Definitions

Adjusted Score

A score awarded by the Director (see Law 12). It is either “artificial” or “assigned”.

Alert

A notification, whose form may be specified by the Regulating Authority, to the effect that opponents may be in need of an explanation.

Artificial call

1. A bid, double, or redouble that conveys information (not being information taken for granted by players generally) other than (or in addition to) a willingness to play in the denomination named or last named.
2. A pass that promises more than a specified amount of strength.
3. A pass that promises or denies values other than in the last suit named.

Auction

1. The process of determining the contract by means of successive calls. It begins when the first call is made.
2. The aggregate of calls made (see Law 17).

Bid

an undertaking to win at least a specified number of odd tricks (tricks in excess of six) in a specified denomination.

Board

1. A duplicate board as described in Law 2.
2. The four hands as originally dealt and placed in a duplicate board for play during a session (also referred to as a ‘deal’).

Call

Any bid, double, redouble or pass.

Cancelled

see “Withdrawn”.

Contestant

in an individual event, a player; in a pair event, two players playing as partners throughout the event; in a team event, four or more players playing as team-mates.

Contract

the undertaking by declarer’s side to win, at the denomination named, the number of odd tricks specified in the final bid, whether undoubled, doubled or redoubled. (See Law 22)

Deal

1. The distribution of the pack to form the hands of the four players.
2. The cards so distributed considered as a unit, including the auction and play thereof.

Declarer

the player who, for the side that makes the final bid, first bid the denomination named in the final bid. He becomes declarer when the opening lead is faced (but see Law 54A when the opening lead is made out of turn).

Defender

an opponent of (presumed) declarer.

Denomination

the suit or no trump specified in a bid.

Double

a call over an opponent’s bid increasing the scoring value of fulfilled or defeated contracts (see Laws 19A and 77).

Dummy

1. Declarer’s partner. He becomes dummy when the opening lead is faced and ceases to be dummy when play ends.
2. Declarer’s partner’s cards, once they are spread on the table after the opening lead.

Event

a contest of one or more sessions (synonym for ‘Tournament’).

Extraneous

not part of the lawful procedures of the game.

Follow Suit

Play a card of the suit that has been led.

Game

100 or more trick points scored on one deal (see Law 77).

Hand

the cards originally dealt to a player, or the remaining portion thereof.

Honour

any Ace, King, Queen, Jack or 10.

Infraction

a player’s breach of Law or of Lawful regulation.

International Matchpoint (IMP)

a unit of scoring awarded according to a schedule established in Law 78B.

Irregularity

a deviation from correct procedure inclusive of, but not limited to, those which involve an infraction by a player.

Lead

the first card played to a trick.

LHO

Left-hand opponent.

Matchpoint

a unit of scoring awarded to a contestant as a result of comparison with one or more other scores. See Law 78A.

Misinformation

the failure of a side to accurately disclose partnership method or understanding, as and when required by law or regulation.

Odd Trick

each trick to be won by declarer’s side in excess of six.

Opening Lead

the card led to the first trick.

Opponent

a player of the other side; a member of the partnership to which one is opposed.

Overtrick

each trick won by declarer’s side in excess of the contract.

Pack

the 52 playing cards with which the game is played.

Partner

the player with whom one plays as a side against the other two players at the table.

Partscore

90 or fewer trick points scored on one deal (see Law 77).

Pass

a call specifying that a player does not, at that turn, elect to bid, double or redouble.

Penalty

(See also ‘Rectification’) - penalties are of two kinds:

• disciplinary - those applied for the maintenance of courtesy and good order (see Law 91), and
• procedural - penalties (additional to any rectification) assessed at the Director’s discretion in cases of procedural irregularities (see Law 90).

Penalty card

a card subject to disposition under Law 50.

Play

1. The contribution of a card from one’s hand to a trick, including the first card, which is the lead.
2. The aggregate of plays made.
3. The period during which the cards are played.
4. The aggregate of the calls and plays on a board.

Play period

commences when the opening lead on a board is faced; contestants’ rights and powers in the play period each expire as the relevant Law provides. The play period itself ends when the cards are removed from their slots on the subsequent board (or when the last board of a round is quitted).

Premium Points

any points earned other than trick points (see Law 77).

Presumed Declarer

the player, who in the absence of an irregularity, would become declarer.

Psychic call (commonly ‘psych[e]’ or ‘psychic’)

a deliberate and gross misstatement of honour strength and/or of suit length.

Rectification

the remedial provisions to be applied when an irregularity has come to the Director’s attention.

Redouble

a call over an opponent’s double, increasing the scoring value of fulfilled or defeated contracts (see Laws 19B and 77).

Retracted

see “Withdrawn”.

RHO

Right-hand opponent.

Rotation

the clockwise progression of the normal turns to call or play; also the clockwise order in which, one at a time, the cards are recommended to be dealt.

Round

a part of a session played without progression of players.

Session

an extended period of play during which a number of boards, specified by the Tournament Organizer, is scheduled to be played. (May have different meanings as between Laws 4, 12C2 and 91.)

Side

two players at a table who constitute a partnership against the other two players.

Slam

A contract to win six odd tricks (called Small Slam), or to win seven odd tricks (called Grand Slam).

Sorted deck

a pack of cards not randomized from its prior condition.

Suit

One of four groups of cards in the pack, each group comprising thirteen cards and having a characteristic symbol: spades (♠), hearts (♥), diamonds (♦), clubs (♣).

Team

two or more pairs playing in different compass directions at different tables but for a common score (applicable regulations may permit teams of more than four members).

Trick

the unit by which the outcome of the contract is determined, composed unless flawed of four cards, one contributed by each player in rotation, beginning with the lead.

Trick Points

points scored by declarer’s side for fulfilling the contract (see Law 77).

Trump

each card of the denomination named in a suit contract.

Tournament

a contest of one or more sessions (synonym for ‘Event’).

Turn

the correct time at which a player is due to call or play.

Undertrick

each trick by which declarer’s side falls short of fulfilling the contract (see Law 77).

Unintended

involuntary; not under control of the will; not the intention of the player at the moment of his action.

Visible Card

a card held such that its face may be seen by either an opponent or by partner.

Vulnerability

the conditions for assigning premiums and undertrick penalties (see Law 77).

Withdrawn

actions said to be ‘withdrawn’ include actions that are ‘cancelled’ and cards that are ‘retracted’.