Laws of Duplicate Bridge 11

Law 46
Incomplete or Invalid Designation of a Card From Dummy
A. Proper Form for Designating Dummy’s Card
When Calling for a card to be played from dummy declarer should clearly state both the suit and the rank of the desired card.
B. Incomplete or Invalid Designation
In the case of an incomplete or invalid designation, the following restrictions apply (except when declarer’s different intention is incontrovertible):
1. a) If declarer in playing from dummy calls ‘high’, or words of like meaning , he/she is deemed to a have called the highest card of the suit led.
b). If he/she directs dummy to ‘win’ the trick, he/she is deemed to have called the lowest card that it is known will win the trick.
2. If declarer designates a suit but not a rank he/she is deemed to have called the lowest card of the suit indicated.
3. If declarer designates a rank but not a suit:
a). In leading, declarer is deemed to have continued the suit with which dummy won the preceding trick provided there is a card of the designated rank in that suit.
b). In all other cases declarer must play a card from dummy of the designated rank if he/she can legally do so; but if there are two or more such cards that can be legally played declarer must indicate which is intended.
4. If declarer calls for a card that is not in dummy the call is invalid and declarer may designate any legal card .
5. If declarer indicates a play without designating either a suit or a rank (as by saying ‘play anything’ or words of like meaning) either defender may designate the play from dummy.

Law 47
Retraction of Card Played
A. In Course of Rectification
A card once played may be withdrawn when required by rectification following an irregularity (but a defender’s withdrawn card may become a penalty card, see Law 49).
B. To Correct an Illegal Play
A played card may be withdrawn to correct an illegal play (for defenders, except as this law provides, see Law 49-Penalty Card). For simultaneous play see Law 58.
C. To Change an Unintended Designation
A played card may be withdrawn and returned to the hand without further rectification after a change of designation permitted by Law 45C4(b).
D. Following Opponent’s Change of Play
After an opponent’s change of play a played card may be withdrawn and returned to the hand without further rectification and another card may be substituted. (Laws 16C and 62C2 may apply).
E. Change of Play Based on Misinformation
1. A lead out of turn (or play of a card) is retracted without further rectification if the player was mistakenly informed by an opponent that it was his/her turn to lead or play (see Law 16C). A lead or play may not be accepted by his/her LHO in these circumstances and Law 63A1 does not apply.

2. a). A player may retract the card he/she has played because of a mistaken explanation of an opponent’s call or play and before a corrected explanation, without further rectification, but only if no card was subsequently played (see Law 16C). An opening lead may not be retracted after dummy has faced any card.

