LAWS OF DUPLICATE CONTRACT BRIDGE 1997
Definitions Preliminaries Preparation General Laws The Auction The Play Proprieties The Score Sponsorship Tournament Director Appeals


CONTENTS INDEX
LAWS
1 2 3 4 5
6 7 8 9 10
11 12 13 14 15
16 17 18 19 20
21 22 23 24 25
26 27 28 29 30
31 32 33 34 35
36 37 38 39 40
41 42 43 44 45
46 47 48 49 50
51 52 53 54 55
56 57 58 59 60
61 62 63 64 65
66 67 68 69 70
71 72 73 74 75
76 77 78 79 80
81 82 83 84 85
86 87 88 89 90
91 92 93
LAW
57		 PREMATURE LEAD OR PLAY BY DEFENDER_

A. Premature Play or Lead to Next Trick
When a defender leads to the next trick before his partner has played to the current trick, or plays out of turn before his partner has played, (penalty) the card so led or played becomes a penalty card, and declarer selects one of the following options. He may:
1. Highest Card
require offender’s partner to play the highest card he holds of the suit led, or
2. Lowest Card
require offender’s partner to play the lowest card he holds of the suit led, or
3. Card of Another Suit
forbid offender’s partner to play a card of another suit specified by declarer.
B. Offender’s Partner Cannot Comply with Penalty
When offender’s partner is unable to comply with the penalty selected by declarer, he may play any card, as provided in Law 59.
C. Declarer Has Played from Both Hands before Irregularity
A defender is not subject to penalty for playing before his partner if declarer has played from both hands, or if dummy has played a card or has illegally suggested that it be played. A singleton in dummy, or one of cards adjacent in rank of the same suit, is not considered to be automatically played.



Return to Top of page To Contents