Bridge ethics

Contract bridge is at a same time a social game intended for all ages, and a combative sport. As such, while streaming for success, players are expected to conduct ethically and courteously towards each other. One significant part of bridge ethics is codified in the official and worldwide accepted Laws of Duplicate Contract Bridge, as the rules which define which actions at the table are acceptable, and what kind of penalty for their infraction. On the other hand, bridge players are also expected to respect the norms of social courtesy and behavior; duplicate bridge sponsoring organizations (clubs, regional, national, zonal and world organizations) can define additional standards for player's conduct, including the penalties for violation of conduct such as breaches of discipline not covered by applicable civil laws.

Laws of Duplicate Contract Bridge

The following aspects of conduct in game play are covered in the Laws of Duplicate Contract Bridge.

General points

"Any contestant remaining at a table throughout a session is primarily responsible for maintaining proper conditions of play at the table. (Law 7D)"

Tournament director

Procedure following an irregularity

"Unless prohibited by Law, any player may call attention to an irregularity during the auction, whether or not it is his turn to call." (the dummy is subject to restrictions to this rule during play) and "The Director must be summoned at once when attention is drawn to an irregularity. "

Tempo

Review and explanation of calls

Unauthorized information

(Law 16).

"Players are authorized to base their calls and plays on information from legal calls and plays and from mannerisms of opponents. To base a call or play on other extraneous information may be an infraction of law."

"When a player accidentally receives unauthorized information about a board he is playing or has yet to play, as by looking at the wrong hand; by overhearing calls, results or remarks; by seeing cards at another table; or by seeing a card belonging to another player at his own table before the auction begins, the Director should be notified forthwith, preferably by the recipient of the information. If the Director considers that the information could interfere with normal play, he may:

#Adjust Positions
#:if the type of contest and scoring permit, adjust the players' positions at the table, so that the player with information about one hand will hold that hand; or,
#Appoint Substitute
#:with the concurrence of all four players, appoint a temporary substitute to replace the player who received the unauthorized information; or,
#Award an Adjusted Score
#:forthwith award an artificial adjusted score.

Appeals

References

* [http://www.worldbridge.org/departments/laws/contents.htm WBF Laws of Duplicate Contract Bridge]
* [http://www.bridgeguys.com/Conventions/BridgeEtiquette.html BridgeGuys glossary: Etiquette]