Guidelines for Duplicate Play

General Player Responsibilities

• Each partnership must have at least one completed convention card placed in clear view.
• Do not remove the cards from the board until the Director indicates play is to begin. The movement may change and you may not play the same hand.
• Do not move from one table to the next until the Director calls the round.
• Do not remove the cards from a board until at least one of the opponents is at the table.
• After removing your cards from the board, count them before looking at them.
• Upon completion of the play of the hand, shuffle and count your cards before returning them to the board.
• North is responsible to ensure that the right boards and right pairs are at the table. North is also responsible for orienting the boards as well as assuring the proper order of play of the boards. No one should reach under the top board for any reason.
• North is responsible for scoring all hands (but may ask for assistance). Once a board is scored, North shows the traveler to all players, who should check its accuracy before proceeding to the next board.

Auction Guidelines

• Do not touch the bidding box until you’ve decided what bid to make, as hesitation or moving your hand back and forth may give your partner unauthorized information. Decide on the bid you wish to make, take it out of the bidding box, look at it to make sure you’ve pulled out what you intended and place it on table.
• Never make remarks, gestures or facial expressions during the bidding, as these may provide unauthorized information.
• Unauthorized information may result in penalties if such actions damage the opponents.
• Call the director if any bidding irregularity occurs, e.g., insufficient bid, bid out of turn, etc. Do not attempt to correct the situation on your own, as this may result in loss of your rights.
• Never pick up your bid cards before the auction has ended.
• Alert all bids that require an alert (in red on the convention card). When an explanation is requested, explain what the bid shows (or asks) rather than simply stating the name of the convention.
• You may ask for an explanation of a bid only when it is your turn to bid or just prior to your turn to play at the opening trick. The only exception to the latter is if your partner, as the opening leader, places his opening lead face down and asks “Any questions?” In this case you may ask for a review of the bidding and/or an explanation of a bid. Partner may not change his opening lead based on any explanation received.
• Either opponent may ask for an explanation of your bid when it is his / her turn to bid. Your partner must answer; you may not. If your partner doesn’t know or isn’t sure, he/she should not speculate as doing so will give you information about your partner’s thinking. He/she should simply say that you do not have a partnership agreement about the meaning of your bid.

Play of the Hand Guidelines

• When on opening lead, detach a card from your hand and lay it face down on the table and ask if there are any questions. This prevents irregularities such as leading out of turn and allows your partner to ask for a review of the auction or an explanation of any bid or alert without influencing your lead.
• A review of the bidding may be requested by each player at his\her turn to play to the first trick. After the first trick, a player, at his\her turn to play, may only ask what the contract is and whether or not it was doubled.
• To speed up play, make your opening lead before recording the contract on your score sheet. As Dummy, spread your hand prior to recording the Contract.
• If declarer plays a card from the incorrect hand, either defender or the Dummy may point this out. A lead from the wrong hand can be accepted by either defender.
• Play your card at your turn only, not before. Do not detach a card from your hand until it is your turn to play. Do not touch a card until you have decided which you wish to play. Do not touch one card then another. Do not pull up one card, push it back and then pull up another. This may indicate you are uncertain as to which suit or card to play or if you follow suit, shows that you have more than one card in that suit.
• When a player places a card in the wrong direction at a given trick (vertical vs. horizontal showing a trick as won or lost), his/her partner may advise him/her of the mistake provided they do so immediately. No correction is permitted later in the play.
• Dummy may only play a card when directed to do so by Declarer. Dummy must not reach toward a card in anticipation of Declarer calling for that card. Likewise, when Declarer calls for a card, Dummy must play the card indicated without any remark, facial expression, hesitation or other gesture questioning or implying a judgment of the call.
• Call the Director if an invalid claim has been made, e.g., if there are outstanding trumps.
• When the final card has been played do not fold up your cards until all players have agreed on total tricks taken. North is responsible for entering the score, and opponents must verify and accept the result entered before continuing to next board.