PREFACE
TO THE
2007
LAWS OF
The first Laws of Duplicate
Bridge were published in 1928. There had been successive revisions in 1933,
1935, 1943, 1949, 1963, 1975, 1987, and 1997. In accordance with its By-Laws
the World Bridge Federation promulgated the current edition in 2007.
Previously through the
1930s the Laws were promulgated by the Portland Club of London and the Whist
Club of New York. From the 40s onwards the American Contract Bridge League Laws
Commission replaced the Whist Club, while the British Bridge League and the
European Bridge League supplemented the Portland Club’s efforts. The 1975 Laws
were also promulgated by the World Bridge Federation, as they were in 1987 and
1997.
This latest revision
supersedes the 1997 Code. Zonal authorities may implement the Code at any time
after
Over the years there has
been a marked increase in the expertise and experience of Directors, which has
been recognized in the new Code by the increased responsibilities given to
them. In addition, the Appeals process has been improved considerably by the
introduction of the “Code of Practice for Appeals Committees”, to which
attention is drawn.
The Drafting Committee
notes with sorrow the passing of Ralph Cohen during the drafting of the new
Code and the earlier passing of Edgar Kaplan. The assistance of Antonio
Riccardi is acknowledged together with that of David Davenport of the Portland
Club.
The Drafting Committee
also acknowledges with gratitude the substantial contributions of Anna Gudge,
The Drafting Committee
consisted of:
Max Bavin
Ralph Cohen
Joan Gerard
Ton Kooijman
Jeffrey Polisner
William Schoder
Grattan Endicott (Co-ordinator)
John Wignall (Chairman)
John R. Wignall, MNZM
INTRODUCTION
TO THE 2007 LAWS OF
The Laws are designed to
define correct procedure and to provide an adequate remedy when there is a
departure from correct procedure. They are primarily designed not as punishment
for irregularities but rather for the rectification of situations where
non-offenders may otherwise be damaged. Players should be ready to accept
gracefully any rectification or adjusted score awarded by the Director.
There have been many
developments in duplicate bridge over the last ten years and there are no signs
that these changes have stopped. The task that confronted the Drafting Committee
was to ensure the Laws were updated so as to cope with past changes and to
establish a framework that can cope with future developments.
Directors have been given
considerably more discretionary powers. There are fewer automatic penalties:
they are replaced by the concept of rectification of a situation that
unfortunately has arisen. Bridge is played in different ways in different
countries so the Laws give more power to Regulating Authorities to make
controlling regulations. This is particularly so in the area of Special Partnership
Understandings, in itself a new concept. Artificial bidding is a fact of life
so an attempt has been made to solve problems, or to allow Regulating Authorities
to solve problems, that arise when something goes wrong.
We have tried to clarify
the areas of responsibility of Regulating Authorities, Tournament Organizers
and Directors and it is made clear that certain responsibilities may be either
assigned or delegated.
Many headings present in
the 1997 Laws have been removed in the interests of streamlining their
appearance. Where headings remain they do not limit the application of any law,
nor indeed does the omission of a cross-reference.
Established usage has
been retained in regard to “may” do (failure to do it is not wrong), “does”
(establishes correct procedure without suggesting that violation be penalized)
“should” do (failure to do it is an infraction jeopardizing the infractor’s
rights but not often penalized), “shall” do (a violation will incur a
procedural penalty more often than not), “must” do (the strongest word, a
serious matter indeed). Again, “must not” is the strongest prohibition, “shall
not” is strong but “may not” is stronger – just short of “must not”.
For the avoidance of
doubt, this Introduction and the Definitions that follow form part of the Laws.
Finally, unless the context clearly dictates otherwise, the singular includes
the plural and the masculine includes the feminine, and vice versa.
DEFINITIONS
Adjusted Score — A
score awarded by the Director (see Law 12).
It is either “artificial” or “assigned”.
