Do you have to explain your bids in bridge?
I · Intermediate · Ethics and the Director · 5 of 5Partnerships must disclose their agreements. At their turn, an opponent may ask what a call means, and the bidder's partner answers. If the explanation is wrong, that is misinformation, and an opponent who acted on it may change a call or receive an adjusted score. If the explanation was right but the bid was a mistake, there is no infraction.
How it works
- Disclosure: partnership agreements must be available to opponents.
- Who answers: the partner of the player who made the call.
- When to ask: at your own turn.
- Alerts: as the regulating authority requires; failing to alert counts as misinformation.
- Your own error: correct it through the Director before the opening lead is faced.
- Partner's error: say nothing during the auction; correct it after play if defending.
- Mistaken call: no infraction if the explanation was correct.
- Psychic call: allowed, if partner has no more idea of it than the opponents.
The glossary has the alert, the explanation of calls, the misinformation, the mistaken explanation and mistaken call, the system card and the psychic call.
Tricky cases
Partner explains my bid wrongly. Must I speak up at once?
No. You must not correct it during the auction; if you become a defender, call the Director after play.
I bid wrongly but partner explained our system correctly. Is that an infraction?
No. The result stands, and no correction is required.
Can I bluff with a psychic bid?
Yes, as long as partner has no special reason to know.
Can I look at my own system card during the auction?
No, unless the regulating authority allows it.
Why the rule exists
Bridge allows secret methods only within the partnership's head, not hidden from the table. Opponents are entitled to the same knowledge partner has.
Where it differs
| Where | What changes | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Mistaken explanation | Infraction; may be adjusted | Law 75B |
| Mistaken call | No infraction | Law 75C |
| Repeated deviations | Become agreements to disclose | Law 40C1 |
From the rule book
World Bridge Federation, The Laws of Duplicate Bridge 2017, Laws 20, 21, 40 and 75. Checked 14 October 2026. Official document: the WBF Laws of Duplicate Bridge 2017.