Bridge Axioms And Laws Part 8

a The dealer may either make the trump or pa.s.s the declaration to his partner.

b If the declaration be pa.s.sed to partner, he must make the trump.

Should the dealer's partner make the trump without receiving permission from the dealer, the eldest hand may demand,

1st. That the trump shall stand, or 2d. That there shall be a new deal.

But if any declaration as to doubling, or not doubling, shall have been made, or if a new deal be not claimed, the declaration wrongly made shall stand. The eldest hand is the player on the left of the dealer.

Should the dealer's partner pa.s.s the declaration to the dealer, it shall be the right of the eldest hand to claim a new deal or to compel the offending player to declare the trump; provided, that no declaration as to doubling has been made.

If either of the dealer's adversaries make or pa.s.s the declaration, the dealer may, after looking at his hand, either claim a new deal or proceed as if no declaration had been made.

A declaration once made cannot be altered.

DOUBLING, RE-DOUBLING, ETC.

The effect of doubling, re-doubling, and so on, is that the value of each trick above six is doubled, quadrupled, and so on.

After the trump declaration has been made by the dealer or his partner, their adversaries have the right to double. The eldest hand has the first right. If he does not wish to double, he may ask his partner, "May I lead?" His partner shall answer, "Yes," or "I double."

If either of their adversaries elect to double, the dealer and his partner have the right to re-double. The player who has declared the trump shall have the first right. He may say, "I re-double" or "Satisfied." Should he say the latter, his partner may re-double.

If the dealer or his partner elect to re-double, their adversaries shall have the right to again double. The original doubler has the first right.

If the right-hand adversary of the dealer double before his partner has asked "May I lead?" the declarer of the trump shall have the right to say whether or not the double shall stand. If he decide that the double shall stand, the process of re-doubling may continue as described above.

The process of re-doubling may be continued indefinitely.[A] The first right to continue the re-doubling on behalf of a partnership belongs to that player who has last re-doubled. Should he, however, express himself satisfied, the right to continue the re-doubling pa.s.ses to his partner.

Should any player re-double out of turn, the adversary who last doubled shall decide whether or not such double shall stand. If it is decided that the re-double shall stand, the process of re-doubling may continue as described in this and foregoing laws. If any double or re-double out of turn be not accepted, there shall be no further doubling in that hand. Any consultation between partners as to doubling or re-doubling will ent.i.tle the maker of the trump or the eldest hand, without consultation, to a new deal.

[A] In some clubs, doubling ceases whenever the value of the odd trick exceeds one hundred points; in other clubs the limit is placed at two hundred points.

If the eldest hand lead before the doubling be completed, his partner may re-double only with the consent of the adversary who last doubled; but such lead shall not affect the right of either adversary to double.

When the question, "May I lead?" has been answered in the affirmative, or when the player who has the last right to continue the doubling expresses himself satisfied, the play shall begin.

Should the eldest hand lead without asking permission, his partner may double, but only if the maker of the trump consent.

Should the right-hand adversary of the dealer ask permission to lead, the eldest hand does not thereby lose his right to double. Should the right-hand adversary of the dealer double before his partner has asked "May I lead?" the maker of the trump shall have the right to say whether or not the double shall stand. If he decide that the double shall stand, the process of re-doubling may continue.

If the right-hand adversary of the dealer lead out of turn, the maker of the trump may call a suit from the eldest hand, who may only double if the maker of the trump consent.

A declaration as to doubling or re-doubling once made cannot be altered.

DUMMY

As soon as the eldest hand has led, the dealer'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 dealer, una.s.sisted by his partner.

Before exposing his cards, the dealer's partner has all the rights of a player, but after his cards have been shown the dealer's partner takes no part whatever in the play, except that he has the right----

a To ask the dealer whether he has none of the suit in which he may have renounced.

b To ask the dealer when called upon to play his highest or lowest card whether he has conformed to the penalty.

c To call the dealer's attention to the fact that a trick has not been completed.

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

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

f To partic.i.p.ate in the discussion of any disputed question of fact which may arise between the dealer and either adversary.

g To correct an erroneous score.