Help

ACBL Duplicate Laws 

Section One — The Auction Period

17. The Auction Period . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 27

A. The Auction Period Starts . . . . . . . . . . 27

B. The First Call . . 27

C. Successive Calls . . . . . . . . . . . 27

D. Cards from Wrong Board . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 27

E. End of the Auction Period . . . . . 28

18. Bids . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 28

A. Proper Form . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 28

B. To Supersede a Bid . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 29

C. Sufficient Bid . . . . . . . . . . . 29

D. Insufficient Bid . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 29

E. Rank of the Denominations . . . . . . . 29

F. Different Methods . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 29

19. Double and Redouble . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 29

A. Double . . . . 29

B. Redouble . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 30

C. Double or Redouble Superseded . 30

D. Scoring a Doubled or Redoubled Contract . . . . . . . 30

20. Review and Explanation of Calls . . . . . . . . . 30

A. Call Not Clearly Recognized . . . 30

B. Review of the Auction during the Auction Period . 31

C. Review after Final Pass . . 31

D. Who May Review the Auction . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 31

E. Correction of Error in Review . . . . . . . . . 31

F. Explanation of Calls . . . . . 32

G. Incorrect Procedure . . . . . . . . 33

21. Call Based on Misinformation . . . . . . . . 33

A. Call Based on Caller’s Misunderstanding . 33

B. Call Based on Misinformation from an Opponent . 33

Section Two — The Auction Has Ended

22. Procedure after the Auction and the Auction Period Have Ended . . . . . . 34

A. End of the Auction . . . . . . . . 34

B. End of the Auction Period . . . . . . . . . . 35

Part II — Irregularities in Procedure

23. Awareness of Potential Damage . . . . . . . . 35

Section One — Exposed Card, Enforced Pass

24. Card Exposed or Led Prior to Play Period . 36

A. Low Card Not Prematurely Led . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 36

B. Single Card of Honor Rank or Card Prematurely Led . . . . . . . . . 36

C. Two or More Cards Are Exposed . . . . . . . 36

Section Two — Changes of Call

25. Legal and Illegal Changes of Call . . . . . . . . . 37

A. Unintended Call . . . . . . . . . . 37

B. Intended Call . . . . . . 37

26. Call Withdrawn, Lead Restrictions . . . . . . . . . . 38

A. Call Related to Specific Suit . . . . . . . . . 38

B. Other Withdrawn Calls . . . . . . . . . . 38

Section Three — Insufficient Bid

27. Insufficient Bid . . 39

A. Insufficient Bid Accepted . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 39

B. Insufficient Bid Not Accepted . . 39

C. Premature Replacement . . . . . . . . 40

D. Non-offending Side Damaged . . . . . . . . 40

Section Four — Call Out of Rotation

28. Calls Considered to be in Rotation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 41

A. RHO Required to Pass . . . . . . . . . . . 41

B. Call by Correct Player Canceling Call Out of Rotation . . . . 41

29. Procedure after a Call Out of Rotation . . . . . . . . . 41

A. Forfeiture of Right to Rectification . 41

B. Out-of-Rotation Call Canceled . . . . . . . . . . . . . 41

C. Call Out of Rotation Is Artificial . 42

30. Pass Out of Rotation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 42

A. Before Any Player Has Bid . . . . 42

B. After Any Player Has Bid . . . . . . . . . . . 42

C. When Pass Is Artificial . . . . . . . . . . . 42

31. Bid Out of Rotation . . . . . . . . . . . 43

A. RHO’s Turn . . . . . . . . . . 43

B. Partner’s or LHO’s Turn . . . . . . . . . . . 43

32. Double or Redouble Out of Rotation . 44

A. Made at Offender’s Partner’s Turn to Call . . . . . 44

B. Made at RHO’s Turn to Call . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 44

33. Simultaneous Calls . . . . 45

34. Retention of Right to Call . . . . . . . . 45

35. Inadmissible Calls . . . . . . . . . . . . . 45

A. A double or redouble not permitted by Law 19 . . 45

B. A bid, double or redouble by a player required to pass . . . . . . . . . . . 45

C. A bid of more than seven . . . . . . . . 45

D. A call after the final pass of the auction . . . . . 45

Section Five — Inadmissible Calls

36. Inadmissible Double or Redouble . . . . 46

A. Offender’s LHO Calls before Rectification . 46

B. Offender’s LHO Does Not Call before Rectification . . . . . . . . . 46

37. Action Violating Obligation to Pass . . . . . . . . 46

