For use in non-tourney play on OKb, where players do not have access to a director,
these are an adapted and annotated version of the:
Laws
of Duplicate Contract Bridge – 1997
European Edition
as promulgated by
The World Bridge Federation
and approved by the
European Bridge League
Effective October 1997
Published and distributed by the European Bridge League
NOTES TO READER
The numbering scheme of the 1997 Laws is being retained, to permit ready reference and avoid confusion. Accordingly, there are many gaps in the numbering of provisions. The index has been updated, and hyperlinked to the specific provisions referenced.
My general approach has been to delete provisions which have no relevance to OKb play, such as revokes, bids and plays out of rotation, insufficient bids, defective deals, and so forth. All references to a Director have been removed. Generally, where the Laws provide for an adjusted score in the Director’s discretion, the OKb Laws provide for the skip of the board at the election of the non-offending side, with the election to be made at the earliest possible moment to avoid the "double shot" issues. A different approach is taken for claims, which reflects OKb practice. Undo’s and the distinction between public and private chat are given formal recognition. Additional proprieties are proposed.
This Discussion Draft 2 of the OKb Laws was revision marked against the 1997 Laws. A second version, with all revision markings removed, is all posted. For those who reviewed Discussion Draft 1, a Word97 file which marks the revisions between the two discussion drafts is available privately.
R. Wigdor, October 9, 1997
Updated November 22, 1997
When these Laws say that a player "may" do something ("any player may call attention to an irregularity during the auction"), the failure to do it is not wrong. A simple declaration that a player "does" something ("….dummy spreads his hand in front of him…") establishes correct procedure without any suggestion that a violation be penalised. When a player "should" do something ("a claim should be accompanied at once by a statement…"), his failure to do it is an infraction of Law, which will jeopardise his rights, but which will seldom incur a procedural penalty. In contrast, when these Laws say that a player "shall" do something ("No player shall take any action until the Director has explained…."), a violation will be penalised more often than not. The strongest word, "must" ("before making a call, he must inspect the face of his cards"), indicates that violation is regarded as serious. Note that "may" becomes very strong in the negative: "may not" is a stronger injunction than "shall not", just short of "must not."
- Alert
- A notification in one of
the forms made available by the OKb Software, to the effect that opponents may be in need of an
explanation.
- Auction
- 1. The process of determining the contract by means of successive calls.
2. The aggregate of calls made (see Law 17E).
- Bid
- An undertaking to win at least a specified number of odd tricks in a specified
denomination.
- Board
- 1. A duplicate board as described in Law 2 .
2. The four hands as originally dealt for competitive non-tourney play by the OKb Server.
- Call
- Any bid, double, redouble or pass.
- Contestant
- In an individual event, a player; in a pair event, two players playing as partners
throughout the event; in a team event, four or more players playing as teammates.
- Contract
- The undertaking by declarer's side to win, at the denomination named, the
number of odd tricks specified in the final bid, whether undoubled, doubled,
or redoubled.
- Convention
- 1. A call that, by partnership agreement, conveys a meaning other than willingness to play in the denomination named (or in the last denomination named), or high-card strength or length (three cards or more) there. However, an agreement as to overall strength does not make a call a convention.
2. Defender's play that serves to convey a meaning by agreement rather than inference.
- Deal
- 1. The distribution of the pack to form the hands of the four players.
2. The cards so
distributed considered as a unit, including the auction and play thereof.
- Declarer
- The player who, for the side that makes the final bid, first bid the denomination
named in that bid. He becomes declarer when the auction period ends (see Law 17E).
- Defender
- An opponent of (presumed) declarer.
- Denomination
- The suit or notrump specified in a bid.
- Doubleopening lead is faced
- A call over an opponent's bid increasing the scoring value of fulfilled or defeated
contracts (see Law 19 and Law 77).
- Dummy
- 1. Declarer's partner. He becomes dummy when
the auction period ends (see Law 17E).
2. Declarer's partner's cards, once they
are spread on the table after the opening lead.
- Follow Suit
- Play a card of the suit that has been led.
- Game
- 100 or more trick points scored on one deal.
- Hand
- The cards originally dealt to a player, or the remaining portion thereof.
- Honour
- Any Ace, King, Queen, Jack or 10.
- International Matchpoint (IMP)
- A unit of scoring awarded according to a schedule
established in Law 78B .
- Irregularity
- A deviation from the correct procedures set forth in the Laws.
