New Laws
Every 10 years or so the laws of the game are updated. The new laws come into
effect on the 1st August 2008. The following (produced by the EBU) are the
main changes affecting playes.
Law Comment/Changes
7C You should shuffle your own cards after the hand has been played and the score
agreed before returning them to the board.
16B3 You are still required to agree a hesitation, for example, when it happens and the
TD should be summoned if there is any disagreement. The new laws state that the
best time to claim actual damage is at the end of the hand (e.g. rather than on sight
of dummy).
20F3 You are now allowed to ask about the meaning of an individual call in the
opponents’ auction. But it shouldn’t be done in such a way as to suggest a call or
play to partner such as "does that 2H bid show hearts?" – perhaps indicating that
the questioner holds hearts.
20G1 Sometimes players ask questions because they do not think their partner has
understood. It is illegal to do so.
40B2(b) There is a short period between the final pass and the first card being faced, when
41B/C questions are asked. This is now called the Clarification Period. Members of the
declaring side may consult their own system cards during this time to make sure
nothing has been misexplained, for example.
41D When you put the dummy down you must display it with the lowest ranking cards
nearer declarer.
61B2b Dummy cannot ask a defender whether he has revoked (In 1997 it was in 42B1
and still is but is repeated here). However he can still ask declarer.
61B3 Defenders are allowed to ask one another whether they have revoked. This returns
to a situation outlawed in 1987.
65B3 Players are now allowed to point out that a quitted trick card is pointing the wrong
way. Declarer can do it at any time; dummy or defenders can do it only until the
lead is made to the following trick.
72 It’s now official - the chief object while playing is to obtain a higher score than
other contestants!