dummy. If declarer begins to spread his hand, and in doing so exposes one or more cards, he must spread his entire hand. Dummy becomes declarer.

Q22 – 30

22. The presumed Declarer knows that his partner’s response to Blackwood cannot be correct. Must he advise the opponents of this before the opening lead is faced?

No. The opponents are not entitled to information deduced from the player’s own hand eg that the player has 3 aces so partner cannot have two. Law 40 A3: A player may make any call or play without prior announcement provided that such call or play is not based on an undisclosed partnership understanding (see Law 40C1).

23. Must a board always be cancelled if it is discovered after the auction has begun that one player has 14 cards and another 12? *

No. When the Director determines that a player’s hand originally contained more than 13 cards with another player holding fewer, and a player with an incorrect hand has made a call: if the Director judges that the deal can be corrected and played, then the deal may be so played with no change of call. At the end of play the director may award an adjusted score. Otherwise when a call has been made with an incorrect number of cards, the Director shall award an adjusted score [see Law 12C1(b)] and may penalize an offender.

24. A defender leads to the next trick before his partner has played to the current trick. May declarer require the offender’s partner to play the highest card of the suit led to the current trick? *

Yes, this is one of declarer’s 3 options. It is important to bear in mind that the options refer to the suit led to the current, incomplete trick and have nothing to do with the prematurely led card that is now sitting on the table as a major penalty card.
Law 57A: When a defender leads to 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 or played becomes a major penalty card, and declarer selects one of the following options. He may:
1. require offender’s partner to play the highest card he holds of the suit led, or
2. require offender’s partner to play the lowest card he holds of the suit led, or
3. require offender’s partner to play a card of another suit specified by declarer.
4. forbid offender’s partner to play a card of another suit specified by declarer.

25. Is an established revoke on the twelfth trick rectified the same way as any other established revoke?

No. Law 62D1: On the twelfth trick, a revoke, even if established, must be corrected if discovered before all four hands have been returned to the board. See also Law 64B6.

26. West has been asked to explain his partner’s call but has forgotten its meaning. What may the director do?

In this specific circumstance only, when there is a systemic agreement but it has been forgotten, the director may remove the forgetful one so that the person who made the call may give the systemic agreement. This method is not to be used when there is no agreement or to confirm that a given explanation is correct.

27. Is an agreement to open 1NT with 4441 shape hands and 15-18 HCP permitted under QBA Green System classification?

No, a Green 1NT should be a balanced hand. This does not preclude individual assessment of some hands, e.g. a hand with a singleton honour or a weak longer suit. The subsequent bidding methods however, should not be able to identify such hand types.

28. North is on lead. She accidentally pulls two cards from her hand and puts them both on the table face up and visible. May she now choose which card he wishes to play regardless of her original intention?

Yes. Law 58B2: If a player leads or plays two or more cards simultaneously:
2. If more than one card is visible, the player designates the card he proposes to play; when he is a defender, each other card exposed becomes a penalty card (see Law 50).

29. A player has not discussed the meaning of a call with a new partner and RHO opponent has requested an explanation. Must he say how he intends to interpret the call?

No, in fact he should not do this. There are some subtleties to this situation. A player may not hide behind a literally correct response of “undiscussed” when he must surely know the meaning of the call through mutual experience or awareness.
On the other hand there may be genuine uncertainty eg 1NT (X) 2D. It would be wrong to say “I’m taking it to be natural” when the player simply doesn’t know and it could just as likely be a transfer to hearts. Obviously he will have to guess one way or the other at his turn to call but “guesses” are not necessarily “the system”.

30. A player fails to play a Major Penalty card at the first legal opportunity. May declarer accept the new card rather than the Major Penalty Card?

Yes, in which case the major penalty card remains on the table. Law 52B1:
(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) Declarer must accept such lead or play if he has thereafter played from his own hand or dummy.
(c) If the played card is accepted under either (a) or (b) any unplayed penalty card remains a penalty card.

Q31 – 40

31. May a club ban Psychic Calls?

No, not across the board. A Regulating Authority may restrict the use of psychic artificial calls.

32. Is it okay to make two strokes for the final pass of an auction?

No, not in Queensland. Just as we don’t say “Pass Pass” in spoken bidding nor do we write //. There is potential damage to an auction when a player mistakenly writes // when not in the pass out seat.

33. Is it necessary to call the Director if all four players agree to waive a penalty?

Yes. Law 10A: The Director alone has the right to determine rectifications when applicable. Players do not have the right to determine (or waive – see Law 81C5) rectifications on their own initiative.
Law 81C: The Director (not the players) has the responsibility for rectifying irregularities and redressing damage. The Director’s duties and powers normally include also the following:
5. to waive rectification for cause, in his discretion, upon the request of the non-offending side.

34. There was an established revoke from dummy at Trick 8 because the H4 was hidden under the S7. Declarer makes 11 tricks but without the revoke she would have made 10 tricks. Do you adjust? *

Yes. Although automatic trick adjustment does not apply the director must still restore equity under Law 64C: When, after any established revoke, including those not subject to trick adjustmant, the Director deems that the non-offending side is insufficiently compensated by this Law for the damage caused, he shall assign an adjusted score.

35. North makes a ruling for an infraction. May dummy call the director?

Yes. Law 9B1(b): Any player, including dummy, may summon the Director after attention has been drawn to an irregularity.

36. Is whether or not the pencil has left the bidding slip relevant in deciding whether a call is unintended? *

No. The sole criterion is that there was no change of mind. The player must have decided to make a particular call and by some “turning away of the mind” made a different call.
Law 25A1: If a player discovers he has not made the call he intended to make, he may, until his partner makes a call, substitute the call he intended for the unintended call. The second (intended) call stands and is subject to the appropriate Law, but the lead restrictions in Law 26 do not apply.
A2: If the player’s original intent was to make the call selected or voiced, that call stands. A change of call may be allowed because of a mechanical error or slip of the tongue, but not because of loss of concentration regarding the intent of the action.

