Claims and Claiming by Walt Sturm

A claim is a statement by a player that he will win all or a specified number of remaining tricks in the middle of the play of a hand. Claiming is the set of procedures by which a claim is made. Recently, these have been the subject of excessive discussions in the ACBL bulletin, for reasons that can only be speculated about.

Current rules require that play ceases upon the making of a claim, even though some players persist in requesting that the hand be played out. Should any dispute arise over a claim, the correct procedure is to call the director who is responsible to settle the claim fairly and amicably.

Bridge is a complex game which requires intense concentration and serious memory exercise. To play out a hand where a cold claim is available is both inconsiderate of the opponents and also self-defeating because tired opponents may make errors in the later rounds which may benefit your true opponents in duplicate.

Of course, claimers occasionally may make a wrong or false claim, and this may be resolved at the table without calling the director. However, you should be aware of the general policies regarding claiming.

1. Mention any outstanding small trumps and whether you intend to pull them.

2. Claimer is not allowed to take any finesses unless they are already proven, i.e., the opposite opponent is known to be void in the suit.

3. Challenges to claims based on the hope that the claimer will do something obviously stupid are both in poor form as well as a violation of Active Ethics. The director is obliged to assume that the claimer will play reasonably rather than suicidally.

Bridge is a very competitive game and players will help the claiming problems if they adopt the attitude that a claimer is really doing us all a favor rather than somehow trying to cheat or gain some unfair advantage.

(editor`s note: `A claim should be accompanied at once by a statement of clarification as to the order in which cards will be played, the line of play or defense through which the claimer proposes to win the tricks claimed.`, ACBL Law 68.C)