INCORRECT NUMBER OF CARDS*

No Call Made

If no player with an incorrect number of cards has made a call, then:

1. The Director shall correct the discrepancy and, if no player has seen another’s card, he shall require that the board be played normally.
2. When the Director determines that one or more pockets of the board contained an incorrect number of cards and a player has seen one or more cards of another player’s hand, the Director allows the board to be played and scored. If he then considers the extraneous information has affected the outcome of the board the Director shall adjust the score [see Law 12C1(b)] and may penalize an offender.

Discovered during the Auction or Play

When the Director determines that a player’s hand originally contained more than 13 cards with another player holding fewer, and a player with an incorrect hand has made a call:

1. If the Director judges that the deal can be corrected and played, then the deal may be so played with no change of call. At the end of play the Director may award an adjusted score.
2. Otherwise when a call has been made with an incorrect number of cards, the Director shall award an adjusted score [see Law 12C1(b)] and may penalize an offender.

Surplus Card

Any surplus card not part of the deal is removed if found. The auction and play continue without further rectification. No adjusted score may be awarded unless such a card is found to have been played to a quitted trick.

Play Completed

When it is determined after play ends that a player’s hand originally contained more than 13 cards with another player holding fewer, the result must be cancelled and an adjusted score awarded (Law 86B may apply). An offending contestant is liable to a procedural penalty.

* This Law applies when one or more hands are found to contain more than 13 cards. See Law 14 for cases involving a deficient deck.