Dummy S Rights (Law 42 & 43)

DUMMY’S RIGHTS (LAW 42 & 43) - From Duplicate Bridge Rules Simplified 2008

DUMMY is NOT allowed to:

 Ask a Defender about a possible revoke.  Look at an opponent’s System Card during the play of a hand.  Draw attention, before the hand is over, to any irregularity, once it has been committed  Point out how many tricks have been won or lost.  Suggest the Director be called before another player draws attention to the irregularity  Take any part in the play of the hand except to play the card as Declarer tells him, nor may he communicate anything about the play to Declarer.  Look at Declarer’s cards or his curtain card.  Look (at his own initiative) at any card in a Defender’s hand, ask any questions or make any comments on the hand.  Leave his seat to watch Declarer’s play.

DUMMY IS allowed to:  Keep track of tricks won or lost for his own information.  Play the cards of the dummy as Declarer’s agent as directed  Warn one of the other players he has put a quitted card in the wrong position, but only until the next trick is started.  Try to prevent Declarer from committing an irregularity. For example saying, “Are you not in Dummy?” when he is about to take a card from his hand. BUT it would be too late to warn him once he has ‘played’ the card.  Try to prevent Declarer from establishing a revoke, for example saying, “Having no clubs?” Rules for Dummy (By David Stevenson)

Dummy may not pick up, touch or indicate any card without instruction from declarer. A card is played from dummy by declarer naming the suit and rank (LAW 42A, LAW 45B, LAW 45F). A Director may award an adjusted score if he considers dummy suggested a play to declarer and the defenders were damaged by the play suggested.

What should dummy do during the play? A famous English bridge player reputedly said that the best place for dummy was away from the table getting the next round of teas and coffees. While no doubt he was joking there is an element of truth in what he said, because dummies love to get involved. They act like a nursemaid to partner, worrying on his behalf. Sadly many of the things dummies do are illegal. When the dummy has only winners left, some dummies feel the urge to say, “They are all good”. This is illegal; suppose partner had not realised. That is suggesting a play to partner: the defenders should call the director immediately.

The most common failing of dummies, which happens all the time at clubs and lesser events, is to tell declarer he has lead from the wrong hand. Sometimes declarer names a card, for example “Ace of Clubs”, at which point dummy says “You are in your hand”, then declarer says “Oh sorry” and leads from the other hand. This is illegal for two different reasons. First, dummy must never draw attention to an irregularity before anyone else, so, once declarer has led (and calling for the card is leading it), dummy should stay quiet. Second the defenders must be given the option of accepting the lead from the wrong hand – and they never are.

Many people dispute this, saying “Surely dummy is allowed to warn dummy he is leading from the wrong hand?” True he can warn partner, but only if he manages to do so before it happens. Once the card is played it is too late – and once a card is called for from dummy, it is too late. Thus, dummy can stop his partner if he is starting to call a card, or is removing a card from hand.

What else do dummies do wrong? One of the most annoying habits is to play a different card when declarer asks for a card and there are equals. If dummy has A-K-Q and declarer says Queen, dummy must play the Queen. It breaks people’s concentration if dummy plays the Ace and it is rude as well. Similarly, dummies who reach for small cards or a trump when they think declarer is ruffing in dummy are a menace. If declarer says “play anything”, that is a choice for defenders to make, not dummy.

What else is dummy allowed to do? When declarer has shown out of Hearts, he may say “No hearts partner? In effect he is warning him against establishing a revoke. He can also tell declarer he has put a trick the wrong way, but only before the start of the next trick. In addition, if one of the other players calls attention to an irregularity, dummy can (and should) call for the director. If the director wants to know something he may ask the dummy and of course dummy may answer.

When the play is over dummy can call attention to an irregularity, but only then. So if he realises that someone has lead out of turn or revoked, he can point it out. He can also point things out about claims that have occurred since play finished.

The above is about the limit of what dummy can do. Put the dummy down, keep quiet, play the cards as instructed, warn partner against doing things, check partner has not revoked, tell him he has a trick the wrong way, point things out at the end of play and nothing else.