Have You Exposed Yourself Lately?

Fortunately, we have no known incidents of exposure at the bridge tournament involving clothing. Instead, I would like to review the rules surrounding exposed cards. An exposed card in bridge is just what the name would lead you to expect - a card placed in the position where it could be seen by the exposer's partner. It does not matter from the rules point of view whether the card was exposed accidentally (for example, pulling 2 cards at once) or whether the exposure was intentional (lead out of turn, prematurely played, or retracted when a revoke his discovered before it is an established revoke). Whether the offender’s partner saw the card or not is not relevant. If the card could have been seen, it is considered an exposed card. 

Declarer and dummy incur no penalties or restrictions as a result of an exposed card. First, all of the dummy’s cards are exposed upon the opening lead. Sin, prematurely played, or retracted when a revoke his discovered before it is an established revoke). Whether the offender’s partner saw the card or not is not relevant. If the card could have been seen, it is considered an exposed card.ard in bridge is just what the name would lead you to expect - a card placed in the position where it could be seen by the exposers partner. It does not matter from the rules point of view whether the card was exposed accidentally (for example, pulling 2 cards at once) or whether the exposure was intentional (lead out of turn prematurely played, or retracted when a revoke his discovered before it is an established revoke). Whether the offender’s partner saw the card or not is not relevant. If the card could have been seen, it is considered an exposed card.

Declarer and dummy incur no penalties or restrictions as a result of an exposed card. First, all of the dummy’s cards are exposed upon the opening lead. Since declarer is completely in control of all cards in both his hand and the dummy’s, exposing a card can only benefit the opponents and declarer has no penalty and may return any exposed card to his hand. The one exception is that if declarer intentionally exposes all of his remaining cards that is considered a “claim” and those rules apply. 

The situation for defenders is quite different. The partner of the player exposing a card gains unauthorized information by seeing that card. As with most ACBL rules, the exposed card rules are primarily designed to restore equity for the non-offending side. Following these rules occasionally does result in a “penalty” for the offending side. ALL exposed cards from a defender must remain face up on the table until played according the rules below. in control of all cards in both his hand and the dummy’s, exposing a card can only benefit the opponents and declarer has no penalty and may return any exposed card to his hand. The one exception is that if declarer intentionally exposes all of his remaining cards that is considered a “claim” and those rules apply.

Some definitions are needed to understand the rules:

Honor for most ACBL rules is a jack or higher, a 10 is not an honor.

For defenders the rules describe 2 kinds of penalty cards: Major and Minor penalty cards. Major and minor in this context have nothing to do with the suit of the penalty card.

Major penalty Card: All honor cards are major penalty cards no matter how they are exposed. A card of any rank (honor or not) is a major penalty card if it is pulled from a defenders hand on purpose. A lead out of turn, a failure to follow suit, a card played out of turn or even a single card pulled by mistake are all major penalty cards. If a defender has 2 or more penalty cards at the same time, all are considered major penalty cards.

Minor penalty Card: A minor penalty card is any card below the rank of honor exposed accidentally by a defender. For practical purposes, “accidentally” means that 2 or more cards were pulled out at once and both were exposed.

When a player has a major penalty card the following rules apply:

v The card must be played at the first legal opportunity. If the player with a major penalty card is on lead, they must lead the penalty card. If they cannot follow suit to a trick, they must play the penalty card. If a player has 2 or more penalty cards and would have to play one of them, declarer is allowed to determine which one shall be played.

v  If a player with a penalty card forgets to play that card as required, declarer may accept the card incorrectly played. If declarer does not accept, offender must then play the original penalty card and the card they put down instead becomes a new penalty card.

v  If partner of the player with a penalty card is on lead, declarer has options regarding the lead. Declarer may require the lead of the suit of the penalty card or declarer may forbid the lead of the suit of the penalty card. If declarer exercises either of those options, the exposed card is picked up and returned to the hand of the player who had the exposed card. If the defender has two penalty cards and their partner is on lead, declarer may apply his require or forbid options to either penalty card, but not both at the same time.

v  Knowledge of the existence of the penalty card and the requirements for its play are considered authorized information for all players. Other information derived from seeing the penalty card is unauthorized information to the partner of the player with exposed card. If declarer believes that he was damaged by use of that information, he may apply to the director for an adjusted score. For example, if seeing a penalty card were to clarify the count in a suit for the defenders partner, that information would be authorized.

 When a player has a minor penalty card , different rules apply. Since this card will become a penalty card strictly by accident and is below the rank of honor the requirements for its play are somewhat less stringent.

 v  Defender may not play any other card below the rank of honor in the suit of the minor penalty card before playing the minor penalty card.

 v  Defender may play an honor in the suit of the minor penalty card with the penalty card itself remaining on the table.

 v  Declarer does not have lead restriction or requirement options when the partner of a player with a minor penalty card is on lead.

 v  If a player has a minor penalty card and then incurs a 2nd penalty card, both of them become major penalty cards.

 It is rare but not unheard of for a card to be exposed during the bidding (before the final pass). The rules for handling this exposed card are as follows:

 v  The exposed card or cards must remain face up on the table for the duration of the bidding.

 v  If the exposed card is a result of a premature lead (a lead before the bidding was actually over), the card remains face up on the table and the offenders partner must pass once at their next turn to bid.

 v  If there is only one exposed card and it is below the rank of honor and was not the result of a premature lead, the card remains face up on the table and no further penalty is incurred.

 v  If 2 or more cards are exposed, the offenders partner must pass at the next turn to bid regardless of whether the cards were honors are not. 

At the end of the bidding, if the exposed card or cards belong to declarer, they may be picked up and returned to declarer’s hand. If they belong to dummy, they remain exposed as part of the dummy with no restrictions.

 v  At the end of the bidding, if the exposed card or cards belong to a defender, they continue to be penalty cards subject to all of the rules above.

Even if you are willing to read this article several times, I suggest that in the event of an exposed card that you call the director. We spent hours and hours learning this rule and generally don’t have too much to do during a game. We will be delighted to come and help you sort this out.

Potter Orr is a Past Unit 124 Board of Directors President, Recorder for Unit 124 and District 11, Bridge Teacher, Director and Bronze Life Master.  We than potter for bringing Unit 124 and District 11 into the Internet Age.  Potter writes often for the ALERT about what players can expect when the Director comes to their table.

Reprinted from the April 2015 Issue of THE ALERT – Unit 124’s Quarterly Newsletter.