b). When it is too late to correct a play under a). The Director may award an adjusted score.
F. Other Retraction
1. A card may be withdrawn as Law 53B provided.
2. Except as this law specifies, a card once played may not be withdrawn.
Law 48
Exposure of Declarer’s Cards
A. Declarer Exposes a Card
Declarer is not subject to restriction for exposing a card (but see Law 45C2), and no card of declarer’s or dummy’s hand ever becomes a penalty card. Declarer is not required to play any card dropped accidently.
B. Declarer Faces Cards
1. When declarer faces his/her cards after an opening lead out of turn, Law 54 applies.
2. When declarer faces his/her cards at any time other than immediately after an opening lead out of turn, he/she may be deemed to have made a claim or concession of tricks (unless he/she demonstrably did not intend to claim), and Law 68 then applies.
Law 49
Exposure of a Defender’s Cards
Except in th enormal course of play or application of law (see for example Law 47E), when a defender’s card is in a position in which his/her partner could possibly see its face, or when a defender names a card as being in his/her hand, each such card becomes a penalty card (Law 50); but see Law 68 when a defender has made a statement concerning an uncompleted trick currently in progress, and see Law 68B2 when partner objects to a defender’s concession.
Law 50
Disposition of Penalty Card
A card prematurely exposed (but not led, see Law 57) by a defender is a penalty card unless the Director designates otherwise (see law 49 and Law 72C may apply).
A. Penalty Card Remains Exposed
A penalty card must be left face up on the table imediately before the player to whom it belongs, until a rectification has been selected.
B. Major or Minor Penalty Card
A single card below the rank of an honour exposed unintentionally (as in playing two cards to a trick, or in dropping a card accidentally) becomes a minor penalty card. Any card of honour rank, or any card exposed through deliberate play (for example in leading out of turn, or in revoking and then correcting), becomes a major penalty card; when one defender has two or more penalty cards, all such cards become major penalty cards.
C. Disposition of Minor Penalty Card
When a defender has a minor penalty card, he/she may not play any other card of the same suit below the rank of an honour until he/she has first played the penalty card, but he/she is entitled to play an honour card instead. Offender’s partner is not subject to lead retriction, but see E following.
D. Disposition of Major Penalty Card
When a defender has a major penalty card, both the defender and his/her partner may be subject to restriction, the offender whenever he/she is to play, the partner whenever he/she is to lead.
1. a). Except as provided in b) below, a major penalty card must be played at the first legal opportunity, whether in leading, following suit, discarding or trumping. If a defender has two or more penalty cards that can legally be played, declarer designates which is to be played.
b). The obligation to follow suit, or to comply with a lead or play restriction, takes precedence over the obligation to play a major penalty card, but the penalty card must still be left face up on the table and played at the next legal opportunity.
2. When a defender has the lead while his/her partner has a major penalty card, he/she may not lead until declarer has stated which oif the options below is selected (if the defender leads prematurely, he/she is subject to rectification under Law 49). Declarer may choose:
a). To require the defender to lead the suit of the penalty card, or to prohibit the lead of that suit for as long as he/she retains the lead (for two or more penalty cards, see Law 51); if declarer exercises either of these options, the card is no longer a penalty card and is picked up.
b). Not to require or prohibit a lead, in which case the defender may lead any card and the penalty card remains on the table as a penalty card. If this option is selected Law 50D continues to apply for as long as the penalty card remains.
E. Information From a Penalty Card
1. Information derived from a penalty card and the requirements for playing that penalty card are authorised for all players for as long as the penalty card remains on the table.
2. Information derived from a penalty card that has been returned to hand (as per Law 50D2a)) is unauthorised for the partner of the player who had the penalty card (see Law 16C), but authorised for declarer.
3. Once a penalty card has been played, information derived from the circumstances under which it was created is unauthorised for the partner of the player who had the card. (For a penalty card which has not yet been played, see E1 above).
If following the application of E1 the Director judges at the end of play that without the assistance gained through the exposed card the outcome of the board could well have been different, and in consequence the non-offending side is damaged (see Law 12B1), he/she shall award an adjusted score. In his/her adjustment he/she should seek to recover, as nearly as possible, the probable outcome of the board without the effect of the penalty card(s).
Law 51
Two or More Penalty Crads
A. Offender to Play
If it is a defender’s turn to play and that defender has two or more penalty cards that can legally be played, declarer designates which is to be played at that turn.
B. Offender’s Partner to Lead
1. a). When a defender has two or more penalty cards in one suit, and declarer requires the defender’s partner to lead that suit, the cards of that suit are no longer penalty cards and are picked up; the defender may make any legal play to the trick.
b). When a defender has two or more penalty cards in one suit, and declarer prohibits defender’s partner from leading that suit, the defender picks up every penalty card in that suit and may make any legal play to the trick. The prohibition continues until the player loses the lead.
2. a). When a defender has penalty cards in more than one suit (see Law 50D2a)) and his/her partner is to lead, declarer may require defenders partner to lead a specified suit in which the defender has a penalty card (but B1a) preceding then applies).
b). When a defender has penalty cards in more than one suit and his/her partner is to lead, declarer may prohibit the defender’s partner from leading one or more of such suits; the defender then picks up every penalty card in every suit prohibited by declarer and makes any legal play to the trick. The prohibition continues until the player loses the lead.
c). When a defender has penalty cards in more than one suit and his/her partner is to lead, declarer may elect not to require or prohibit a lead, in which case the defender’s partner may lead any card and the penalty cards remain on the table as penalty cards. If this option is selected Laws 50 and 51 continue to apply for as long as the penalty cards remain.