12C1(c)

The concept of'weighted' adjusted scores becomes the norm in England. It has been in place since 2000 as

an option but it now replaces the current law 12C2.

12C1(e) DOES NOT APPLY IN ENGLAND.

Example; Due to an infraction the TD disallows a score of 4♠ by E/W and puts it back to 4♥ by N/S. there is

a 50/50 chance that N/S will make 10 or 11 tricks, so the TD can award 50% of 4♥ = and 50% 0f 4♥ + 1.

See the White Book p27 for full details. An article will follow in a future in English Bridge

25B

In the current (1997) code there is a little known law that allows you to make a call and then 'change your

mind'. It was quite a well kept secret and had a strange penalty where you could play for at most 40% after

you had done it. In the new laws that has gone. You can still make a 'mechanical error' and be allowed to

change it (L25A) but you cannot change your mind. By and large a bid made cannot be changed.

27

This is both complicated to explain and may be difficult to apply. There is a significant change to the

insufficient bid law. The scope for allowing an insufficient bid (IB) to be replaced without silencing partner has

been extended. The old rule of replacing it at the lowest legal level remains, provided that both bids (the IB

and replacement bid) are natural. But there is now an added possibility, which comes if a replacement call

can be found which has the same ,eaning, or a more precise meaning as the IB itself.

Confused? Well, Max Bavin has come up with a useful question that TDs should ask, which might help to make

it easier to decide. " Would all hands making the replacement call also have made the original call in correct

circumstances?" If the answer is yes then the change is allowed.

Here are a few examples;

West North East South

1♣ 1♠ 1♦

EAST/WEST play Precision Club, so 1♣ shows 16+ HCP and, without interference, 1♦ shows 0-7 HCP. Can East

replace his 1♦ bid by double if he has 5 - 7 points? They play that over interference pass shows 0 - 4 HCP and

double shows 5 - 7 HCPs.

Would all hands playing Precision Club that would now double also have bid 1♦ without interference?

Yes, so the change can be made and partner can continue bidding. Note that in this case pass would also be

okay if East had 0 - 4 points.

West North East South

4NT 5♦ 5♣

4NT was Blackwood, East missed the 5♦ bid and 5♣ showed 0 or 4 aces. East/West play DOPI over

(double shows no ace, pass shows 1 ace). Can East replace 5♣ by double? Yes, all hands that would double

to show no ace, would also have bid 5♣ without the interference.

40

This law confirms a number of things already in EBU regulations. It also confirms that you cannot have any

aide-memoires or aids to calculation. So you cannot, for example, during the play take out the bidding card

to see what 4♥xx + 2 will score for you.

64

The criteria for transferring tricks after an established revoke is changed. The TD no longer has to look at

whether 'an additional trick was won by the offending player with a card that could legally have been played

to the revoke trick', Instead he adjudicates either two tricks or one trick as now, and then looks to see

whether equity has been served. Deciding whether equity has been served becomes the norm. It always

was, but is now even more important that the TD considers it.

70

The claim laws acknowledge that, even though play should cease after a claim, it often does not and the TD

is given help on how to proceed.

70,71

The claim and concession laws still refer to action that would be careless or inferior for the class of player

involved, but the bit about being 'irrational' has been removed.

80

The Laws recognise a body called the Tournament Organizer which could be the Club,the County Association,

a Congress or Holiday Organizer or the EBU itself and sets out the duties and responsibilities. It replaces

the Sponsoring Organisation in the current laws.