Conduct & Etiquette - Law 74

A.     Proper Attitude

B.     Etiquette

C.     Violations of Procedure

A. Proper Attitude

1. A player should maintain a courteous attitude at all times.

2. A player should carefully avoid any remark or action that might cause annoyance or embarrassment to another player or might interfere with the enjoyment of the game.

3. Every Player should follow uniform and correct procedure in calling and playing.

B. Etiquette

            As a matter of courtesy a player should refrain from:

1.      Paying insufficient attention to the game.

2.      Making gratuitous comments during the auction and play.

3.      Detaching a card before it is his turn to play.

4.      Prolonging play unnecessarily (as in playing on although he knows that all the tricks are surely his) for the purpose of disconcerting an opponent.

5.      Summoning and addressing the Director in a manner discourteous to him or the other contestants.

C. Violations of Procedure

            The following are example of violations of procedure:

            1. Using different designations for the same call.

            2. Indicating approval or disapproval of a call or play.

3. Indicating the expectation or intention of winning or losing a trick that has not been completed.

4. Commenting or acting during the auction or play so as to call attention to a significant occurrence, or to the number of tricks still required for success.

5. Looking Intently at any other player during the auction and play, or at another player’s hand as for the purpose of seeing his cards or of observing the place from which he draws a card (but it is appropriate to act on information acquired by unintentionally seeing an opponent’s card**).

6. Showing an obvious lack of further interest in a deal (as by folding ones cards).

7. Varying the normal tempo of bidding or play for the purpose of disconcerting an opponent.

8. Leaving the table needlessly before the round is called.

** Law 73D2 “A player may not attempt to mislead an opponent by means of remark or gesture, by the haste or hesitancy of a call or play (as in heisting before playing a singleton), the manner in which a call or play is made or by any purposeful deviation from correct procedure.”