Law 45 Card played

LAW 45 – CARD PLAYED

  1. Play of Card from a Hand

Each player except dummy plays a card by detaching it from his hand and facing[1] it on the table immediately before him.

  1. Play of Card from Dummy

Declarer plays a card from dummy by naming the card, after which dummy picks up the card and faces it on the table. In playing from dummy’s hand declarer may, if necessary, pick up the desired card himself.

  1. Card Deemed to be Played
  2. A defender’s card held so that it is possible for his partner to see its face is deemed played to the current trick (if the defender has already made a legal play to the current trick, see Law 45E).
  3. Declarer is deemed to have played a card from his hand if it is:
  • held face up, touching or nearly touching the table; or
  • maintained in such a position as to indicate that it has been played.
  1. A card in the dummy is played if it has been deliberately touched by declarer except for the purpose either of arranging dummy’s cards, or of reaching a card above or below the card or cards touched.
  2. A card is played if a player names or otherwise designates it as the card he proposes to play (but see Law 47).
  • Declarer may correct an unintended designation of a card from dummy until he next plays a card from either his own hand or from dummy. A change of designation may be allowed after a slip of the tongue, but not after a loss of concentration or a reconsideration of action. If an opponent has, in turn, played a card that was legal before the change in designation, that opponent may withdraw the card so played, return it to his hand, and substitute another (see Laws 47D and 16C1).
  1. A penalty card, major or minor, may have to be played (see Law 50).
  2. Dummy Picks up a Non-designated Card
  3. If dummy places in the played position a card that declarer did not name, the card must be withdrawn if attention is drawn to it before each side has played to the next trick, and a defender may withdraw and return to his hand a card played after the error but before attention was drawn to it; if declarer’s RHO changes his play, declarer may withdraw a card he had subsequently played to that trick. (See Law 16C.)
  4. When it is too late to change dummy’s wrongly placed card (see above), the play continues normally without alteration of the cards played to this or any subsequent trick. If the wrongly placed card was the first card of the trick, then the failure to follow suit to that card may now constitute a revoke (see Laws 64A, 64B7 and 64C). If the wrongly placed card was contributed to a trick already in progress and dummy thereby has revoked, see Laws 64B3 and 64C.
  5. Fifth Card Played to Trick
  6. A fifth card contributed to a trick by a defender becomes a penalty card, subject to Law 50, unless the Director deems that it was led, in which case Law 53 or 56 applies.
  7. When declarer contributes a fifth card to a trick from his own hand or dummy, it is returned to the hand without further rectification unless the Director deems that it was led, in which case Law 55 applies.
  8. Dummy Indicates Card

After dummy’s hand is faced, dummy may not touch or indicate any card (except for purpose of arrangement) without instruction from declarer. If he does so the Director should be summoned forthwith and informed of the action. Play continues. At the end of the play the Director shall award an adjusted score if he considers dummy suggested a play to declarer and the defenders were damaged by the play suggested.

  1. Turning the Trick

No player should turn his card face down until all four players have played to the trick.

[1] The opening lead is first made face down unless the Regulating Authority directs otherwise.

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