Durham Bridge Club
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2023 NEBA
Summer Pairs
Frank Bouweraerts
Irina Hendrickx

2022 NEBA
Swiss Pairs
John Dobson
Audrey Bainbridge

2021 NEBA
Gazette Cup
Joan Crompton
Irene Burns

2021 Runners-Up
NEBA CORWEN TROPHY
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Dorothy Pearson
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Easter Congress
9 High Tournament
Irina Hendrickx
James Foster

Club Tournament Winners

Club Champion
Evening 2022
Audrey Bainbridge

Club Champion
Afternoon 2022
Adrian Darnell

Durham City
Trophy 2022
Bill Dixon & Peter Sykes

Sykes Cup
2021
Nigel Martin
& Adrian Darnell

Cansino Cup
Pairs 2021
Margaret McCabe &
Iain Gordon

 

Revokes
Revokes

Definition of a Revoke

Failure to follow suit in accordance with Law 44 or failure to lead or play, when able, a card or suit required by law or specified by an opponent when exercising an option in rectification of an irregularity, constitutes a revoke. (When unable to comply see Law 59.)

What!!

Most players only think of a revoke as occurring when a player fails to follow suit. However this is only part of the definition - as can be seen it is much wider.

Examples of a Revoke

  1. A player has a heart in their hand. A heart is led and the player fails to play a heart, choosing another suit. (This is the usual occurrence)
  2. A player drops a singleton heart on the floor. A heart is led and the player fails to spot the card on the floor and plays another suit. Later on he discovers he is a card short and the heart is found.
  3. A player fails to play a card to a trick - later on he finds he has one too many cards in his hand. He must display and put a card of the suit led (if he can), or any other card. Ownership of the trick is unaffected - so if he has to play the Ace of Trumps then that card will not win the trick!
  4. A player's partner deliberately exposes a heart when a player is on lead. Declarer demands that a heart be led, but it isn't and it later turns out that the player could have led a heart.
  5. Declarer asks dummy to play a heart (which he has) - but dummy mishears and plays a diamond. If this error is not discovered until both sides have played to the next trick then dummy has revoked
  6. A player accidentally plays two cards (both hearts) to the same trick. Later on a heart is led and, having no hearts left, he discards. Later it is found that he is a card short. It is deemed that the 2nd heart was always in his hand - and he has revoked.
  7. (Slightly different) - Dummy believes that the defenders have Unauthorised Information and calls the director (which he may not do). Later on declarer trumps and dummy asks "Having none?" It turns out that declarer actually has a card in the suit led. Declarer must substitute a card of the suit led and the revoke is automatically established.

Who can revoke?

Anyone! Defender, Declarer or Dummy. Sometimes you may hear the phrase "Dummy cannot revoke". That is incorrect. Dummy CAN revoke but the automatic one (or two) trick penalty does not apply. (The Director will award an adjusted score if the non-offending side has been damaged)

I have revoked - must I confess?

No! BUT you must correct the revoke if attention is drawn to it before it becomes established and you cannot try and hide it e.g. by revoking a second time

I see my partner has revoked - must I do anything?

No! There is no obligation to draw attention to one's own side's irregularities (Law 72B2) BUT you must not try and hide the revoke e.g. by premature mixing of the cards in the hand

I realised during the play that a defender has revoked and commented on it. Now what?

Call the Director (politely)

What is an 'established' revoke?

A revoke becomes 'established' when either member of the offending side lead or play to the next trick, or makes a claim or concession - or agrees to one and it is too late for the agreement to be cancelled.

Why the difference?

If the revoke is NOT established before it is discovered then it is usually corrected by replacing the revoke card with one that follows suit. If a defender does this then the card withdrawn becomes a penalty card.

If the revoke IS established then it cannot be corrected and law 64B is applied (which is usually a one or two trick transfer) and Law 64C (restoration of equity) comes into play (The director will ask at the end of the handif the non offenders feel that the fixed transfer provided adequate compensation.

How does the Director award the extra trick(s)?

  1. First of all - a side cannot lose any trick won BEFORE the revoke.
  2. Thus if a side loses all the tricks after the revoke then there is no transfer.
  3. If the revoke card won the trick then that trick is transferred over. Obviously this usually means that someone has ruffed when they could follow suit, but the examples above show that an opening lead can be a revoke in some instances.
  4. One further trick is transferred over.
  5. If the non-offending side are still damaged e.g. they couldn't cash a string of winners, then the Director may increase the number of tricks transferred.

(This is the standard procedure - there are circumstances when the awarding is more complicated.

 

Summary

  1. You don't have to draw attention to a revoke - if you feel that the fixed penalty will be better than having a penalty card
  2. You can delay drawing attention to a revoke until it becomes established - if you think that the extra trick will be worth more than a penalty card
  3. When attention is drawn to any irregularity - call the director.
  4. The laws on revoking are very complicated - do not rely on guesswork and agreement