37. During the auction West withdraws a call that showed spades and another unspecified suit. His replacement call is not comparable. May the eventual declarer North prohibit the opening lead of a spade? *

It will depend on whether the offender has specified the spade suit in the legal auction. Law 26B: When an offending player’s call is withdrawn and it is not replaced by a comparable call, then if he becomes a defender declarer may, at the offender’s partner’s first turn to lead (which may be the opening lead) prohibit offender;s partner from leading any (one) suit which has not been specified in the legal auction by the offender. Such prohibition to continue for as long as offender’s partner retains the lead.

38. May a player ask a question for no reason other than to make an opponent think that he doesn’t hold a particular card (when in fact he has the card himself)? *

No. This is illegal deception. Law 73D2: A player may not attempt to mislead an opponent by means of remark or gesture, by the haste or hesitancy of a call or play (as in hesitating before playing a singleton), or by the manner in which a call or play is made or by any purposeful deviation from correct procedure (see also Law 73E2).
Law 73E2: If the Director determines that an innocent player has drawn a false inference from a remark, manner, tempo, or the like, of an opponent who has no demonstrable bridge reason for the action, and who could have known, at the time of the action, that it could work to his benefit, the Director shall award an adjusted score.

39. May play continue if a player calls after his LHO makes an inadmissible double?

No. Law 36A: If offender’s LHO calls before rectification of an inadmissible double or redouble the inadmissible call and all subsequent calls are cancelled. The auction reverts to the player whose turn it was to call and proceeds as though there had been no irregularity. The lead restrictions in Law 26 do not apply.

40. Part way through the play of a hand, declarer claims the remaining tricks. May the hand be played out if either defender so requests? *

Yes, provided all four players agree. Law 68D2(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 procedes 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.

Q41 -50

41. Declarer calls for the 4C but the 4C is not in the dummy. May he now call for 7H? *

Yes. Law 46B4: If declarer calls a card that is not in dummy the call is invalid and declarer may designate any legal card.

42. May a director penalise a contestant for needlessly delaying the game?

Yes. Law 90A: The Director, in addition to implementing the rectifications in these Laws, may also assess procedural penalties for any offence that unduly delays or obstructs the game, inconveniences other contestants, violates correct procedure, or requires the award of an adjusted score.

43. May a player correct a revoke after an opponent leads to the next trick? *

Yes, providing neither he nor his partner has played to the following trick. Law 62A: A player must correct his revoke if attention is drawn to the irregularity before it becomes established.
Law 63A1: A revoke becomes established when the offender or his partner leads or plays to the following trick (any such play, legal or illegal, establishes the revoke).

44. May a spectator talk to a player or make comments between boards?

No. Law 76B3: During a round a spectator must refrain from mannerisms or remarks of any kind and must have no conversation with a player.
Definitions: Round – a part of a session played without progression of players.

45. While the play of a hand is in progress, may Dummy ask an opponent if he has revoked?

No. Law 42B1: Dummy may ask declarer (but not a defender) when he has failed to follow suit to a trick whether he has a card of the suit led.
Law 42B3: He may draw attention to any irregularity, but only after play of the hand is concluded.

46. As part of an otherwise Green System a pair use an opening bid of 2D to show 8-11 hcp with two suits of the same rank. How is this convention classified?

Brown Sticker. QBA Systems Regulations 2.5(a) Any opening bid of two clubs through three spades that: could be weak and does not promise at least four cards in a known suit.
Exceptions:
(i) Where all the weak meanings guarantee at least four cards in one known suit and only the strong options do not.
(ii) A two level opening bid in a minor may show a weak hand with 5+ cards in either major only, or as an option among any number of strong hand types.

47. May an appeals committee remove or reduce a disciplinary penalty?

No, however it may recommend that the ruling be changed.
Law 91A: In performing his duty to maintain order and discipline, the Director is empowered to assess disciplinary penalties in points or to suspend a contestant for the current session or any part thereof. The Director’s decision under this clause is final and may not be overruled by an appeals committee (see Law 93B3).
Law 93B3: In adjudicating appeals the committee may exercise all powers assigned by these Laws to the Director, except that the committee may not overrule the Director in charge on a point of law or regulations, or on exercise of his Law 91 disciplinary powers. (The committee may recommend to the Director in charge that he change such a ruling.)

48. Must a defender play a card that has been detached from his hand if declarer has seen its face?

No, not just because of that. Law 45C1: A defender’s card held so that it is possible for his partner to see its face must be played to the current trick (if the defender has already made a legal play to the current trick, see Law 45E).

49. Declarer requires East to lead a diamond to Trick 8 as a lead restriction because West had a major penalty card. East announces that he has no diamonds and leads a spade. At the end of the hand it is discovered that East did indeed have a diamond. How would the director rule?

Established Revoke. Law 61A: 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.)
Law 64A: When a revoke is established:
1. and the trick on which the revoke occurred was won by the offending player, 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.
2. and the trick on which the revoke occurred was not won by the offending player then, if the offending side won that or any subsequent trick, after play ends one trick is transferred to the non-offending side.

50. Must a player call the director immediately he realises that he has given an incorrect explanation of partner’s call? *

No. Law 20F4(a): If a player realizes during the auction that his own explanation was erroneous or incomplete he must summon the Director before the end of the clarification period and correct the misexplanation. He may elect to call the Director sooner, but he is under no obligation to do so. (For a correction during the play period, see Law 75B2).

Q51 -60

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