A Bid Made and a Card Played

A bid is made by taking the requisite cards from the bidding box and placing them on the table for all to see clearly ,with the ‘bid‘ face up. Or simply by stating the denomination and level of the bid. Do not take out the cards from the box, then return them and take cards out again. This is giving partner unauthorised information. However sometimes we pull out the wrong card, or say the wrong denomination. It is permitted to change this provided partner has not bid, even if the next player has bid, but only if it is a genuine ‘mechanical error’. You must attempt to correct it the instant you notice your mistake. If this happens call the Tournament Director. He must decide whether it is a mechanical error or a change of mind. If you are bidding spades, have no other suit available, and accidentally bid 4 hearts, he is likely to allow a change. If 4 hearts was a reasonable alternative he may not agree to the change. If the change is authorised then any bid by your next opponent  can be taken back. Once partner has bid before you notice the error, then your bid stands, then avoid giving partner any indication that you made an error. An ‘alert’ card should be shown to both opponents. A ’stop’ card should be placed on the table for around ten seconds before making your jump bid. Once the auction has ended leave the bidding cards on the table until the first lead has been made.

In duplicate bridge declarer should call for cards from dummy, rather than touch dummy’s cards, unless dummy is away from the table. In rubber bridge including Chicago bridge drives, declarer normally plays both hands. Declarer can touch dummy’s cards for the purpose of rearranging them. Players should avoid playing out of turn, and dummy should wait for his turn, even if the card he would play is obvious. As dummy avoid hovering over any card in dummy, and give no indication to declarer as to what to play. Declarer or dummy cannot have penalty cards, but both can revoke. When calling for a card from dummy, you should state the rank and the suit. Just calling for suit implies the play of the lowest card from dummy. You may give dummy instructions like ‘play off a suit from the top’, or ‘win the trick’. If you call only for a rank (i.e. the jack) without stating the suit, then the last suit played is implied.

A card is played when declarer places to on the table face up, or places it close to the table with the intention of playing it. A card is also played when declarer calls for a card from dummy or touches a card in dummy (except a rearrangement). A defender’s card is played when the card is held in such a way that it could be seen by his partner. Should declarer lead from the wrong hand, the next defender can  play to that trick, thus condoning the play, or ask that the play is from the correct hand. Declarer cannot claim that he “called for a card from the wrong hand” and attempt to play a different card from the right hand. If dummy should play the wrong card (often because he has not heard correctly), declarer has the right to get the ‘card called for‘, substituted for the incorrect card.

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