Table of Contents

Note: In the text of a Law, right-clicking (or long-pressing) links to other Laws will display the referenced Law in-line.

Preparation and Progression

LAW 1 - THE PACK

  1. Rank of Cards and Suits
  2. The Face of the Cards
  3. The Backs of the Cards

LAW 2 - THE DUPLICATE BOARDS

LAW 3 - ARRANGEMENT OF TABLES

LAW 4 - PARTNERSHIPS

LAW 5 - ASSIGNMENT OF SEATS

  1. Initial Position
  2. Change of Direction or Table

LAW 6 -THE SHUFFLE AND DEAL

  1. The Shuffle
  2. The Deal
  3. Representation of Both Pairs
  4. New Shuffle and Re-deal
  5. Director’s Option on Shuffling and Dealing
  6. Duplication of Board

LAW 7 - CONTROL OF BOARD AND CARDS

  1. Placement of Board
  2. Removal of Cards from Board
  3. Returning Cards to Board
  4. Responsibility for Procedures

LAW 8 - SEQUENCE OF ROUNDS

  1. Movement of Boards and Players
  2. End of Round
  3. End of Last Round and End of Session

Irregularities in General

LAW 9 - PROCEDURE FOLLOWING AN IRREGULARITY

  1. Drawing Attention to an Irregularity
  2. After Attention Is Drawn to an Irregularity
  3. Premature Correction of an Irregularity

LAW 10 - ASSESSMENT OF RECTIFICATION

  1. Right to Determine Rectification
  2. Cancelation of Enforcement or Waiver of Rectification
  3. Choice after Irregularity

LAW 11 - FORFEITURE OF THE RIGHT TO RECTIFICATION

  1. Action by Non-Offending Side
  2. Penalty after Forfeiture of the Right to Rectification

LAW 12 - DIRECTOR'S DISCRETIONARY POWERS

  1. Power to Award an Adjusted Score
  2. Objectives of Score Adjustment
  3. Awarding an Adjusted Score

LAW 13 - INCORRECT NUMBER OF CARDS

  1. No Call Made
  2. Discovered during the Auction or Play
  3. Surplus Card
  4. Play Completed

LAW 14 - MISSING CARD

  1. Hand Found Deficient before Play Commences
  2. Hand Found Deficient Afterwards
  3. Information from Replacement of a Card

LAW 15 - WRONG BOARD OR HAND

  1. Cards from Wrong Board
  2. Wrong Board Discovered During Auction or Play Period

LAW 16 - AUTHORIZED AND UNAUTHORIZED INFORMATION

  1. Players' Use of Information
  2. Extraneous Information from Partner
  3. Information from Withdrawn Calls and Plays
  4. Extraneous Information from Other Sources

The Auction

The Auction Period

LAW 17 - THE AUCTION PERIOD

  1. Auction Period Starts
  2. The First Call
  3. Successive Calls
  4. End of Auction Period

LAW 18 - BIDS

  1. Proper Form
  2. To Supersede a Bid
  3. Sufficient Bid
  4. Insufficient Bid
  5. Rank of the Denominations
  6. Different Methods

LAW 19 - DOUBLES AND REDOUBLES

  1. Doubles
  2. Redoubles
  3. Double or Redouble Superseded
  4. Scoring a Doubled or Redoubled Contract

LAW 20 - REVIEW AND EXPLANATION OF CALLS

  1. Call Not Clearly Recognized
  2. Review of Auction during Auction Period
  3. Review after Final Pass
  4. Who May Review the Auction
  5. Correction of Error in Review
  6. Explanation of Calls
  7. Incorrect Procedure

LAW 21 - MISINFORMATION

  1. Call or Play Based on Player's Own Misunderstanding
  2. Call Based on Misinformation from an Opponent
Auction Ended

LAW 22 - END OF AUCTION

Comparable Call

LAW 23 - COMPARABLE CALL

  1. Definition
  2. No Rectification
  3. Non-Offending Side Damaged
Exposed Card

LAW 24 - CARD EXPOSED OR LED DURING THE AUCTION

  1. Low Card Not Prematurely Led
  2. Single Card of Honor Rank or Card Prematurely Led
  3. Two or More Cards Are Exposed
  4. Declaring Side
  5. Defenders
Changes of Call

LAW 25 - LEGAL AND ILLEGAL CHANGES OF CALL

  1. Unintended Call
  2. Call Intended

LAW 26 - CALL WITHDRAWN, LEAD RESTRICTIONS

  1. No Lead Restrictions
  2. Lead Restrictions
Insufficient Bid

LAW 27 - INSUFFICIENT BID

  1. Acceptance of Insufficient Bid
  2. Insufficient Bid not Accepted
  3. Premature Replacement
  4. Non-offending Side Damaged
Call Out of Rotation