Alert — A notification, whose
form may be specified by the Regulating Authority, to the effect that opponents
may be in need of an explanation.
Artificial call — is a bid, double, or redouble that
conveys information (not being information taken for granted by players
generally) other than willingness to play in the denomination named or last
named; or a pass which promises more than a specified amount of strength or if
it promises or denies values other than in the last suit named.
Auction — 1. The process of determining the contract by
means of successive calls. It begins when the first call is made. 2. The aggregate of calls made (see Law 17).
Bid — an undertaking to win
at least a specified number of odd tricks (tricks in excess of six) in a
specified denomination.
Board — 1. A duplicate board as described in Law 2. 2.
The four hands as originally dealt and placed in a duplicate board for
play during a session (also referred to as a ‘deal’).
Call — Any bid, double,
redouble or pass.
Cancelled — see “Withdrawn”.
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 team-mates.
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. (See Law
22)
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 the
final bid. He becomes declarer when the
opening lead is faced (but see Law 54A when the opening lead is made out of
turn).
Defender — an opponent of
(presumed) declarer.
Denomination — the suit or no trump
specified in a bid.
Double — a call over an
opponent’s bid increasing the scoring value of fulfilled or defeated contracts
(see Laws 19A and 77).
Dummy — 1. Declarer’s partner. He becomes dummy when the opening lead is
faced. 2. Declarer’s partner’s cards, once they are
spread on the table after the opening lead.
Event — a contest of one or
more sessions.
Extraneous — not part of the lawful procedures of the game.
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.
Infraction — a player’s breach of Law or of Lawful regulation.
International Matchpoint (IMP) — a unit of scoring awarded
according to a schedule established in Law 78B.
Irregularity — a deviation from correct procedure
inclusive of, but not limited to, those which involve an infraction by a
player.
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. See Law 78A.
Odd Trick — each trick to be won
by declarer’s side in excess of six.
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 is played.
Partner — the player with whom
one plays as a side against the other two players at the table.
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.
Penalty — (See also ‘Rectification’) — penalties are of two
kinds:
disciplinary — those applied for
the maintenance of courtesy and good order (see Law 91), and
procedural — penalties
(additional to any rectification) awarded in the Director’s discretion in cases
of procedural irregularities (see Law 90).
Penalty card — a card subject to disposition under Law
50.
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.
Play period — commences when the opening lead on a board is faced;
contestants’ rights and powers in the play period each expire as the relevant
Law provides. The play period itself ends when the cards are removed from their
slots on the subsequent board (or when the last board of a round is quitted).
Premium Points — any points earned other than trick
points (see Law 77).
Psychic call (commonly ‘psych[e]‘ or ‘psychic’)
— a deliberate and gross misstatement of honour strength and/or of suit length.
Rectification — the remedial provisions to be applied
when an irregularity has come to the Director’s attention.
Redouble — a call over an
opponent’s double, increasing the scoring value of fulfilled or defeated
contracts (see Laws 19B and 77).
Retracted — see “Withdrawn”.
Rotation — the clockwise
progression of the normal turns to call or play; also the clockwise order in
which, one at a time, the cards are recommended to be dealt.
Round — a part of a session played without progression of players.
Session — an extended period of
play during which a number of boards, specified by the Tournament Organizer, is
scheduled to be played. (May have different meanings as between Laws 4, 12C2
and 91.)
Side — two players at a table
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).
Sorted deck — a pack of cards not randomized from its
prior condition.
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 compass 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, composed unless flawed 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
denomination named in a suit contract.
Turn — the correct time at
which a player is due to call or play.
Undertrick — each trick by which
declarer’s side falls short of fulfilling the contract (see Law 77).
Unintended — involuntary; not under control of the will; not the intention of the player at the
moment of his action.
Vulnerability —
the conditions for assigning premiums and undertrick penalties (see Law 77).
Withdrawn — actions said to be ‘withdrawn’ include
actions that are ‘cancelled’ and cards that are ‘retracted’.