A. Offender’s LHO Calls before Rectification . . . . 46

B. Offender’s LHO Does Not Call before Rectification . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 47

38. Bid of More Than Seven . . . . . . . . . 47

A. No Play Permissible . . . . . . . . . . . 47

B. Bid and Subsequent Calls Canceled . . . . . . . . 47

C. Offending Side Must Pass . . . . . . . . . . 47

D. Possible Lack of Recourse to Laws 23 and 26 . . 47

39. Call after the Final Pass . . 48

A. Calls Canceled . . . . . . . . . . 48

B. Pass by a Defender or Any Call by Declaring Side 48

C. Other Action by a Defender . . . . . . . . 48

Section Six — Conventions and Agreements

40. Partnership Understandings . . 48

A. Players’ Systemic Agreements . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 48

B. Special Partnership Understandings . . . . . . 49

C. Deviation from System and Psychic Action . . . 52

Section One — Correct Procedure

41. Commencement of Play . . . . . . 53

A. Face-down Opening Lead . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 53

B. Review of Auction and Questions . . . . . . . . 53

C. Opening Lead Faced . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 54

D. Dummy’s Hand . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 54

42. Dummy’s Rights . . 54

A. Absolute Rights . . . . . . . . 54

B. Qualified Rights . . . . . . . . . . 55

43. Dummy’s Limitations . . . . . . 55

A. Limitations on Dummy . . . . . . . . . . . . 55

B. If a Violation Occurs . . . . . . 55

44. Sequence and Procedure of Play . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 56

A. Lead to a Trick . . . . . . 56

B. Subsequent Plays to a Trick . . . . . . . . . . 56

C. Requirement to Follow Suit . . . . . . . 56

D. Inability to Follow Suit . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 57

E. Tricks Containing Trumps . . . . . . . . . . 57

F. Tricks Not Containing Trumps . . . . . 57

G. Lead to Tricks Subsequent to First Trick . . . . . 57

45. Card Played . . . . . . . . . . . . . 57

A. Play of Card from a Hand . . . . . . . . . . 57

B. Play of a Card from Dummy . . . . . . . . . 57

C. Compulsory Play of Card . . . . . . 58

D. Card Misplayed by Dummy . . 58

E. Fifth Card Played to Trick . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 59

F. Dummy Indicates Card . . . . 59

G. Turning the Trick . . . . 59

Section Two — Irregularities in Procedure

46. Incomplete or Erroneous Call of a Card from Dummy . 60

A. Proper Form for Designating Dummy’s Card . . . 60

B. Incomplete or Erroneous Call of a Card . . . . . . . . . 60

47. Retraction of Card Played . . . . . . . . . . . . . 61

A. In Course of Rectification . . . . . . . . . . 61

B. To Correct an Illegal Play . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 61

C. To Change an Inadvertent Designation . . . . 61

D. Following an Opponent’s Change of Play . . . 61

E. Change of Play Based on Misinformation . . . . 62

F. Other Retraction . . . . . . 62

Part II — Penalty Card

48. Exposure of Declarer’s Cards . . . . . . . . . . 62

A. Declarer Exposes a Card . . 62

B. Declarer Faces Cards . . 62

49. Exposure of a Defender’s Card . . . . . . 63

50. Disposition of a Penalty Card . . . . . . . . . . . . . 63

A. Penalty Card Remains Exposed . . . . . 63

B. Major or Minor Penalty Card? . . . . . . 63

C. Disposition of a Minor Penalty Card . . . . . . . 64

D. Disposition of a Major Penalty Card . . . . . . . 64

E. Information from a Penalty Card . . . . . 65

51. Two or More Penalty Cards . . . . . . . . 66

A. Offender to Play . . . . . . . . . . . . . 66

B. Offender’s Partner to Lead . . 66

52. Failure to Lead or Play a Penalty Card . . . 67

A. Defender Fails to Play a Penalty Card . 67

B. Defender Plays Another Card . . . . . . . . . . . 67

Part III — Irregular Leads and Plays

Section One — Lead Out of Turn

53. Lead Out of Turn Accepted . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 68

A. Lead Out of Turn Treated as Correct Lead . . . . . . 68

B. Wrong Defender Plays Card to Declarer’s Irregular Lead . . 68

C. Proper Lead Made Subsequent to Irregular Lead . . 68

54. Faced Opening Lead Out of Turn . . . . 69

A. Declarer Spreads His Hand . 69

B. Declarer Accepts Lead . . . . . . 69

C. Declarer Must Accept Lead . . . . . . . 69

D. Declarer Refuses Opening Lead . . . . . . . . . . . . 69

E. Opening Lead by Wrong Side . 70

55. Declarer’s Lead Out of Turn . . 70

A. Declarer’s Lead Accepted . . 70

B. Declarer Required to Retract Lead . 70

C. Declarer Might Obtain Information . . . . . . . . . 70

56. Defender’s Lead Out of Turn . . . . . . . . . 71

Section Two — Other Irregular Leads and Plays