- Lead
- The first card played to a trick.
- LHO
- Left-hand opponent.
- Matchpoint
- A unit of scoring awarded to a contestant as a result of comparison with one or
more other scores.
- Mature Claim
- A claim made at a point in the play of a board at which the unproven distribution or placement of the defenders’ cards can not affect the number of tricks that will be won by declarer.
- Misclaim
- A claim to win an incorrect number of tricks.
- Odd Trick
- Each trick to be won by declarer's side in excess of six.
- OKb Server
- The computing facilities of OKb, to which players using OKb Software are connected over the Internet.
- OKb Software
- All versions of the OKb client software in current release.
- Opening Lead
- The card led to the first trick.
- Opponent
- A player of the other side; a member of the partnership to which one is opposed.
- Overtrick
- Each trick won by declarer's side in excess of the contract.
- Pack
- The 52 playing cards with which the game of Contract Bridge is played.
- Partner
- The player with whom one plays as a side against the other two players.
- Partscore
- 90 or fewer trick points scored on one deal.
- Pass
- A call specifying that a player does not, at that turn, elect to bid, double or redouble.
- Play
- 1. The contribution of a card from one's hand to a trick, including the first card, which
is the lead.
2. The aggregate of plays made.
3. The period during which the cards are played.
4. The aggregate of the calls and plays on a board.
- Premature Claim
- A claim made at a point in the play of a board at which the unproven distribution or placement of the defenders’ cards may affect the number of tricks that will be won by the declarer.
- Premium Points
- Any points earned other than trick points (see Law 77).
- Psychic Call
- A deliberate and gross misstatement of honour strength or suit length.
- Rectification
- Adjustment made to permit the auction or play to proceed as normally as
possible after an irregularity has occurred.
- Redouble
- A call over an opponent's double, increasing the scoring value of fulfilled or
defeated contracts (see Law 19 and Law 77).
- RHO
- Right-hand opponent.
- Rotation
- The clockwise order in which the deal and the right to call or play progresses.
- Round
- A part of a session played without variation of players.
- Session
- The period of play commencing at 00.00h Pacific Time each Sunday and ending at 24.00h Pacific Time each Saturday.
- Side
- Two players who constitute a partnership against the other two players.
- Slam
- A contract to win six odd tricks (called Small Slam) or to win seven odd tricks (called
Grand Slam).
- Suit
- One of four groups of cards in the pack, each group comprising thirteen cards and
having a characteristic symbol: spades (
 ), hearts ( ),
diamonds ( ), clubs ( ).
- Team
- Two or more pairs playing in different directions at different tables, but for a common score
(applicable regulations may permit teams of more than four members).
- Trick
- The unit by which the outcome of the contract is determined, regularly consisting of
four cards, one contributed by each player in rotation, beginning with the lead.
- Trick Points
- Points scored by declarer's side for fulfilling the contract (see Law 77).
- Trump
- Each card of the suit, if any, named in the contract.
- Turn
- The correct time at which a player may call or play.
- Undertrick
- Each trick by which declarer's side falls short of fulfilling the contract (see Law 77).
- Vulnerability
- The conditions for assigning premiums and undertrick penalties (see Law 77).
Duplicate Contract Bridge is played with a pack of 52 cards, consisting of 13 cards in each of four suits. The suits rank downward in the order spades (), hearts (), diamonds (), clubs (). The Cards of each suit rank downward in the order Ace, King, Queen, Jack, 10, 9, 8, 7, 6, 5, 4, 3, 2.
A duplicate board containing a pack is provided for each deal to be played during a session. Each board is numbered and has four pockets to hold the four hands, designated North, East, South and West. The dealer and vulnerability are designated as follows:
|
North Dealer | Boards | 1 | 5 | 9 | 13 |
|
East Dealer | Boards | 2 | 6 | 10 | 14 |
|
South Dealer | Boards | 3 | 7 | 11 | 15 |
|
West Dealer | Boards | 4 | 8 | 12 | 16 |
| Neither Side Vulnerable | Boards | 1 | 8 | 11 | 14 |
| North–South Vulnerable | Boards | 2 | 5 | 12 | 15 |
| East–West Vulnerable | Boards | 3 | 6 | 9 | 16 |
| Both Sides Vulnerable | Boards | 4 | 7 | 10 | 13 |
The same sequence is repeated for Boards 17–32 and for each subsequent group of 16 boards.