LAW 1 - THE PACK - RANK OF CARDS AND SUITS
LAW 2 - THE DUPLICATE BOARDS
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.
LAW 3 - ARRANGEMENT OF TABLES
Four players play at each table, and tables are numbered in a
sequence established by the Director. He designates one direction as North;
other compass directions assume the normal relationship to North.
LAW 4 - PARTNERSHIPS
The four players at
each table constitute two partnerships or sides, North-South against East-West.
In pair or team events the contestants enter as pairs or teams respectively and
retain the same partnerships throughout a session (except in the case of
substitutions authorised by the Director). In individual events each player
enters separately, and partnerships change during a session.
LAW 5 - ASSIGNMENT OF SEATS
A. Initial Position
The Director assigns an initial position to each contestant
(individual, pair or team) at the start of a session. Unless otherwise
directed, the members of each pair or team may select seats among those
assigned to them by mutual agreement. Having once selected a compass direction,
a player may change it within a session only upon instruction or with
permission of the Director.
B. Change of Direction or Table
Players change their initial compass direction or proceed to
another table in accordance with the Director’s instructions. The Director is
responsible for clear announcement of instructions; each player is responsible
for moving when and as directed and for occupying the correct seat after each
change.
A. The Shuffle
Before play starts, each pack is thoroughly shuffled.
There is a cut if either opponent so requests.
B. The Deal
The cards must be dealt face down, one card at a time,
into four hands of thirteen cards each; each hand is then placed face down in
one of the four pockets of the board.
The recommended procedure is that the cards be dealt in rotation,
clockwise.
C. Representation of Both Pairs
A member of each side should be present during the shuffle
and deal unless the Director instructs otherwise.
D. New Shuffle and Re-deal
1. If it is ascertained before the auction first begins on
a board that the cards have been incorrectly dealt or that during the shuffle
and deal a player could have seen the face of a card belonging to another
player there shall be a new shuffle and deal. Thereafter Law 16C applies to the
accidental sighting of a card belonging to another player’s hand before
completion of the play of the board (but see Law 24). Any illegally dealt board
is a fouled board, and for any other irregularity see the relevant Law.
2. Unless the purpose of the tournament is the replay of
past deals no result may stand if the cards are dealt without shuffle from a
sorted deck* or if the deal has been imported from a different session. (These
provisions shall not prevent arrangements, where desired, for exchange of
boards between tables.)
3. Subject to Law 22A, there must be a new shuffle and a
redeal when required by the Director for any reason compatible with the Laws
(but see Law 86C).
E. Director’s Option on Shuffling and Dealing
1. The Director may instruct that the shuffle and deal be
performed at each table immediately before play starts.
2. The Director may himself perform the shuffle and deal
in advance.
3. The Director may have his assistants or other appointed
agents perform the shuffle and deal in advance.
4. The Director may require a different method of dealing
or pre-dealing to produce the same wholly random expectations as from A and B
above.
F. Duplication of Board
If required by the conditions of play, one or more exact
copies of each original deal may be made under the Director’s instructions.
When he so instructs there shall normally be no redeal of a board (although the
Director has powers to order it).
* A ‘sorted deck’ is a pack of cards not randomized
from its prior condition.
LAW 7 - CONTROL OF BOARD
AND CARDS
A. Placement of Board
When a board is to be played it is placed in the centre of
the table until play is completed.
B. Removal of Cards from Board
1. Each player takes a hand from the pocket corresponding
to his compass position.
2. Each player counts his cards face down to be sure he
has exactly thirteen; after that, and before making a call, he must inspect the
faces of his cards.
3. During play each player retains possession of his own
cards, not permitting them to be mixed with those of any other player. No
player shall touch any cards other than his own (but declarer may play dummy’s
cards in accordance with Law 45) during or after play except by permission of
the Director.
C. Returning Cards to Board
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. Thereafter no hand shall be removed from
the board unless a member of each side, or the Director, is present.
