Auction of To-day Part 19

33. When the player whose duty it is to cut has once separated the pack, he can neither re-shuffle nor re-cut, except as provided in Law 32.

34. Should the dealer shuffle the cards after the cut, the pack must be cut again.

35. The fifty-two cards shall be dealt face downward. The deal is not completed until the last card has been dealt.

36. In the event of a misdeal the cards must be dealt again by the same player.

A NEW DEAL

37. There _must_ be a new deal--

_a_ If the cards are not dealt into four packets, one at a time and in regular rotation, beginning at the dealer's left.

_b_ If, during a deal, or during the play, the pack is proven incorrect or imperfect.

_c_ If any card is faced in the pack or is exposed during the deal on, above or below the table.

_d_ If any player has dealt to him a greater number of cards than thirteen, whether discovered before or during the play.

_e_ If the dealer deal two cards at once and then deal a third before correcting the error.

_f_ If the dealer omit to have the pack cut and either adversary calls attention to the fact prior to the completion of the deal and before either adversary has looked at any of his cards.

_g_ If the last card does not come in its regular order to the dealer.

38. Should three players have their right number of cards, the fourth, less, and not discover such deficiency until he has played, the deal stands; he, not being dummy, is answerable for any established revoke he may have made as if the missing card or cards had been in his hand.

Any player may search the other pack for it or them.

39. If, during the play, a pack be proven incorrect, such proof renders the current deal void but does not affect any prior score. (See Law 37 b.) If during or at the conclusion of the play one player be found to hold more than the proper number of cards and another have an equal number less, the deal is void.

40. A player dealing out of turn or with the adversaries' cards may be corrected before the last card is dealt, otherwise the deal must stand, and the game proceed as if the deal had been correct, the player to his left dealing the next hand. A player who has looked at any of his cards may not correct such deal, nor may his partner.

41. A player can neither cut, shuffle nor deal for his partner without the permission of his adversaries.

DECLARING TRUMPS

42. The dealer, having examined his hand, must declare to win at least one odd trick, either with a declared suit, or at "no trumps."

43. After the dealer has made his declaration, each player in turn, commencing with the player on the dealer's left, has the right to pa.s.s, to make a higher declaration, to double the last declaration made, or to redouble a declaration which has been doubled, subject to the provisions of Law 54.

44. A declaration of a greater number of tricks in a suit of lower value, which equals the last declaration in value of points, shall be considered a higher declaration--_e.g._, a declaration of "Three Spades" is a higher declaration than "One Club."

45. A player in his turn may overbid the previous adverse declaration any number of times, and may also overbid his partner, but he cannot overbid his own declaration which has been pa.s.sed by the three others.

46. The player who makes the final declaration shall play the combined hands of himself and his partner (the latter becoming dummy), unless the winning suit was first bid by the partner, in which case he, no matter what bids have intervened shall play the hand.

47. When the player of the two hands (hereinafter termed "the declarer") wins at least as many tricks as he declared, he scores the full value of the tricks won (see Laws 4 and 6). When he fails, neither the declarer nor his adversaries score anything towards the game, but his adversaries score in the honor column fifty points for each under-trick--_i.e._, each trick short of the number declared; or, if the declaration has been doubled, or redoubled, one hundred or two hundred respectively for each such trick.

48. The loss on the original declaration by the dealer of "One Spade"

is limited to one hundred points whether doubled or not, unless redoubled. Honors are scored as held.

49. If a player make a declaration (other than pa.s.sing) out of turn, either adversary may demand a new deal, or may allow the declaration so made to stand, in which case the bidding shall continue as if the declaration had been in order.

50. If a player make an insufficient or impossible declaration either adversary may demand that it be penalized, provided such demand be made before an adversary has pa.s.sed, doubled or declared. In case of an insufficient declaration the penalty is that the declarer must make his bid sufficient and his partner is debarred from making any further declaration unless an adversary subsequently bids or doubles. In case of an impossible declaration the penalty is that the declarer is considered to have bid to take all the tricks and his partner cannot further declare unless an adversary subsequently bids or doubles.

Either adversary, instead of accepting the impossible declaration, may demand a new deal or may treat his own or his partner's last previous declaration as final.

51. If, after the final declaration has been made, an adversary of the declarer give his partner any information as to any previous declaration, whether made by himself or an adversary, the declarer may call a lead from the adversary whose next turn it is to lead; but a player is ent.i.tled to inquire, at any time during the play of the hand, what was the final declaration.

52. A declaration legitimately made cannot be altered after the next player has pa.s.sed, declared or doubled. Prior to such action by the next player, a declaration inadvertently made may be corrected.

DOUBLING AND REDOUBLING

53. The effect of doubling and redoubling is that the value of each trick over six is doubled or quadrupled, as provided in Law 4; but it does not alter the value of a declaration--_e.g._, a declaration of "Three Clubs" is higher than "Two Royal Spades" even if the "Royal Spade" declaration has been doubled.

54. Any declaration can be doubled and redoubled once, but not more; a player cannot double his partner's declaration, nor redouble his partner's double, but he may redouble a declaration of his partner which has been doubled by an adversary.

55. The act of doubling, or redoubling, reopens the bidding. When a declaration has been doubled or redoubled, any player, including the declarer or his partner, can in his proper turn make a further declaration of higher value.

56. When a player whose declaration has been doubled wins the declared number of tricks, he scores a bonus of fifty points in the honor column, and a further fifty points for each additional trick. If he or his partner has redoubled, the bonus is doubled.

57. If a player double out of turn, either adversary may demand a new deal.

58. When the final declaration has been made the play shall begin, and the player on the left of the declarer shall lead.

DUMMY

59. As soon as the player to the left of the declarer has led, the declarer's partner shall place his cards face upward on the table, and the duty of playing the cards from that hand shall devolve upon the declarer.

60. Before placing his cards upon the table the declarer's partner has all the rights of a player, but after so doing takes no part whatever in the play, except that he has the right:--

_a_ To ask the declarer whether he has any of a suit in which he has renounced;

_b_ To call the declarer's attention to the fact that too many or too few cards have been played to a trick;

_c_ To correct the claim of either adversary to a penalty to which the latter is not ent.i.tled;

_d_ To call attention to the fact that a trick has been erroneously taken by either side;

_e_ To partic.i.p.ate in the discussion of any disputed question of fact after it has arisen between the declarer and either adversary;

_f_ To correct an erroneous score.

61. Should the declarer's partner call attention to any other incident of the play in consequence of which any penalty might have been exacted, the declarer is precluded from exacting such penalty.