| 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
organisation, 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 team-mates. |
|
|
| 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 the final 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 no trump 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 Laws 19
and 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. |
|
|
| Honour |
Any Ace, King, Queen, Jack or 10. |
|
|
| (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 honour 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 Laws 19 and 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 progress. |
|
|
| 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 organisation, 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). |
|
|
Return to Top of page