CHAPTER I
Definitions
- Adjusted Score
- An arbitrary score awarded by the Director (see Law 12 ). It is either ``artificial'' or ``assigned''.
1. An artificial adjusted score is one awarded in lieu of a result because no result can be obtained or estimated for a particular deal (e.g., when an irregularity prevents play of a deal).
2. An assigned adjusted score is awarded to one side, or to both sides, to be the result of the deal in place of the result actually obtained after an irregularity. - Alert
- A notification, whose form may be specified by a sponsoring
organization, to the effect that opponents may be in need of an
explanation.
- Auction
- 1. The process of determining the contract by means of successive calls.
2. The aggregate of calls made (see Law 17E). - Bid
- An undertaking to win at least a specified number of odd tricks 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 that session. - Call
- Any bid, double, redouble or pass.
- 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 teammates.
- 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.
- Convention
- 1. A call that, by partnership agreement, conveys a meaning other than willingness to play in the denomination named (or in the last denomination named), or high-card strength or length (three cards or more) there. However, an agreement as to overall strength does not make a call a convention.
2. Defender's play that serves to convey a meaning by agreement rather than inference. - 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 that 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 notrump specified in a bid.
- Director
- A person designated to supervise a duplicate bridge contest and to apply these
Laws.
- Double
- A call over an opponent's bid increasing the scoring value of fulfilled or defeated
contracts (see Law 19 and Law 77).
- Dummy
- 1. Declarer's partner. He becomes dummy when
the opening lead is faced.
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.
- Follow Suit
- Play a card of the suit that has been led.
- Game
- 100 or more trick points scored on one deal.
- Hand
- The cards originally dealt to a player, or the remaining portion thereof.
- Honor
- Any Ace, King, Queen, Jack or 10.
- International Matchpoint (IMP)
- A unit of scoring awarded according to a schedule
established in Law 78B .
- Irregularity
- A deviation from the correct procedures set forth in the Laws.
- 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.
- 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 of Contract Bridge is played.
- Partner
- The player with whom one plays as a side against the other two players.
- Partscore
- 90 or fewer trick points scored on one deal.
- Pass
- A call specifying that a player does not, at that turn, elect to bid, double or redouble.
- 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. - Premium Points
- Any points earned other than trick points (see Law 77).
- Psychic Call
- A deliberate and gross misstatement of honor strength or suit length.
- Rectification
- Adjustment made to permit the auction or play to proceed as normally as
possible after an irregularity has occurred.
- Redouble
- A call over an opponent's double, increasing the scoring value of fulfilled or
defeated contracts (see Law 19 and Law 77).
- Revoke
- The play of a card of another suit by a player who is able to follow suit or to comply
with a lead penalty.
- RHO
- Right-hand opponent.
- Rotation
- The clockwise order in which the deal and the right to call or play progresses.
- 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 sponsoring organization, is scheduled to be played.
- Side
- Two players 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).
- 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 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, regularly consisting 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 suit, if any, named in the contract.
- Turn
- The correct time at which a player may call or play.
- Undertrick
- Each trick by which declarer's side falls short of fulfilling the contract (see Law 77).
- Vulnerability
- The conditions for assigning premiums and undertrick penalties (see Law 77).
Chapters: I - Definitions II - Preliminaries III - Preparation and Progression IV - General Laws Governing Irregularities V - The Auction VI - The Play VII - Proprieties VIII - The Score IX - Tournament Sponsorship X - Tournament Director XI - Appeals
Last modified: Mon Apr 13 17:49:43 1998