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Frequently used Laws of Duplicate Bridge

1. Insufficient Bid (Law 18, 27) - for example : 1♠ - (1♦)
Offender's LHO has the option to accept the insufficient bid. When LHO makes his call the insufficient bid has been accepted.

If offender's LHO does not accept the insufficient bid the offender has two options :

  1. The offender makes a sufficient bid of the same nomination.
    In such case there is no further restriction and bidding continues as normal.

  2. The offender makes a sufficient bid of a different nomination or bids Pass or DBL.
    In such case offender's Partner must Pass throughout the remainder of the auction.

    Also if the offending side becomes the Defending side, Declarer may direct the Offender's Partner to lead or not to lead the withdrawn (insufficiently called) suit, at his first opportunity to lead (usual the Opening lead). The restriction remains in place for as long as Offender's Partner retains the lead.


2. Penalty Card (Law 50)
A card prematurely exposed by a Defender is a penalty card. A penalty card must be left face up on the table immediately before the player to whom it belongs, until a rectification has been selected.

  1. Major Penalty card
    Any card of Honour rank (A K Q J 10), or any card exposed through deliberate play (lead out of turn, a corrected revoke) becomes a major penalty card.

    1. A major penalty card must be played at the first legal opportunity, whether in leading, following suit or discarding (but the obligation to follow suit takes precedence).

    2. When a Defender has the lead while his Partner has a major penalty card, he may not lead until Declarer has stated which option he selects :

      1. to require the Defender to lead the suit of the penalty card, or to prohibit him to lead that suit as long as Defender retains the lead.   In this case the card is no longer a penalty card.

      2. not to require or prohibit a lead, in which case the Defender may lead any card   In this case the penalty card remains a penalty card.