D. Responsibility for Procedures
Any contestant remaining at a table throughout a session
is primarily responsible for maintaining proper conditions of play at the
table.
A. Movement of Boards and Players
1. The Director instructs the players as to the proper
movement of boards and progression of contestants.
2. Unless the Director instructs otherwise, the North
player at each table is responsible for moving the boards just completed at his
table to the proper table for the following round.
B. End of Round
1. In general, a round ends when the Director gives the
signal for the start of the following round; but if any table has not completed
play by that time, the round continues for that table until there has been a
progression of players.
2. When the Director exercises his authority to postpone
play of a board, for that board the round does not end for the players concerned
until the board has been played and the score agreed and recorded or the
Director has cancelled the play of the board.
C. End of Last Round and End of Session
The last round of a session, and the session itself, ends
for each table when play of all boards scheduled at that table has been
completed, and when all scores have been entered without objection.
LAW 9 -
PROCEDURE FOLLOWING AN IRREGULARITY
A. Drawing Attention to an Irregularity
1. Unless prohibited by Law, any player may draw attention
to an irregularity during the auction period, whether or not it is his turn to
call.
2. Unless prohibited by Law, declarer or either defender
may draw attention to an irregularity that occurs during the play period. For
incorrectly pointed card see Law 65B3.
3. When an irregularity has occurred dummy may not draw
attention to it during the play period but may do so after play of the hand is
concluded. However any player, including dummy, may attempt to prevent another
player’s committing an irregularity (but for dummy subject to Laws 42 and 43).
4. There is no obligation to draw attention to an
infraction of law committed by one’s own side (but see Law 20F5 for correction
of partner’s apparently mistaken explanation).
B. After Attention Is Drawn to an Irregularity
1. (a) The Director should be summoned at once when
attention is drawn to an irregularity.
(b) Any player,
including dummy, may summon the Director after attention has been drawn to an
irregularity.
(c) Summoning the
Director does not cause a player to forfeit any rights to which he might
otherwise be entitled.
(d) The fact that
a player draws attention to an irregularity committed by his side does not
affect the rights of the opponents.
2. No player shall take any action until the Director has
explained all matters in regard to rectification.
C. Premature Correction of an Irregularity
Any premature correction of an irregularity by the
offender may subject him to a further rectification (see the lead restrictions
in Law 26).
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.
The Director may allow
or cancel any enforcement or waiver of a rectification made by the players
without his instructions.
1. When these Laws
provide an option after an irregularity, the Director shall explain all the
options available.
3. When these Laws provide the innocent side with an
option after an irregularity committed by an opponent, it is appropriate to
select the most advantageous action.
4. Subject to Law 16D2, after rectification of an
infraction it is appropriate for the offenders to make any call or play
advantageous to their side, even though they thereby appear to profit through
their own infraction (but see Laws 27 and 50).
The right to
rectification of an irregularity may be forfeited if either member of the
non-offending side takes any action before summoning the Director. The Director
does so rule, for example, when the non-offending side may have gained through
subsequent action taken by an opponent in ignorance of the relevant provisions
of the law.
Even after the right to rectification has been forfeited
under this Law, the Director may assess a procedural penalty (see Law 90).
1. The Director may award an adjusted score when he judges
that these Laws do not provide indemnity to a non-offending contestant for the
particular type of violation committed by an opponent.
2. The Director awards
an artificial adjusted score if no rectification can be made that will permit
normal play of the board (see C2 below).
3. The Director may
award an adjusted score if there has been an incorrect rectification of an
irregularity.
1. The objective of
score adjustment is to redress damage to a non-offending side and to take away
any advantage gained by an offending side through its infraction. Damage exists
when, because of an infraction, an innocent side obtains a table result less
favourable than would have been the expectation had the infraction not occurred
– but see C1(b).