No board that fails to conform to these conditions should be used. If such board is used, however, the conditions marked on it apply for that session.
Four players play at each table
The four players at each table constitute two partnerships or sides, North–South against East–West
-
A. The Shuffle
- Before play starts, each pack is randomized by the OKb Server.
- B. The Deal
- The cards are dealt by the OKb Server into four hands of thirteen cards each; if the deal is defective, the board shall be skipped.
- C. Representation of Both Pairs
- If the cards are dealt and the opponents of the server leave the table during the auction period, and new opponents subsequently join the table and are seated, the board shall be skipped. If the cards are dealt and one player leaves the table during the auction period, and a substitute player assumes the vacated seat, that substitute may require that the board be skipped as a condition of his continuing play.
-
A. Calling Attention to an Irregularity
- 1. During the Auction Period
-
Any player may call attention to an irregularity during the auction, whether or not it is his turn to call.
- 2. During the Play Period
-
- (a) Unless prohibited by Law, declarer or either defender may call attention to an irregularity that occurs during the play period.
- (b) Dummy (dummy’s restricted rights are defined in Laws 42 and 43)
-
- (1) Dummy may not call attention to an irregularity during the play but may do so after play of the hand is concluded.
- (2) Dummy may attempt to prevent declarer from committing an irregularity (Law 42B2).
- B. After Attention Is Called to an Irregularity
- 1. When Attention is Drawn to an Irregularity
- The contestants should attempt to reach a concensus of the appropriate action to be taken. If no concensus is achieved, the opponents of the player that committed the irregularity may require that the board be skipped, but that requirement must be communicated before any continuation of play.
-
A. Penalties
-
Players do not have the right to assess penalties on their own initiative, but do have the right, but not the
obligation, to waive penalties.
-
B. One or More Players Have Previously Played Board
-
If any player participates in the play of a board he has previously played or spectated, the board must be skipped.
Players are authorised to base their calls and plays on information from legal calls and or plays, and from mannerisms of opponents. To base a call or play on other extraneous information may be an infraction of law.
-
A. Extraneous Information from Partner
-
After a player makes available to his partner extraneous information that may suggest a call or play, as by means of a remark, a question, a reply to a question, or by unmistakable hesitation, unwonted speed, special emphasis, tone, gesture, movement, mannerism or the like, the partner may not choose from among logical alternative actions one that could demonstrably have been suggested over another by the extraneous information.
- 1. When Such Information Is Given
- When a player considers that an opponent has made such information available and that damage could well result, he may immediately request that the board be skipped. The opponents should, if they dispute the fact that unauthorised information might have been conveyed, so indicate and Law 16B.1 applies.
- 2. When Illegal Alternative Is Chosen
- When a player has substantial reason to believe that an opponent who had a logical alternative has chosen an action that could have been suggested by such information, he may immediately request that the board be skipped. The opponents should, if they dispute that the action chosen could have been suggested by such information, or dispute the existence of a logical alternative, so indicate and Law16B.1 applies.
- B. Extraneous Information from Other Sources
-
When a player accidentally receives unauthorised information about a board he is playing, he should propose, and accept a proposal, that the board be skipped.
-
B.1 Skip Procedure
-
When it may be necessary to skip a board and whenever a contestant requests or requires a skip, the players should attempt to reach a concensus. If no concensus is achieved, play of the board should continue, but the board subsequently may be skipped, by agreement of all of the players. If no agreement is reached, the matter may be referred for third-party adjudication if such is provided by the sponsoring organization.
-
C. Information from Withdrawn Calls and Plays
-
A call or play may be withdrawn, and another substituted, either by a non-offending side after an opponent’s infraction or by an offending side to rectify an infraction.
- 1. Information arising from a withdrawn action is unauthorised.
PART I
CORRECT PROCEDURE
SECTION ONE
AUCTION PERIOD
-
A. Auction Period Starts
-
The auction period on a deal begins for a side when the board is served by the OKb Server.
- B. The First Call
-
The player designated by the board as dealer makes the first call.
- C. Successive Calls
-
The player to dealer’s left makes the second call, and thereafter each player calls in turn in a clockwise rotation.
- E. End of Auction Period
-
The auction period ends when all four players pass or after three passes in rotation have followed any call
-
A. Proper Form
-
A bid names a number of odd tricks, from one to seven, and a denomination. (Pass, double and redouble are calls but not bids.)
