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ACBL Duplicate Laws
Chapter 4, Laws 9-16a
General Laws Governing Irregularities

A. Calling Attention to an Irregularity

1. During the Auction Period

Unless prohibited by Law, any player may call attention to an irregularity during the auction, whether or not it is his turn to call.

2. During the Play Period

(a) Declarer or Either Defender

Unless prohibited by Law, declarer or either defender may call attention to an irregularity that occurs during the play period.

(b) Dummy (dummy's restricted rights are defined in Law 42 and Law 43)

(1) Dummy may not call attention to an irregularity during the play but may do so after play of the hand is concluded.

 

(2) Dummy may attempt to prevent declarer from committing an irregularity (Law 42B2).

 

B. After Attention Is Called to an Irregularity

1. Summoning the Director

(a) When to Summon

The Director must be summoned at once when attention is drawn to an irregularity.

(b) Who May Summon

Any player, including dummy, may summon the Director after attention has been drawn to an irregularity.

(c) Retention of Rights

Summoning the Director does not cause a player to forfeit any rights to which he might otherwise be entitled.

(d) Opponents' Rights

The fact that a player draws attention to an irregularity committed by his side does not affect the rights of the opponents.

2. Further Bids or Plays

No player shall take any action until the Director has explained all matters in regard to rectification and to the assessment of a penalty.

 

C. Premature Correction of an Irregularity

Any premature correction of an irregularity by the offender may subject him to a further penalty (see the lead penalties of Law 26).

See Duplicate Decisions

A. Right to Assess Penalty

The Director alone has the right to assess penalties when applicable. Players do not have the right to assess (or waive) penalties on their own initiative.

 

B. Cancellation of Payment or Waiver of Penalty

The Director may allow or cancel any payment or waiver of penalties made by the players without his instructions.

 

C. Choice after Irregularity

1. Explanation of Options

When these Laws provide an option after an irregularity, the Director shall explain all the options available.

2. Choice among Options

If a player has an option after an irregularity, he must make his selection without consulting partner.

See Duplicate Decisions

A. Action by Non-Offending Side

The right to penalize an irregularity may be forfeited if either member of the non-offending side takes any action before summoning the Director. The Director so rules when the non-offending side may have gained through subsequent action taken by an opponent in ignorance of the penalty.

 

B. Irregularity Called by Spectator

1. Spectator Responsibility of Non-Offending Side

The right to penalize an irregularity may be forfeited if attention is first drawn to the irregularity by a spectator for whose presence at the table the non-offending side is responsible.

2. Spectator Responsibility of Offending Side

The right to correct an irregularity may be forfeited if attention is first drawn to the irregularity by a spectator for whose presence at the table the offending side is responsible.

 

 

C. Penalty after Forfeiture of the Right to Penalize

Even after the right to penalize has been forfeited under this law, the Director may assess a procedural penalty (see Law 90).

See Duplicate Decisions

A. Right to Award an Adjusted Score

The Director may award an adjusted score (or scores), either on his own initiative or on the application of any player, but only when these Laws empower him to do so, or:

1. Laws Provide No Indemnity

The Director may award an assigned adjusted score when he judges that these Laws do not provide indemnity to the non-offending contestant for the particular type of violation of law committed by an opponent.

2. Normal Play of the Board is Impossible

The Director may award an artificial adjusted score if no rectification can be made that will permit normal play of the board (see Law 88).

3. Incorrect Penalty Has Been Paid

The Director may award an adjusted score if an incorrect penalty has been paid.

 

 

B. No Adjustment for Undue Severity of Penalty

The Director may not award an adjusted score on the ground that the penalty provided in these Laws is either unduly severe or advantageous to either side.

 

C. Awarding an Adjusted Score

1. Artificial Score

When, owing to an irregularity, no result can be obtained, 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 partially at fault; average plus (at least 60% in pairs) to a contestant in no way at fault (see Law 86 for team play or Law 88 for pairs play). The scores awarded to the two sides need not balance.

2. Assigned Score

When the Director awards an assigned adjusted score in place of a result actually obtained after an irregularity, the score is, for a non-offending side, the most favorable result that was likely had the irregularity not occurred or, for an offending side, the most unfavorable result that was at all probable. The scores awarded to the two sides need not balance and may be assigned either in matchpoints or by altering the total-point score prior to matchpointing.

3. Powers of Appeals Committee

Unless Zonal Organizations specify otherwise, an appeals committee may vary an assigned adjusted score in order to do equity.

See Duplicate Decisions

See Director Tech File, More

When the Director determines that one or more pockets of the board contained an incorrect number of cards,  and a player with an incorrect hand has made a call, then when the Director deems that the deal can be corrected and played normally with no change of call, the deal may be so played with the concurrence of all four players. Otherwise, the Director shall award an artificial adjusted score and may penalize an offender. If no such call has been made, then:

A. No Player Has Seen Another's Card

The Director shall correct the discrepancy as follows and, if no player will then have seen another's card, shall require that the board be played normally.