LAW 28 - CALLS CONSIDERED TO BE IN ROTATION

  1. RHO Required to Pass
  2. Call by Correct Player Cancelling Call Out of Rotation

LAW 29 - PROCEDURE AFTER A CALL OUT OF ROTATION

  1. Forfeiture of Right to Rectification
  2. Out-of-Rotation Call Cancelled
  3. Call Out of Rotation Is Artificial

LAW 30 - PASS OUT OF ROTATION

  1. RHO's Turn to Call
  2. Partner's or LHO's Turn to Call
  3. When Pass Is Artificial

LAW 31 - BID OUT OF ROTATION

  1. RHO's Turn to Call
  2. Partner's or LHO's Turn to Call
  3. Later Bids at LHO's Turn to Call

LAW 32 - DOUBLE OR REDOUBLE OUT OF ROTATION

  1. RHO's Turn to Call
  2. Offender's Partner's Turn to Call
  3. Later Calls at LHO's Turn to Call

LAW 33 - SIMULTANEOUS CALLS

LAW 34 - RETENTION OF RIGHT TO CALL

Inadmissable Calls

LAW 35 - INADMISSIBLE CALLS

LAW 36 - INADMISSIBLE DOUBLES AND REDOUBLES

  1. Offender's LHO Calls before Rectification
  2. Offender's LHO does not Call before Rectification
  3. Irregularity Discovered after the Auction Period

LAW 37 - ACTION VIOLATING OBLIGATION TO PASS

  1. Offender's LHO Calls before Rectification
  2. Offender's LHO does not Call before Rectification

LAW 38 - BID OF MORE THAN SEVEN

  1. No Play Permissible
  2. Bid and Subsequent Calls Cancelled
  3. Offending Side Must Pass
  4. Possible Lack of Recourse to Laws 26B and 72C

LAW 39 - CALL AFTER THE FINAL PASS

  1. Calls Cancelled
  2. Pass by Defender or Any Call by Declaring Side
  3. Other Action by Defender
Agreements

LAW 40 - PARTNERSHIP UNDERSTANDINGS

  1. Players' Systemic Agreements
  2. Special Partnership Understandings
  3. Deviation from System and Psychic Action

The Play

Correct Procedure

LAW 41 - COMMENCEMENT OF PLAY

  1. Face-down Opening Lead
  2. Review of Auction and Questions
  3. Opening Lead Faced
  4. Dummy's Hand

LAW 42 - DUMMY'S RIGHTS

  1. Absolute Rights
  2. Qualified Rights

LAW 43 - DUMMY'S LIMITATIONS

  1. Limitations on Dummy
  2. If Violation Occurs

LAW 44 - SEQUENCE AND PROCEDURE OF PLAY

  1. Lead to a Trick
  2. Subsequent Plays to a Trick
  3. Requirement to Follow Suit
  4. Inability to Follow Suit
  5. Tricks Containing Trumps
  6. Tricks Not Containing Trumps
  7. Lead to Tricks Subsequent to First Trick

LAW 45 - CARD PLAYED

  1. Lead to a Trick
  2. Subsequent Plays to a Trick
  3. Requirement to Follow Suit
  4. Inability to Follow Suit
  5. Tricks Containing Trumps
  6. Tricks Not Containing Trumps
  7. Lead to Tricks Subsequent to First Trick
Irregularities in Procedure

LAW 46 - INCOMPLETE OR INVALID DESIGNATION OF A CARD FROM DUMMY

  1. Proper Form for Designating Dummy's Card
  2. Incomplete or Invalid Designation

LAW 47 - RETRACTION OF CARD PLAYED

  1. In Course of Rectification
  2. To Correct an Illegal Play
  3. To Change an Unintended Designation
  4. Following Opponent's Change of Play
  5. Change of Play Based on Misinformation
  6. Other Retraction
Penalty Card

LAW 48 - EXPOSURE OF DECLARER'S CARDS

  1. Declarer Exposes a Card
  2. Declarer Faces Cards

LAW 49 - EXPOSURE OF A DEFENDER'S CARDS

LAW 50 - DISPOSITION OF PENALTY CARD

  1. Penalty Card Remains Exposed
  2. Major or Minor Penalty Card
  3. Disposition of Minor Penalty Card
  4. Disposition of Major Penalty Card
  5. Information from a Penalty Card

LAW 51 - TWO OR MORE PENALTY CARDS

  1. Offender to Play
  2. Offender's Partner to Lead

LAW 52 - FAILURE TO LEAD OR PLAY A PENALTY CARD

  1. Defender Fails to Play Penalty Card
  2. Defender Plays Another Card
Lead Out of Turn

LAW 53 - LEAD OUT OF TURN ACCEPTED

  1. Lead Out of Turn Treated as Correct Lead
  2. Proper Lead Made Subsequent to Irregular Lead
  3. Wrong Defender Plays Card to Declarer's Irregular Lead

LAW 54 - FACED OPENING LEAD OUT OF TURN

  1. Declarer Spreads His Hand
  2. Declarer Accepts Lead
  3. Declarer Must Accept Lead
  4. Declarer Refuses Opening Lead
  5. Opening Lead by Wrong Side