- B. To Supersede a Bid
-
A bid supersedes a previous bid if it names either the same number of odd tricks in a higher-ranking denomination or a greater number of odd tricks in any denomination.
- C. Sufficient Bid
- A bid that supersedes the immediately previous bid is a sufficient bid.
- E. Rank of the Denominations
-
The rank of the denominations in descending order is: no trump, spades, hearts, diamonds, clubs.
-
A. Doubles
-
1. Legal Double
- A player may double only the last preceding bid. That bid must have been made by an opponent; calls other than pass must not have intervened.
-
B. Redoubles
- 1. Legal Redouble
- A player may redouble only the last preceding double. That double must have been made by an opponent; calls other than pass must not have intervened.
-
C. Double or Redouble Superseded
-
Any double or redouble is superseded by a subsequent legal bid.
-
D. Scoring a Doubled or Redoubled Contract
-
If a doubled or redoubled bid is not followed by a subsequent legal bid, scoring values are increased as provided in Law 77.
LAW 20 - REVIEW AND EXPLANATION OF CALLS
-
B. Review of Auction during Auction Period
-
A player is entitled to inspect the bidding record at any time.
-
F. Explanation of Calls
-
- 1. Any player may request a full explanation of the opponents’ auction (questions may be asked about calls actually made or about relevant calls available but not made); enquiries and replies should be given privately and only to the player making the enquiry.
-
- 2. The declarer may request an explanation of a defender’s card play conventions. Enquiries and replies should be given privately.
-
- 3. Players are encouraged to volunteer an explanation of their own calls, particularly when their methods are not in general use. Such explanations should be given privately, to both opponents.
-
A. Call Based on Caller’s Misunderstanding
-
A player has no recourse if he has made a call on the basis of his own misunderstanding. Any skip of the board is in the discretion of the opponents and there is no obligation to offer, nor accept a request, to skip the board.
-
B. Call Based on Misinformation from an Opponent
-
- 1. Change of Call
- Until the end of the auction period (see Law 17E), a player may, when it is probable that he made a call as a result of misinformation given to him by an opponent (failure to alert promptly to a conventional call or special understanding, where such alert is required by the sponsoring organisation, is deemed misinformation), require that the board be skipped.
SECTION TWO
AUCTION HAS ENDED
After the auction period has ended,
-
A. No Player Has Bid
-
If no player has bid, the board is complete without play.
-
B. One or More Players Have Bid
-
If any player has bid, the final bid becomes the contract, and play begins.
PART II
IRREGULARITIES IN PROCEDURE
SECTION TWO
CHANGES OF CALLS
-
A. Immediate Correction of Inadvertency
-
A player may substitute his intended call for an inadvertent call but only if he requests, or attempts to request, an undo without pause for thought. If an opponent has made a call before the request is communicated, the board should be skipped unless the players otherwise agree.
SECTION SIX
CONVENTIONS AND AGREEMENTS
-
A. Right to Choose Call or Play
-
A player may make any call or play (including an intentionally misleading call — such as a psychic bid — or a call or play that departs from commonly accepted, or previously announced, use of a convention), without prior announcement, provided that such call or play is not based on a partnership understanding.
-
B. Concealed Partnership Understandings Prohibited
-
A player may not make a call or play based on a special partnership understanding unless an opposing pair may reasonably be expected to understand its meaning, or unless his side discloses the use of such call or play in accordance with the regulations of the sponsoring organisation.
-
C. Skip Option
-
If a side has been damaged through its opponents’ failure to explain when requested the full meaning of a call or play, the side that has been damaged may, immediately upon becoming aware of the damage or potential for damage, require that the board be skipped.
-
D. Regulation of Conventions
-
The sponsoring organisation may regulate the use of bidding or play conventions.
-
E. Convention Card
-
-
1. Right to Prescribe
- The sponsoring organisation may prescribe a convention card on which partners are to list their conventions and other agreements and may establish regulations for its use, including a requirement that both members of a partnership employ the same system (such a regulation must not restrict style and judgement, only method).
- 2. Referring to Convention Card
- During the auction and play, any player may refer to a convention card.
PART I
PROCEDURE
SECTION ONE
CORRECT PROCEDURE
-
A. Opening Lead
-
After a bid, double or redouble has been followed by three passes in rotation, the defender on presumed declarer’s left makes the opening lead. Declarer plays both his hand and that of dummy.
-
A. Absolute Rights
-
Dummy is entitled to give information, as to fact or law.
