REVISED LAWS OF DUPLICATE BRIDGE

The 2007 Laws of Duplicate Bridge are available on the WBF Website at www.worldbridge.org

The Laws of Duplicate Bridge are revised every 10 years or so.  The latest revisions were announced in 2007 but due to some further ‘tidying up’ they have only been published recently. The NIBU is introducing the revisions on 1st August. Don’t expect big changes.  A summary of what players need to know is on the CBAI website (F.O’B.) and the EBU website addresses below. The EBU website also has a piece on what it means for TDs. Senior players should also look at changes in the Orange Book on the EBU website if they have ‘sophisticated’ systems.
http://www.cbai.ie/documents/Laws2007-Whattheplayersneedtoknow.doc

http://www.ebu.co.uk/lawsandethics/misc/2007laws/default.htm

A quick resume:-
1. You must shuffle your cards before you put them back in the board. (You are not allowed to sort them.)
2. Defenders may ask about possible revokes.
3. Declarer can draw attention to a quitted card pointing the wrong direction at any time. Dummy and defenders may also do this but ONLY until the lead is made to the next trick.
4. A player may ask about the meaning of a single call but should be aware that this may put ethical pressure on partner. (Ask a question and you may be drawing attention to a suit.)
5. It is illegal to ask questions solely for partner’s benefit.
6. After the final pass and before the opening lead both members of the declaring partnership may examine their system card to make sure they have not misinformed their opponents.
7. If the players agree that a hesitation has occurred there is no need to call the TD until the hand is over.