Engineers Ireland Bridge Club

Bids and Other Calls Out of Turn Laws 28-32, 23,26

Bids and Other Calls Out of Turn - Laws 28 to 32 and Laws 23 and 26

Accepting a call out of turn:-

The player on the offender's left may accept a call out of turn by making a legitimate call. If it is not accepted, then the call out of turn is cancelled. The correct person bids and then the following applies:-

Pass out of turn (assuming the pass was not accepted):-

  • If no one else had a bid yet, or if it was the right hand opponent's turn, the offender must repeat the pass at their next turn, but may otherwise bid normally.
  • if the bidding had opened, and pass was made at partner's turn, the offender must pass throughout the auction. Partner may bid, but may not double or redouble at that turn.
  • if the bidding had opened, and pass was made at left hand opponent's turn, then it is an attempt to change a bid which has just been made.

Bid out of turn  (assuming the bid is not accepted)

If it was Right Hand Opponent's turn:-

If RHO passes, offender must repeat the bid.

If RHO makes any other call, offender may make any legal call. If they repeat the denomination specified by the call out of turn, their partner must pass for one turn.

If offender makes any other call, his partner must pass throughout. If they become defender, at their partners's first time to lead, declarer can forbid or require the partner to lead any suit specified by the bid out of turn. The only exception is where that suit had already been bid by the offender before the bid out of turn. If no suit was specified by the bid out of turn (e.g. a natural no trump bid), declarer can forbid the lead of any one suit at partner's first time to lead.

Example:- Suppose offender bids 1H when it is the turn of their right hand opponent (RHO). It is not accepted by the oppenent on their left.

If RHO passes, there is no choice. The offender must bid 1H again, and there is no penalty.

However, suppose RHO bids 1S. If the offender bids 2H or any higher heart bid, he has repeated the denomination of the original bid out of turn. Partner must pass for one turn only. If the offender makes any other call (including pass), then partner must pass throughout the auction. If the offender becomes a defender, partner can be instructed or forbidden to lead hearts.

If it was partner's or Left Hand Opponent's turn:-

Offender may bid at their correct turn, but partner must pass throughout.

If the offender becomes a defender, at partner's first time to lead, declarer can forbid or require partner to lead any suit specified by the bid out of turn. The only exception is where that suit has already been bid by the offender before the bid out of turn. If no suit was specified by the bid out of turn (e.g. a natural no trump bid), declarer can forbid the lead of any one suit at partner's first time to lead and this ban continues untill the lead is lost.

Example:- Offender opens the bidding with a natural 1NT when it is partner's turn to bid. The bid is not accepted by the opponent on the left. Offender's partner must now pass and the auction continues as normal, with offender's partner passing every time. Offender can make any legal bid at their correct turn. If the offender becomes a defender, no suit was specified by the NT bid out of turn. Offender's partner can be forbidden to lead on one suit at their first turn to lead, and this ban continues until they lose the lead.

Double or redouble out of turn (assuming the bid is not accepted)

if it was partner's turn:-

The partner must pass throughout

if it was Right Hand Opponent's turn:-

If RHO passes, offender must repeat the bid, and there is no penalty if it is a legal bid.

If RHO makes any other bid, offender may make any legal call, but partner must pass throughout.

Note Law 23

The TD can adjust the score if the offender could have been aware of potential damage to the opponents, and gained from the offence - for example by forcing partner to pass.

Copyright Michael O'Malley 2016