-
B. Qualified Rights
-
Dummy may exercise other rights subject to the limitations provided in Law 43.
-
2. Draw Attention to Irregularity
- He may draw attention to any irregularity.
Except as specified in Law 42:
-
A. Limitations on Dummy
- Dummy must not participate in the play, nor may he communicate anything about the play to declarer.
-
(c) Look at Defender’s Hand
- Dummy May enter Spectator mode to watch the play of the hand, but having done so, must not leave and rejoin the table in non-Spectator mode prior to completion of the board unless requested to do so by an opponent or unless he has been disconnected, in which case he should re-enter Spectator mode without communicating about the board in play with any player.
-
A. Lead to a Trick
-
The player who leads to a trick may play any card in his hand.
-
B. Subsequent Plays to a Trick
-
After the lead, each other player in turn plays a card, and the four cards so played constitute a trick.
-
C. Requirement to Follow Suit
- In playing to a trick, each player must follow suit if possible. This obligation takes precedence over all other requirements of these Laws.
-
D. Inability to Follow Suit
-
If unable to follow suit, a player may play any card
-
E. Tricks Containing Trumps
-
A trick containing a trump is won by the player who has contributed to it the highest trump.
-
F. Tricks Not Containing Trumps
-
A trick that does not contain a trump is won by the player who has contributed to it the highest card of the suit led.
-
G. Lead to Tricks Subsequent to First Trick
-
The player who has won the trick leads to the next trick.
-
A. Play of Card from a Hand
-
Each player except dummy plays a card by any means permitted by the OKb Software.
-
(b) Correction of Inadvertent Designation
- A player may, without penalty, change an inadvertent play of a card if he requests, or attempts to request, an undo without pause for thought; but if an opponent has, in turn, played a card that was legal before the change in designation, that opponent may withdraw without penalty the card so played and substitute another (see Law 47E). The server of a table may declare this Law inoperative during a round by posting in advance a table note to that effect, such as "no undo’s in card play". The players may, by agreement, at any time during a round suspend the operation of this Law.
SECTION TWO
IRREGULARITIES IN PROCEDURE
-
C. To Change an Inadvertent Designation
-
A played card may be withdrawn without penalty after a change of designation if permitted by Law 45.
-
D. Following Opponent’s Change of Play
-
After an opponent’s change of play, a played card may be withdrawn without penalty to substitute another card for the one played.
-
E. Change of Play Based on Misinformation
-
2. Retraction of Play
-
- (a) No One Has Subsequently Played
- A player may retract the card he has played because of a mistaken explanation of an opponent’s call or play and before a corrected explanation, but only if no card was subsequently played to that trick. An opening lead may not be retracted after dummy has faced any card.
- (b) One or More Subsequent Plays Made
- When it is too late to correct a play, under (a) preceding, Law 40C applies.
-
F. Illegal Retraction
-
Except as provided in these Laws, a card once played may not be withdrawn.
PART IV
TRICKS
-
C. Quitted Tricks
-
The immediately preceding quitted trick may be inspected by any player.
-
D. After the Conclusion of Play
-
After play ceases, the played and unplayed cards may be inspected with the Results Browser.
PART V
CLAIMS AND CONCESSIONS
Declarer claims when he invokes the claim function of the OKb Software.
-
B. Cancellation of Claim
-
Provided there has not been any communication by the defenders, declarer may cancel a claim that has not been accepted or rejected.
- C. Clarification Required for Claim
-
If requested by the defenders, declarer should provide a statement of clarification as to the order in which cards will be played or the line of play through which he proposes to win the tricks claimed. Unless a defender objects, that statement may be made by continuing play.
-
D. Play May Resume
-
If either opponent rejects a claim, or if declarer cancels his claim before there has been any communication by the defenders respecting the claim, play resumes.
-
A. General Objective
-
After a contested claim, play of the board should be completed as equitably as possible to both sides. If the claim is a premature claim and the rejection of the claim or a request of declarer to provide a statement of clarification conveys information to declarer about the distribution or placement of the defenders’ remaining cards, and that information may reasonably be regarded as influencing declarer’s subsequent play or statement, the defenders may require that the board be skipped.