57. Premature Lead or Play . . . . . . . . . . . 71

A. Premature Play or Lead to Next Trick . 71

B. Offender’s Partner Cannot Comply with Rectification . . 71

C. Declarer or Dummy Has Played . . . . . . . . 71

58. Simultaneous Leads or Plays . . . . 72

A. Simultaneous Plays by Two Players . . 72

B. Simultaneous Cards from One Hand . . . . 72

59. Inability to Lead or Play as Required . . . . . . . 73

60. Play after an Illegal Play . . . . . . . 73

A. Play of a Card after Irregularity . . 73

B. Defender Plays before Required Lead by Declarer . . 73

C. Play by Offending Side before Assessment of Rectification . . 74

Section Three — The Revoke

61. Failure to Follow Suit — Inquiries Concerning a Revoke . 74

A. Definition of a Revoke . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 74

B. Right to Inquire about a Possible Revoke . . . . . . 74

62. Correction of a Revoke . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 75

A. Revoke Must Be Corrected . 75

B. Correcting a Revoke . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 75

C. Subsequent Cards Played . . . . . 75

D. Revoke on Trick 12 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 75

63. Establishment of a Revoke . . 76

A. Revoke Becomes Established . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 76

B. Revoke May Not Be Corrected . . . 76

64. Procedure after Establishment of a Revoke . . . . . 76

A. Rectification following a Revoke . . . . . . . . . . . 76

B. No Rectification . . . . . . . . 77

C. Director Responsible for Equity . . . . . 78

Part IV — Tricks

65. Arrangement of Tricks . . . . . . . . 78

A. Completed Trick . . . . . . . . . . . 78

B. Keeping Track of the Ownership of Tricks . . . . . . . 78

C. Orderliness . . . . . . . . . . . 78

D. Agreement on Results of Play . . . . . . . 79

66. Inspection of Tricks . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 79

A. Current Trick . . . . . 79

B. Own Last Card . . 79

C. Quitted Tricks . . . . . . . . . . . . 79

D. After the Conclusion of Play . . . 79

67. Defective Trick . . . . . . 80

A. Before Both Sides Play to the Next Trick . 80

B. After Both Sides Play to the Next Trick . . . . . . . 80

Part V — Claims and Concessions

68. Claim or Concession of Tricks . 82

A. Claim Defined . . . . . . . . . 82

B. Concession Defined . . 82

C. Clarification Required for Claim . . 83

D. Play Ceases . . 83

69. Agreed Claim or Concession . . . . . . . . 83

A. When Agreement Is Established . . 83

B. Director’s Decision . . . . . . 84

70. Contested Claim or Concession . . . . . . . . 84

A. General Objective . . . . . . 84

B. Clarification Statement Repeated . . . . . 84

C. There Is an Outstanding Trump . 84

D. Director’s Considerations . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 85

E. Unstated Line of Play . . . . . . 85

71. Concession Canceled . . . . . . . . . 86
 

Section One — Responsibilities

81. The Director . . . . . . . . 101

A. Official Status . . . . . . . 101

B. Restrictions and Responsibilities . 101

C. Director’s Duties and Powers . . . . . 101

D. Delegation of Duties . . . . . . 102

82. Rectification of Errors of Procedure . . 102

A. Director’s Duty . . . . . . . . 102

B. Rectification of Error . . . . . . . . . 102

C. Director’s Error . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 102

83. Notification of the Right to Appeal . . . 103

Section Two — Rulings

84. Rulings on Agreed Facts . . . . . . . 103

A. No Rectification . . . 103

B. Law Provides Rectification . . . . . . 103

C. Player’s Option . . . 104

D. Director’s Option . . . . . . . . . . . . 104

85. Rulings on Disputed Facts . . . . . . 104

A. Director’s Assessment . . 104

B. Facts Not Determined . . . . . . 104

Section Three — Correction of Irregularities

86. In Team Play or Similar . . . . . . . . . . . . 105

A. Average Score at IMP Play . . . . . . . . 105

B. Non-balancing Adjustments, Knockout Play . . . 105

C. Substitute Board . . . . . . . . . 105

D. Result Obtained at Other Table . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 105

87. Fouled Board . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 106

A. Definition . . . . . . . . 106

B. Scoring . . . 106

Section Four — Penalties

88. Award of Indemnity Points . . . . 106

89. Rectification in Individual Events . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 106

90. Procedural Penalties . . . . . 107

A. Director’s Authority . . 107

B. Offenses Subject to Procedural Penalty . . . . 107

91. Penalize or Suspend . . 108

A. Director’s Powers . . . . 108

B. Right to Disqualify . . 108
 

Index to Duplicate Laws . . 112