2. The Director may not
award an adjusted score on the ground that the rectification provided in these
Laws is either unduly severe or advantageous to either side.
C. Awarding an Adjusted Score
1. (a) When after an irregularity the Director is
empowered by these laws to adjust a score and is able to award an assigned
adjusted score, he does so. Such a score replaces the score obtained in play.
(b) If,
subsequent to the irregularity, the non-offending side has contributed to its
own damage by a serious error (unrelated to the infraction) or by wild or
gambling action it does not receive relief in the adjustment for such part of
the damage as is self-inflicted. The offending side should be awarded the score
that it would have been allotted as the consequence of its infraction only.
(c) In order to
do equity, and unless the Regulating Authority forbids it, an assigned adjusted
score may be weighted to reflect the probabilities of a number of potential
results.
(d) If the
possibilities are numerous or not obvious, the Director may award an artificial
adjusted score.
(e) In its
discretion the Regulating Authority may apply all or part of the following
procedure in place of (c):
(i) The score assigned in place of the actual
score for a non-offending side is the most favourable result that was likely
had the irregularity not occurred.
(ii) For an
offending side the score assigned is the most unfavourable result that was at
all probable.
(f) The scores
awarded to the two sides need not balance.
2. (a) When owing to an irregularity no result can be
obtained [and see C1(d)] the Director awards an artificial adjusted score
according to responsibility for the irregularity: average minus (at most 40% of
the available matchpoints in pairs) to a contestant directly at fault, average
(50% in pairs) to a contestant only partly at fault, and average plus (at least
60% in pairs) to a contestant in no way at fault.
(b) When the
Director awards an artificial adjusted score of average plus or minus at
international match points that score is normally plus or minus 3 imps, but
this may be varied as Law 86A allows.
(c) The foregoing
is modified for a non-offending contestant that obtains a session score
exceeding 60% of the available matchpoints or for an offending contestant that
obtains a session score that is less than 40% of the available matchpoints (or
the equivalent in imps). Such contestants are awarded the percentage obtained
(or the equivalent in imps) on the other boards of that session.
3. In individual events the Director enforces the
rectifications in these Laws, and the provisions requiring the award of
adjusted scores, equally against both members of the offending side even though
only one of them may be responsible for the irregularity. But the Director
shall not award a procedural penalty against the offender’s partner if of the
opinion that he is in no way to blame.
4. When the Director
awards non-balancing adjusted scores in knockout play, each contestant’s score
on the board is calculated separately and the average of them is assigned to
each.
A. Director
Deems
When the
Director determines that one or more hands of the board contained an incorrect
number of cards (but see Law 14) and a player with an incorrect hand has made a
call, then when the Director deems that the deal can be corrected and played
the deal may be so played with no change of call. At the end of play the Director
may award an adjusted score.
B. Adjusted Score and Possible Penalty
Otherwise when a call has been made the Director shall
award an adjusted score and may penalize an offender.
D. No Call Made
If a player is found to have an incorrect number of cards
and no call has been made on his hand:
2. When the Director
determines that one or more pockets of the board contained an incorrect number
of cards and a player has seen one or more cards of another player’s hand, if
the Director deems:
(a) that the unauthorized information is
unlikely to interfere with normal bidding or play, the Director allows the
board to be played and scored. If he then considers the information has
affected the outcome of the board the Director shall adjust the score and may
penalize an offender.
(b) that the unauthorized information gained
thereby is of sufficient importance to interfere with normal bidding or play
the Director shall award an artificial adjusted score and may penalize an
offender.
E. Placement or
Movement of Card
When under this Law the
Director requires play to continue, knowledge of the placement or movement of a
card by the Director is unauthorized information for the partner of a player
whose hand contained an incorrect number of cards.
F. Surplus Card
Any surplus card not
part of the deal is removed if found. The auction and play continue unaffected.
If such a card is found to have been played to a quitted trick an adjusted
score may be awarded.
