Every so often this section will attempt to provide a Plain English explanation for one or more of the Laws of Duplicate Bridge, of which there are currently 92 in all.  Many of these Laws you know intuitively simply by wanting to play a fair game of bridge.  Others are a bit more involved, and a few are even somewhat confusing to Directors. So bear with me as we attempt to wade through the "legalese" of duplicate bridge.

We all know that you must follow suit but, hey, the inevitable happens and someone doesn’t. That’s called a Revoke.

In order to avoid revokes as much as possible some players may question others whether they have any of the suit which is being lead whenever an off suit is played:

        Declarer may ask a defender
        Defenders may ask Declarer
        Defenders may ask each other
        Dummy may ask Declarer
        Dummy MAY NOT ask a defender

A revoke becomes “established,” that is, a revoke CANNOT be corrected once a player on the offending side calls for or plays to the following trick.

Once a revoke becomes established penalties may apply:

      One trick if the trick on which the revoke occurred was won by the offending player

                                                        AND / OR

      One trick if the offending side won any tricks after the revoke trick

             SO THE TOTAL PENALTY MAY BE EITHER ONE OR TWO TRICKS, BUT

       NO tricks if the offending player lost the revoke trick and if the offending  side won
             no subsequent tricks.

A revoke occurring on the twelfth trick must be corrected, but the offender’s partner may not choose the play of his two remaining cards based on his knowledge of the revoke card.

Finally, if the Director deems that these rules still do not provide a fair result, he shall assign an adjusted score.