-
E. Unstated Line of Play (Finesse or Drop)
-
After a rejected claim, no unstated line of play should be taken, the success of which depends upon finding one opponent rather than the other with a particular card, unless an opponent failed to follow to the suit of that card before the claim was made, or would subsequently fail to follow to that suit on any normal line of play; or unless failure to adopt this line of play would be irrational
-
A. Observance of Laws
-
1. General Obligation on Contestants
- OKb at competitive non-tourney tables should be played in strict accordance with the OKb Laws, unless all contestants agree otherwise.
- 2. Scoring of Tricks Won
- A player must not knowingly accept either the score for a trick that his side did not win or the concession of a trick that his opponents could not lose.
-
B. Infraction of Law
-
1. Irregularity Likely to Damage
- Whenever the players determine that an offender could have known at the time of his irregularity that the irregularity would be likely to damage the non-offending side, the non-offending side may require that the board be skipped.
- 2. Intentional
- A player must not infringe a law intentionally, even if there is a prescribed penalty he is willing to pay.
- 3. Inadvertent Infraction
- There is no obligation to draw attention to an inadvertent infraction of law committed by one’s own side (but see footnote to Law 75 for a mistaken explanation).
-
4. Concealing an Infraction
-
A player may not attempt to conceal an inadvertent infraction
-
A. Proper Communication between Partners
-
-
1. How Effected
-
Communication between partners during the auction and play shall be effected only by means of the calls and plays themselves.
- 2. Correct Manner for Calls and Plays
- Calls and plays should be made without special emphasis, mannerism or inflection, and without undue hesitation or haste (however, sponsoring organisations may require mandatory pauses, as on the first round of auction, or after a skip-bid warning, or on the first trick).
-
B. Inappropriate Communication Between Partners
-
-
1. Gratuitous Information
-
Partners shall not communicate through the manner in which calls or plays are made, through extraneous remarks or gestures, through public questions asked or through public explanations given by them.
-
2. Prearranged Communication
-
The gravest possible offence is for a partnership to exchange information through prearranged methods of communication other than those sanctioned by these Laws. A guilty partnership risks expulsion.
-
C. Player Receives Unauthorised Information from Partner
-
When a player has available to him unauthorised information from his partner, as from a remark, question, explanation, gesture, mannerism, special emphasis, inflection, haste or hesitation, he must carefully avoid taking any advantage that might accrue to his side and if the information is or may be material, he should propose, or accept a proposal, that the board be skipped.
-
D. Variations in Tempo or Manner
-
-
1. Inadvertent Variations
-
It is desirable, though not always required, for players to maintain steady tempo and unvarying manner. However, players should be particularly careful in positions in which variations may work to the benefit of their side. Otherwise, inadvertently to vary the tempo or manner in which a call or play is made does not in itself constitute a violation of propriety, but inferences from such variation may appropriately be drawn only by an opponent, and at his own risk.
-
2. Intentional Variations
-
A player may not attempt to mislead an opponent by means of remark or gesture, through the haste or hesitancy of a call or play (as in hesitating before playing a singleton), or by the manner in which the call or play is made.
-
E. Deception
-
A player may appropriately attempt to deceive an opponent through a call or play (so long as the deception is not protected by concealed partnership understanding or experience). It is entirely appropriate to avoid giving information to the opponents by making all calls and plays in unvarying tempo and manner.
-
F. Violation of Proprieties
-
When a violation of the Proprieties described in this law results in damage to an innocent opponent,
-
-
1. Player Acts on Unauthorised Information
-
If a player chose from among logical alternative actions one that could demonstrably have been suggested over another by extraneous or unauthorized information, he should propose, or accept a proposal, that the board be skipped.
- 2. Player Injured by Illegal Deception
- If 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 or which could not have resulted from network traffic congestion or temporary absence from the table, and who could have known, at the time of the action, that the action could work to his benefit, the opponents should propose, or accept a proposal, that the board be skipped.
-
G. Deliberate Premature Claims
-
A player may not attempt to obtain information about the distribution or placement of the defenders’ cards by making a premature claim.
-
A. Proper Attitude
-
-
1. Courtesy
-
A player should maintain a courteous attitude at all times.
- 2. Etiquette of Word and Action
-
A player should carefully avoid any remark or action that might cause annoyance or embarrassment to another player or might interfere with the enjoyment of the game.
-
B. Etiquette
-
As a matter of courtesy a player should refrain from:
-
-
1. Paying insufficient attention to the game.
- 2. Making gratuitous comments during the auction and play.
- 4. Prolonging play unnecessarily (as in playing on although he knows that all the tricks are surely his) for the purpose of disconcerting an opponent.