LAW 55 - DECLARER'S LEAD OUT OF TURN

  1. Declarer's Lead Accepted
  2. Declarer Required to Retract Lead
  3. Declarer Might Obtain Information

LAW 56 - DEFENDER'S LEAD OUT OF TURN

Other Irregular Leads and Plays

LAW 57 - PREMATURE LEAD OR PLAY

  1. Premature Play or Lead to Next Trick
  2. Offender's Partner Cannot Comply with Rectification
  3. Declarer or Dummy Has Played
  4. Premature Play at RHO's Turn

LAW 58 - SIMULTANEOUS LEADS OR PLAYS

  1. Simultaneous Plays by Two Players
  2. Simultaneous Cards from One Hand

LAW 59 - INABILITY TO LEAD OR PLAY AS REQUIRED

LAW 60 - PLAY AFTER AN ILLEGAL PLAY

  1. Play of Card after Irregularity
  2. Defender Plays before Required Lead by Declarer
  3. Play by Offending Side before Assessment of Rectification
The Revoke

LAW 61 - FAILURE TO FOLLOW SUIT - INQUIRIES CONCERNING A REVOKE

  1. Definition of Revoke
  2. Right to Inquire about a Possible Revoke
  3. Right to Inspect Tricks

LAW 62 - CORRECTION OF A REVOKE

  1. Revoke Must Be Corrected
  2. Correcting a Revoke
  3. Subsequent Cards Played
  4. Revoke on Trick Twelve

LAW 63 - ESTABLISHMENT OF A REVOKE

  1. Revoke Becomes Established
  2. Revoke May Not Be Corrected

LAW 64 - PROCEDURE AFTER ESTABLISHMENT OF A REVOKE

  1. Automatic Trick Adjustment
  2. No Automatic Trick Adjustment
  3. Redress of Damage
Tricks

LAW 65 - ARRANGEMENT OF TRICKS

  1. Completed Trick
  2. Keeping Track of the Ownership of Tricks
  3. Orderliness
  4. Agreement on Results of Play

LAW 66 - INSPECTION OF TRICKS

  1. Current Trick
  2. Own Last Card
  3. Quitted Tricks
  4. After the Conclusion of Play

LAW 67 - DEFECTIVE TRICK

  1. Before Both Sides Play to Next Trick
  2. After Both Sides Play to Next Trick
Claims and Concessions

LAW 68 - CLAIM OR CONCESSION OF TRICKS

  1. Claim Defined
  2. Concession Defined
  3. Clarification Required
  4. Suspension of Play

LAW 69 - AGREED CLAIM OR CONCESSION

  1. Establishment of Agreement
  2. Withdrawal of Established Agreement

LAW 70 - CONTESTED CLAIM OR CONCESSION

  1. General Objective
  2. Clarification Statement Repeated
  3. There Is an Outstanding Trump
  4. Director's Considerations
  5. Unstated Line of Play

LAW 71 - CONCESSION CANCELLED

Other Laws

Proprieties

LAW 72 - GENERAL PRINCIPLES

  1. Observance of Laws
  2. Infraction of Law
  3. Awareness of Potential Damage

LAW 73 - COMMUNICATION, TEMPO AND DECEPTION

  1. Appropriate Communication between Partners
  2. Inappropriate Communication between Partners
  3. Player Receives Unauthorized Information from Partner
  4. Variations in Tempo or Manner
  5. Deception

LAW 74 - CONDUCT AND ETIQUETTE

  1. Proper Attitude
  2. Etiquette
  3. Violations of Procedure

LAW 75 - MISTAKEN EXPLANATION OR MISTAKEN CALL

  1. Mistake Causing Unauthorized Information
  2. Mistaken Explanation
  3. Mistaken Call
  4. Director's Determination
The Score

LAW 79 - TRICKS WON

  1. Agreement on Tricks Won
  2. Disagreement on Tricks Won
  3. Error in Score
Tournament Director

LAW 81 - THE DIRECTOR

  1. Official Status
  2. Restrictions and Responsibilities
  3. Director's Duties and Powers
  4. Delegation of Duties

LAW 82 - RECTIFICATION OF ERRORS OF PROCEDURE

  1. Director's Duty
  2. Rectification of Error
  3. Director's Error

LAW 84 - RULINGS AN AGREED FACTS

  1. No Rectification
  2. Law Provides Rectification
  3. Player's Option
  4. Director's Option

LAW 85 - RULINGS ON DISPUTED FACTS

  1. Director's Assessment
  2. Facts Not Determined

LAW 87 - FOULED BOARD

  1. Definition
  2. Pairs and Individual Scoring
  3. Teams Scoring

LAW 90 - PROCEDURAL PENALTIES

  1. Director's Authority
  2. Offenses Subject to Procedural Penalty

LAW 91 - PENALIZE OR SUSPEND

  1. Director's Powers
  2. Right to Disqualify