LAW 14 - MISSING CARD
When one or more
hand(s) is/are found to contain fewer than 13 cards, with no hand having more
than 13, before the opening lead is faced, the Director makes a search for any
missing card, and:
1. if the card is
found, it is restored to the deficient hand.
2. if the card cannot
be found, the Director reconstructs the deal by substituting another pack.
3. the auction and play
continue normally without alteration of any of the calls made, the restored
hand being deemed to have contained all of its cards continuously throughout.
When one or more
hand(s) is/are found to contain fewer than 13 cards, with no hand having more
than 13, at any time after the opening lead is faced (until the end of the
Correction Period), the Director makes a search for any missing card, and:
1. if the card is found among the played cards, Law 67
applies.
2. if the card is found elsewhere, it is restored to the
deficient hand. Rectification and/or penalties may apply (see 4 following).
3. if the card cannot be found, the deal is reconstructed
using another pack. Rectification and/or penalties may apply (see 4 following).
4. a card restored to a
hand under the provisions of Section B of this Law is deemed to have belonged
continuously to the deficient hand. It may become a penalty card (Law 50), and
failure to have played it may constitute a revoke.
C. Information from
Replacement of a Card
Knowledge of the
replacement of a card is unauthorized for the partner of a player whose hand
contained an incorrect number of cards.
LAW 15 - PLAY OF A WRONG
BOARD
A. Players Have Not Previously Played Board
If players play a board not designated for them to play in
the current round (but see C):
1. The Director normally allows the score to stand if none
of the four players have previously played the board.
2. The Director may require both pairs to play the correct
board against one another later.
B. One or More Players Have Previously Played Board
If any player plays a board he has previously played, with
the correct opponents or otherwise, his second score on the board is cancelled
both for his side and his opponents, and the Director shall award an artificial
adjusted score to the contestants deprived of the opportunity to earn a valid
score.
C. Discovered during Auction Period
If, during the auction
period, the Director discovers that a contestant is playing a board not
designated for him to play in the current round, he shall cancel the auction,
ensure that the correct contestants are seated and that they are informed of
their rights both now and at future rounds. A second auction begins. Players
must repeat the calls they made previously. If any call differs in any way from
the corresponding call in the first auction the Director shall cancel the
board. Otherwise the auction and play continue normally. The Director may award
a procedural penalty (and an adjusted score) if of the opinion that there has
been a purposeful attempt by either side to preclude normal play of the board.
A. Players’ Use of Information
1. A player may use information in the auction or play if:
(a) it derives
from the legal calls and plays of the current board (including illegal calls
and plays that are accepted) and is unaffected by unauthorized information from
another source; or
(b) it is
authorized information from a withdrawn action (see D); or
(c) it is
information specified in any law or regulation to be authorized or, when not
otherwise specified, arising from the legal procedures authorized in these laws
and in regulations (but see B1 following); or
(d) it is
information that the player possessed before he took his hand from the board
(Law 7B) and the Laws do not preclude his use of this information.
2. Players may also take account of their estimate of
their own score, of the traits of their opponents, and any requirement of the
tournament regulations.
3. No player may base a call or play on other information
(such information being designated extraneous).
4. If there is a violation of this law causing damage the
Director adjusts the score in accordance with Law 12C.
1. (a) After a player
makes available to his partner extraneous information that may suggest a call
or play, as for example by a remark, a question, a reply to a question, an
unexpected* alert or failure to alert, or by unmistakable hesitation, unwonted
speed, special emphasis, tone, gesture, movement, or mannerism, the partner may
not choose from among logical alternatives one that could demonstrably have
been suggested over another by the extraneous information.
(b) A logical alternative action is one
that, among the class of players in question and using the methods of the
partnership, would be given serious consideration by a significant proportion
of such players, of whom it is judged some might select it.
2. When a player considers that an opponent has made such information available and that damage could well result he may announce, unless prohibited by the Regulating Authority (which may require that the Director be cal