-
5. Deliberately leaving a table during the play of a board when not the dummy, unless necessitated by circumstances unrelated to OKb play.
-
6. Absenting himself from the computer with which he is playing OKb, unless necessitated by circumstances unrelated to OKb play or unless the player is the dummy, in which cases the player should communicate his temporary absence.
-
7. Closing the table, as server, during the play of a board, unless necessitated by circumstances unrelated to OKb play.
-
C. Violations of Procedure
-
The following are considered violations of procedure:
-
2. Indicating approval or disapproval of a call or play.
-
3. Indicating the expectation or intention of winning or losing a trick that has not been completed.
-
4. Commenting or acting during the auction or play so as to call attention to a significant occurrence, or to the number of tricks still required for success.
-
6. Showing an obvious lack of further interest in a deal.
-
7. Varying the normal tempo of bidding or play for the purpose of disconcerting an opponent.
-
A. Special Partnership Agreements
-
Special partnership agreements, whether explicit or implicit, must be fully and freely available to the opponents (see Law 40). Information conveyed to partner through such agreements must arise from the calls, plays and conditions of the current deal.
-
B. Violations of Partnership Agreements
-
A player may violate an announced partnership agreement, so long as his partner is unaware of the violation (but habitual violations within a partnership may create implicit agreements, which must be disclosed). No player has the obligation to disclose to the opponents that he has violated an announced agreement and if the opponents are subsequently damaged, as through drawing a false inference from such violation, they are not entitled to redress.
-
C. Answering Questions on Partnership Agreements
-
When explaining the significance of partner’s call or play in reply to an opponent’s inquiry (see Law 20), a player shall disclose all special information conveyed to him through partnership agreement or partnership experience, but he need not disclose inferences drawn from his general knowledge and experience.
-
D. Correcting Errors in Explanation
-
-
1. Explainer Notices Own Error
- If a player subsequently realises that his own private explanation was erroneous or incomplete, he must immediately inform the opponents and the player and his partner must acquiesce in an immediate request by the opponents to skip the board
- 2. Error Noticed by Explainer’s Partner
- A player whose partner has given a public mistaken explanation must privately inform the opponents that, in his opinion, his partner’s explanation was erroneous.
 Two examples may clarify responsibilities of
the players (and the Director) after a misleading explanation has been
given to the opponents. In both examples following, North has opened
1NT and South, who holds a weak hand with long diamonds, has bid
2, intending to sign off; North explains, however, in
answer to West's inquiry, that South's bid is strong and artificial,
asking for major suits.
Example 1 - Mistaken Explanation
The actual partnership agreement is that 2 is a natural
sign-off; the mistake was in North's explanation. This explanation is
an infraction of law, since East-West are entitled to an accurate
description of the North-South agreement (when this infraction results
in damage to East-West, the Director shall award an adjusted
score). If North subsequently becomes aware of his mistake, he must
immediately notify the Director. South must do nothing to correct the
mistaken explanation while the auction continues; after the final
pass, South, if he is to be declarer or dummy, should call the
Director and must volunteer a correction of the explanation. If South
becomes a defender, he calls the Director and corrects the explanation
when play ends.
Example 2 - Mistaken Bid
The partnership agreement is as explained - 2 is strong
and artificial; the mistake was in South's bid. Here there is no
infraction of law, since East-West did receive an accurate description
of the North-South agreement; they have no claim to an accurate
description of the North-South hands. (Regardless of damage, the
Director shall allow the result to stand; but the Director is to
presume Mistaken Explanation, rather than Mistaken Bid, in the absence
of evidence to the contrary.) South must not correct North's
explanation (or notify the Director) immediately, and he has no
responsibility to do so subsequently.
In both examples, South, having heard North's explanation, knows that
his own 2 bid has been misinterpreted. This knowledge is
"unauthorised information" (see Law 16A),
so South must be careful not to base subsequent actions on this information (if
he does, the Director shall award an adjusted score). For instance, if
North rebids 2NT, South has the unauthorised information that this bid
merely denies a four-card holding in either major suit; but South's
responsibility is to act as though North had made a strong game try
opposite a weak response, showing maximum values.
TRICK SCORE
Scored by declarer's side if the contract is fulfilled.