1. Hand Records

When hand records are available, the Director shall distribute the cards in accordance with the records.

2. Consult Previous Players

If hand records are not available, the Director shall correct the board by consulting with players who have previously played it.

3. Require a Redeal

If the board was incorrectly dealt, the Director shall require a redeal (Law 6).

 

 

B. A Player Has Seen Another Player's Card(s)

When the Director determines that one or more pockets of the board contained an incorrect number of cards and after restoration of the board to its original condition a player has seen one or more cards of another player's hand, if the Director deems:

1. The Information Gained Is Inconsequential

that such information will not interfere with normal bidding or play, the Director, with the concurrence of all four players, may allow the board to be played and scored normally.

2. The Information Will Interfere with Normal Play

that the information gained thereby is of sufficient importance to interfere with normal bidding or play, or if any player objects to playing the board, the Director shall award an artificial adjusted score and may penalize an offender.

 

 

C. Play Completed

When it is determined after play ends that a player's hand originally contained more than 13 cards with another player holding correspondingly fewer, the result must be canceled (for procedural penalty, see Law 90).

See Duplicate Decisions

Where three hands are correct and one hand is deficient, Law 14, and not this Law, applies.

A. Hand Found Deficient before Play Commences

When three hands are correct and the fourth is found to be deficient before the play period begins, the Director makes a search for any missing card, and:

1. Card Is Found

If a card is found, it is restored to the deficient hand.

2. Card Cannot Be Found

If a card cannot be found, the Director reconstructs the deal, as near to its original form as he can determine, by substituting another pack.

 

 

B. Hand Found Deficient Afterwards

When three hands are correct and the fourth is found to be deficient after the play period begins, the Director makes a search for any missing card, and:

1. Card Is Found

(a) If a card is found among the played cards, Law 67 applies.

(b) If a card is found elsewhere, it is restored to the deficient hand, and penalties may apply (see 3., following).

2. Card Cannot Be Found

If a card cannot be found, the deal is reconstructed as nearly as can be determined in its original form by substituting another pack, and penalties may apply (see 3., following).

3. Possible Penalties

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.

See Duplicate Decisions

A. Players Have Not Previously Played Board

If players play a board not designated for them to play in the current round:

1. Score Board as Played

The Director normally allows the score to stand if none of the four players have previously played the board.

2. Designate a Late Play

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 canceled 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

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 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, play continues normally.

See Duplicate Decisions

Players are authorized to base their calls and plays on information from legal calls and plays and from mannerisms of opponents. To base a call or play on other extraneous information may be an infraction of law.

A. Extraneous Information from Partner

After a player makes available to his partner extraneous information that may suggest a call or play, as by means of a remark, a question, a reply to a question, or by unmistakable hesitation, unwonted speed, special emphasis, tone, gesture, movement, mannerism or the like, the partner may not choose from among logical alternative actions one that could demonstrably have been suggested over another by the extraneous information.

1. When Such Information Is Given

When a player considers that an opponent has made such information available and that damage could well result, he may, unless the regulations of the sponsoring organization prohibit, immediately announce that he reserves the right to summon the Director later (the opponents should summon the Director immediately if they dispute the fact that unauthorized information might have been conveyed).

2. When Illegal Alternative Is Chosen

When a player has substantial reason to believe  that an opponent who had a logical alternative has chosen an action that could have been suggested by such information, he should summon the Director forthwith. The Director shall require the auction and play to continue, standing ready to assign an adjusted score if he considers that an infraction of law has resulted in damage.

 

 

B. Extraneous Information from Other Sources

When a player accidentally receives unauthorized information about a board he is playing or has yet to play, as by looking at the wrong hand; by overhearing calls, results or remarks; by seeing cards at another table; or by seeing a card belonging to another player at his own table before the auction begins, the Director should be notified forthwith, preferably by the recipient of the information. If the Director considers that the information could interfere with normal play, he may:

1. Adjust Positions

if the type of contest and scoring permit, adjust the players' positions at the table, so that the player with information about one hand will hold that hand; or,

2. Appoint Substitute

with the concurrence of all four players, appoint a temporary substitute to replace the player who received the unauthorized information; or,

3. Award an Adjusted Score

forthwith award an artificial adjusted score.

 

 

C. Information from Withdrawn Calls and Plays

A call or play may be withdrawn, and another substituted, either by a non-offending side after an opponent's infraction or by an offending side to rectify an infraction.

1. Non-offending Side

For the non-offending side, all information arising from a withdrawn action is authorized, whether the action be its own or its opponents'.

2. Offending Side

For the offending side, information arising from its own withdrawn action and from withdrawn actions of the non-offending side is unauthorized. A player of the offending side may not choose from among logical alternative actions one that could demonstrably have been suggested over another by the unauthorized information.

When play ends; or, as to dummy's hand, when dummy is exposed.

See Director Tech File, More, More