The first Laws of Duplicate Contract Bridge were published in 1928; there have been successive revisions in 1933, 1935, 1943, 1949, 1963, 1975, 1987 and, now, 1997.
Through the thirties, the Laws were promulgated by the Portland Club of London and the Whist Club of New York. The American Contract Bridge League has since replaced the Whist Club, and the European Bridge League now represents all non-English-speaking countries in Europe other than Spain and Portugal, while the Portland Club is supported by the British Bridge League. The Laws are now promulgated by the World Bridge Federation.
The latest revision supersedes the 1987 Code. In countries to which the English edition applies National Contract Bridge Organisations have discretion as to the effective date that the 1997 Code is introduced, but it must not be later than the end of the 1997/98 Bridge Playing Season in that country.
The copyright to the Laws of Contract Bridge in the area of the British Commonwealth past and present (other than the Western Hemisphere), the Continent of Africa, India, Spain, Portugal and all English-speaking countries in the Eastern Hemisphere is vested in the Portland Club, to whom all rights to this edition are reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced in any form or by any means, either verbatim or paraphrased, without permission in writing from the Portland Club.
The Portland Club
42 Half Moon Street
London W1Y 7RD
October 1997
