Allowed and unallowed deception

Deception is a fundamental part of bridge, although it can take years to become good at it. The following examples are illustrative: -

• Playing a high card on the first round of a suit, to try and make it appear you hold a singleton.
• Playing High-Low on the first two rounds of a suit, with a tripleton, to try and persuade declarer to ruff the third round high.
• Leading the fifth card of a suit in which you are are known to hold length, to make it appear that you only have 4 - so declarer miscounts the hand.
• Cue bidding an Ace that you don't hold to try and prevent opponents from leading the suit e.g. in a slam
• Showing values in a weak suit to prevent opponents leading it - against 3NT

Although partner may be able to work out your deception (and declarer has an advantage in that he has no partner to deceive), any prior agreement to make a deceptive play and call should be disclosed.

Books have been written on deception (Kelsey's "Killing defence at Bridge" has a chapter about it). The advice is:-

• Don't make a deceptive signal unless it will deceive declarer more than partner - the best time to make a deceptive play is if your partner is weak and can't do anything.

Psychic Calls

A psychic call, as one author said, "tells a player that you hold cards that he thought he held himself".

It is a deliberate gross misstatement of hand strength and/ or suit length. If the call was made through a bidding misunderstanding then it is not a psychic call - just a misbid. It is a perfectly legal form of deception - however: -

It is important to note that partner must have no more idea that the call is psychic than opponents. It is illegal toplay an agreement to psyche in certain specific situations.

If partner's actions indicate that he could be allowing for a psychic call then (under EBU rules) the director will award an adjusted score (60%, 15%). There is nothing wrong in reporting psychic calls, it is not an accusation of cheating, just logging them to see if any pattern is built up.

If someone psychs against you - take it as a compliment. It is usually a bad idea to psyche against weak players, as you give up part of your advant ages over them.

Illegal Deception - Law 73D and 73E

Law 73D D. Variations in Tempo or Manner

1. It is desirable, though not always required, for players to maintain steady tempo and
unvarying manner. However, players should be particularly careful when variations may
work to the benefit of their side. Otherwise, unintentionally to vary the tempo or manner
in which a call or play is made is not an infraction. Inferences from such variations are
authorized only to the opponents, who may act upon the information at their own risk.

2. A player may not attempt to mislead an opponent by means of a question, remark or
gesture; by the haste or hesitancy of a call or play (as in hesitating before playing a
singleton); by the manner in which a call or play is made; or by any purposeful deviation
from correct procedure (see also Law 73E2).

E. Deception

1. A player may appropriately attempt to deceive an opponent through a call or play (so long
as the deception is not emphasized by unwonted haste or hesitancy, nor protected by
concealed partnership understanding or experience).
 
2. If the Director determines that an innocent player has drawn a false inference from a
question, remark, manner, tempo or the like, of an opponent who has no demonstrable
bridge reason for the action, and who could have been aware, at the time of the action,
that it could work to his benefit, the Director shall award an adjusted score.

Examples of illegal deception

• Holding a singleton, you pause for a while to give the impression you have a choice in the suit.
• Holding the King, you lead towards Dummy's AQ and pause, as if you had a decision to make on whether to finesse
• Holding the Queen of Trumps you say something like "My hand's rubbish" (talking at the bridge table during play is frowned on anyway)
• You cash the AK of trumps drawing them, but say something like "Drat", or make a grimace, to give the impression a boss trump is still out.