Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1943-02-28
In Bridge
Circles
Notes on Clubs
4 nd Tournaments
Bv Frank 3. Lord.

BY Frank B. Lord.
Bridge players have been playing
their game under the same set of
laws for the past eight years. In
1895 the Whist Club of New York.
which is the supreme court of
bridge in this country, acting in
conjunction with the Portland Club
Of London, the recognized authority
in England. promulgated the In
ternational Contract Bridge Code
which was universally adopted and
followed
Now, the Whist Club, in CO.
operation with the National Laws
Commission of the American Con-
tract Bridge League has issued
revised set of rules. It is an Amer
lean edition and its laws are appli-
cable only to the game as it is
played in the United States. The
Portland Club made certain valu-
able suggestions by correspondence.
but did not deem it proper at this
time, because of war conditions. to
undertake the work of forming the
international code which would re-
qulre personal meetings to recon-
cile differences, and furthermore,
the publication of a continental
edition would be out of the question
Tor the duration. The International
Co0e will come later when the
world settles down to orderly mat
/ ters after the close of the present
conflict.
The 1943 laws affect only rubber
bridge. Until the publication of
the revised Duplicate Bridge Laws,
those who play and direct dupli-
cate are requested to follow these
laws so far as they are compatible
with the nature of duplicate. An
agreement satisfactory to all parties
has been reached providing for the
temporary suspension Of the In
ternational Code in America and
for the publication of the laws now
offered. to be effective until such
time, at least a year after the war.
as new International Code NAV
be issued.
The new laws embrace few radical
changes from those which have
heretofore been in effect and play
ers will have little difficulty in
adapting themselves to them and
In following them. Probably the
most notable departure is in the
amendment to the scoring table. A
bonus of so points is provided for
a side making a doubled contract
regardless Of whether or not it is
Vulnerable. There is, however, no
additional bonus for a contract re-
doubled and made. The 50-point
bonus adds to the score above the
line. The rubber bonus is not
changed but remains the same re-
CARELESS of whether or not the op-
ponents have made one game. There
is no change in the doubled or re-
doubled premiums nor in the score
below the line,
There Is also a 50-point bonus
Tor the side making a part score in
an unfinished game of an unfinished
rubber. Generally this would apply
only to progressive or party bridge.
There are no point penalties, the
former point penalty for looking at
quilted trick has been supplanted
by mere prohibition
Under the new rules the sole right
OF commencement and choice of
penalty are given, during the period
OF the auction, to the opponent on
the offenders left and during the
play to the defender on the left of
the offender. He thus becomes the
authorized opponent. For example.
IN the first instance, if the dealer
calls one no-trump and the opponent
on his left calls one diamond-an
insufficient bid-the opponent on the
offenders left may condone such
bid without penalty simply by over
calling the one diamond bid
Thus it could happen that a dealer
blddlng one no-trump might have
diamonds stopped but would be weak
in hearts. If his partner in con-
donlng the insufficient diamond call
were to bid hearts, the dealer might
then be enabled to continue his no.
trump bid to game. The decision to
condone or exact a penalty rests
entirely in that instance with the
opponents on the left of the offender
the authorized opponent.
Another important change affects
the opening lead out of turn. Under
the Old rules if the opponent at
the right of the declarer were to
make an opening lead, which would
be Illegal. the declarer could call
lead which would generally be ad-
Vantageous to him, from his left
hand opponent, the rightful leader.
If the rightful leader did not have
any card Of the suit which the de-
clarer requested be led, he could
then lead any suit which, in most
cases, would be the suit indicated
by his offending partner. Now the
rule Is changed so that the declarer
may forbid a lead by asking that
any suit be lead except the one
his partner attempted to lead.
The revoke law, which is an i'm
portant one since there is scarcely
ever an evenings play in which
there is not one or more revokes,
contains six major changes.
l. l ilN N0tdbi4Sll6u ItNOhH DS0dlIN
of two tricks applies to each players
first revoke in a suit
2. There is no additional penalty
for subsequent revokes by the same
player in the same suit.
3. Restitution of additional tricks
lost should be made by agreement
among the players. if, as seldom
happens. a revoke in fact costs the
non-offending side more than the
two penalty tricks transferred to it.
d The dummy has been given the
right to question a defender as to
whether his play constitutes a re-
woke.
5. DeClarer is no longer prevented
from Withdrawing his revoke card
II dummy questions him after in
tentionaily seeing a card in another
players hand.
g. Declarer is not subject to the
penalty for an established revoke
if, IN correcting a lead out of turn
from dummy, he fails to lead the