A claim or concession is a suggestion that the
play of the cards cease. A statement to the effect that a player, declarer or either
opponent, will win or claim, lose or concede a specific number of tricks must be
made. This definition applies to both social and duplicate bridge, however, the correct
procedure following a claim or concession is different.
In social bridge, the player who claims or
concedes, must put his cards open upon the table, and then make a comprehensive statement
of his intentions on how the play will continue. If, for any reason, the claim or
concession is disputed, the play of the hand continues with the cards of the claimer
exposed. The claimer is restricted in play by the statement he has made. The claimer
may not take any unannounced finesse, except one proven or virtually proven. If the
claimer discovers that he may have been unaware that a trump had not been played,
the opponents may require him to draw, or not to draw, trump. The claimer may adopt
only a routine line of play, and not an unannounced unusual line of play.
If the claimer is the declarer, either defender,
or both defenders may face his cards for partner's inspection without penalty. If
the claimer is a defender, declarer may prohibit the other defender from making a
play that could be suggested by seeing partner's cards.
In duplicate bridge, a claim or concession
ends the play. When there is any dispute the director is called to hear the claimer
repeat his statement and to adjudicate the result. In adjudicating, the director
restricts claimer's proposed line of play as in rubber bridge.
A concession may be withdrawn if the player
has conceded a trick he has already won, or must win on any possible play of the
remaining cards. In rubber bridge this right lapses when all players have called
on a subsequent deal. In duplicate bridge it lapses with the expiration of the normal
protest period. If a conceded trick can not be lost by any probable play, the concession
may be withdrawn; in rubber bridge not until the cards are mixed together; in duplicate
until the conceding side calls on a subsequent deal or the round ends.
In duplicate bridge, agreeing to an opponent's
claim, or acquiescing, is not conceding. An acquiescence may be withdrawn within
the normal protest period. In either game, a concession by one defender is withdrawn
if the other objects immediately.
In both codes of law this general principle
is established. After any disputed claim, the objective is to settle the issue as
equitably as possible to both sides, but any doubtful point should be resolved in
favor of the claimer's opponents.
PART V
CLAIMS AND CONCESSIONS
LAW 68 - CLAIM OR CONCESSION OF TRICKS
For a statement or action to constitute a claim or concession of tricks under these Laws, it must refer to tricks other than one currently in progress (*BOX WITH LETTER V*) . If it does refer to subsequent tricks:
A. Claim Defined
Any statement to the effect that a contestant will win a specific number of tricks is a claim of those tricks. A contestant also claims when he suggests that play be curtailed, or when he shows his cards (unless he demonstrably did not intend to claim).
B. Concession Defined
Any statement to the effect that a contestant will lose a specific number of tricks is a concession of those tricks; a claim of some number of tricks is a concession of the remainder, if any. A player concedes all the remaining tricks when he abandons his hand. Regardless of the foregoing, if a defender attempts to concede one or more tricks and his partner immediately objects, no concession has occurred; Law 16, Unauthorised Information, may apply, so the Director should be summoned forthwith.
C. Clarification Required for Claim
A claim should be accompanied at once by a statement of clarification as to the order in which cards will be played, the line of play or defence through which the claimer proposes to win the tricks claimed.
D. Play Ceases
After any claim or concession, play ceases. All play subsequent to a claim or concession shall be voided by the Director. If the claim or concession is acquiesced in, Law 69 applies; if it is disputed by any player (dummy included), the Director must be summoned immediately to apply Law 70 or Law 71, and no action may be taken pending the Director's arrival.
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> If the statement or action pertains only to the winning or losing of an uncompleted trick currently in progress, play proceeds regularly; cards exposed or revealed by a defender do not become penalty cards, but Law 16, Unauthorised Information, may apply, and see Law 57A, Premature Play.
LAW 69 - ACQUIESCENCE IN CLAIM OR CONCESSION
A. When Acquiescence Occurs
Acquiescence occurs when a contestant assents to an opponent's claim or concession, and raises no objection to it before his side makes a call on a subsequent board, or before the round ends. The board is scored as though the tricks claimed or conceded had been won or lost in play.
B. Acquiescence in Claim Withdrawn
Within the correction period established in accordance with Law 79C, a contestant may withdraw acquiescence in an opponent's claim, but only if he has acquiesced in the loss of a trick his side has actually won, or in the loss of trick that could not, in the Director's judgement, be lost by any normal play of the remaining cards. The board is rescored with such trick awarded to the acquiescing side.
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> For the purposes of Laws 69, 70, and 71, "normal" includes play that would be careless or inferior for the class of player involved, but not irrational.
LAW 70 - CONTESTED CLAIMS
A. General Objective
In ruling on a contested claim, the Director adjudicates the result of the board as equitably as possible to both sides, but any doubtful points shall be resolved against the claimer. The Director proceeds as follows.
B. Clarification Statement Repeated
1. Require Claimer to Repeat Statement
The Director requires claimer to repeat the clarification statement he made at the time of his claim.
2. Require All Hands to Be Faced
Next, the Director requires all players to put their remaining cards face up on the table.
3. Hear Objections
The Director then hears the opponents' objections to the claim.
C. There Is an Outstanding Trump
When a trump remains in one of the opponents' hands, the Director shall award a trick or tricks to the opponents if:
1. Failed to Mention Trump
claimer made no statement about that trump, and
2. Was Probably Unaware of Trump
it is at all likely that claimer at the time of his claim was unaware that a trump remained in an opponent's hand, and
3. Could Lose a Trick to the Trump
a trick could be lost to that trump by any normal (*BOX WITH LETTER V*) play.
D. Claimer Proposes New Line of Play
The Director shall not accept from claimer any successful line of play not embraced in the original clarification statement if there is an alternative normal line of play that would be less successful.
E. Unstated Line of Play (Finesse or Drop)
The Director shall not accept from claimer any unstated line of play the success of which depends upon finding one opponent rather than the other with a particular card, unless an opponent failed to follow to the suit of that card before the claim was made, or would subsequently fail to follow to that suit on any normal line of play; or unless failure to adopt this line of play would be irrational.
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> For the purposes of Laws 69, 70, and 71, "normal" includes play that would be careless or inferior for the class of player involved, but not irrational.
LAW 71 - CONCESSION CANCELLED
A concession must stand, once made, except that within the correction period established in accordance with Law 79C, the Director shall cancel a concession
A. Trick Cannot be Lost
if a player has conceded a trick his side had, in fact, won, or a trick his side could not have lost by any legal play of the remaining cards.
B. Contract Already Fulfilled or Defeated
if declarer has conceded defeat of a contract he had already fulfilled, or a defender has conceded fulfillment of a contract his side had already defeated.
C. Implausible Concession
if a player has conceded a trick that cannot be lost by any normal play of the remaining cards. Until the conceding side makes a call on a subsequent board, or until the round ends, the Director shall cancel the concession of a trick that could not have been lost by any normal play of the remaining cards.
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> For the purposes of Laws 69, 70, and 71, "normal" includes play that would be careless or inferior for the class of player involved, but not irrational.