IF TRUMPS ARE: |
| | | |
|---|
|
For each odd trick bid and made | | | | |
|---|
Undoubled
Doubled
Redoubled |
20 | 20 | 30 | 30 |
|---|
| 40 | 40 | 60 | 60 |
|---|
80 | 80 | 120 | 120 |
| AT A NO TRUMP CONTRACT |
|---|
| UNDOUBLED | DOUBLED | REDOUBLED |
|---|
| For first odd trick bid and made |
40 | 80 | 160 |
|---|
| For each additional odd trick |
30 | 60 | 120 |
|---|
A trick score of 100 points or more, made on one board, is GAME.
A trick score of less than 100 points is a PART SCORE. |
PREMIUM SCORE
Scored by declarer’s side
SLAMS
| For making a slam | Not Vulnerable | Vulnerable |
|---|
| Small Slam (12 tricks) bid and made | 500 | 750 |
|---|
| Grand Slam (all 13 tricks) bid and made | 1000 | 1500 |
|---|
OVERTRICKS
For each OVERTRICK
(tricks made in excess of contract) | Not Vulnerable | Vulnerable |
|---|
| Undoubled | Trick Value | Trick Value |
|---|
| Doubled | 100 | 200 |
|---|
| Redoubled | 200 | 400 |
|---|
PREMIUMS FOR GAME, PARTSCORE, FULFILLING CONTRACT
| For making GAME, not vulnerable | 300 |
|---|
| For making any PARTSCORE | 50 |
|---|
| For making any doubled, but not redoubled contract | 50 |
|---|
| For making any redoubled contract | 100 |
|---|
UNDERTRICK PENALTIES
Scored by declarer’s opponents if the contract is not fulfilled
UNDERTRICKS
Tricks by which declarer falls short of the contract | Not Vulnerable | Vulnerable |
|---|
| Undbld | Dbld | Rdbld | Undbld | Dbld | Rdbld | |
|---|
| For first undertrick | 50 | 100 | 200 | 100 | 200 | 400 |
|---|
| For each additional undertrick | 50 | 200 | 400 | 100 | 300 | 600 |
|---|
Bonus for the fourth
and each subsequent undertrick | 0 | 100 | 200 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
|---|
- A. Matchpoint Scoring
-
In matchpoint scoring each contestant is awarded, for scores made by different contestants
who have played the same board and whose scores are compared with his: two scoring units
(matchpoints or half matchpoints) for each score inferior to his, one scoring unit for each
score equal to his, and zero scoring units for each score superior to his.
- B. International Matchpoint Scoring
-
In international matchpoint scoring, on each board the total point difference between the two
scores compared is converted into IMPs according to the following scale:
| Difference | | |
Difference | | |
Difference | |
| in points | IMPs | |
in points | IMPs | |
in points | IMPs |
| 20 - 40 | 1 | |
370 - 420 | 9 | |
1500 - 1740 | 17 |
| 50 - 80 | 2 | |
430 - 490 | 10 | |
1750 - 1990 | 18 |
| 90 - 120 | 3 | |
500 - 590 | 11 | |
2000 - 2240 | 19 |
| 130 - 160 | 4 | |
600 - 740 | 12 | |
2250 - 2490 | 20 |
| 170 - 210 | 5 | |
750 - 890 | 13 | |
2500 - 2990 | 21 |
| 220 - 260 | 6 | |
900 - 1090 | 14 | |
3000 - 3490 | 22 |
| 270 - 310 | 7 | |
1100 - 1290 | 15 | |
3500 - 3990 | 23 |
| 320 - 360 | 8 | |
1300 - 1490 | 16 | |
4000 & upwards | 24 |
-
A. Agreement on Tricks Won
-
The number of tricks won shall be determined by the OKb Server.
CHAPTER IX
Tournament Sponsorship
A sponsoring organisation conducting an event under these Laws has the following duties and powers:
-
D. Conditions of Entry
-
To establish the conditions of entry.
-
E. Special Conditions
-
To establish special conditions for bidding and play
-
F. Supplementary Regulations
-
To publish or announce regulations supplementary to, but not in conflict with, these Laws.
-
G. Appeals
-
To make suitable arrangements for appeals of contested skip requests to be heard.
-
H. Conduct and Ethics Referrals
-
To make suitable arrangements for referrals of conduct and ethics violations to be heard.
-
A. Contestant’s Right
-
A contestant or his Captain may appeal for a review of any contested decision not to skip a board and may refer any complaint of a conduct and ethics violation, in each case in accordance with procedures established by the sponsoring organization.
|
