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Dummy plays wrong card and consequences

Dummy thought declarer had asked for card but declarer immediately corrected saying he had called for a different card. However opponent had followed suit so had showed a card. On accepting the correction is this card played by dummy a penalty card. Can declarer now enforce or prohibit play of this card later in the play or enforce or prohibit play of that suit when opponent’s partner is on lead.

I did not treat the card played by opponent as a penalty card since he simply followed to a played card, but since declarer insisted he had not called for the card dummy played I did not oblige him to play ‘wrong’ card either. I did not allow declarer to enforce play of any particular suit.

It seems to me opponent did not commit an infraction, and declarer was not at fault either. It seemed wrong to treat the card as an exposed card. This exact situation did not seem to be covered in the yellow book I perused later.

Was my ruling at the table correct?

Comments

  • Have a look at Law 45D1.

  • The exact rules escape me but I'm pretty sure dummy plays the correct card, since the play is subsequent to an infraction the withdrawn card is authorised information to the defence (non-offending side) and unauthorised to declarer (as you point out they've not done anything wrong, but dummy has, so they're the offending side).

  • It seems to me opponent did not commit an infraction, and declarer was not at fault either.

    The declaring side is at fault .

    The incorrect card played by dummy is corrected - and the incorrect card restored to dummy. The defender can change the card they play - their exposed card is restored to their hand - it is not a penalty card and is authorised information to the other defender (defenders are non-offending). The defender's exposed card is unauthorised to declarer (declaring side is offending).

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