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PSYCHIC BIDDING GUIDELINES

Psychic bids are specifically permitted by the Laws of Contract Bridge, provided that any partnership understandings or agreements are disclosed. It would be inconsistent therefore if the WBF forbad psychics in its own tournaments.

Some partnerships of reasonably long standing develop understandings that psychic bids in certain situations will be of a certain type. These are developed partnership understandings and not conventions, and should be explained on the Convention Card and on the Supplementary Sheets. In other words the psychics should be made randomly but any understandings about them should be revealed.

Where partnerships have agreements that psychic bids are expected or are likely in specific situations or where the psychics are protected by system then a convention has developed. These understandings should be classified as Brown Sticker Conventions and are therefore forbidden in certain events. The type of agreement referred to, for example, is where, third in hand at favourable vulnerability, a player is expected to open the bidding on anything at all.




John R. Wignall
Chairman, WBF Systems Committee

13 October 1995