Comparable Calls

Introduction: “Comparable call” in the Laws of Duplicate Bridge is a bit tricky. I suspect that most bridge players are not well versed on this topic. This column discusses the purpose, definition, and examples of “comparable calls”.

Purpose: After an insufficient bid or a call out of turn a player may be asked to replace their illegal bid with a substitute call. If the substitute call is deemed “comparable” then there is usually no further penalty. If the substitute call is not comparable, then the partner of the offender may be required to pass.

Casual Definition: The substitute call is similar enough so that the illegal call does not give extra useful information.

Precise Definition [Law 23A]: “A call that replaces a withdrawn call is a comparable call if it:
    1. Has the same or similar meaning as that attributable to the withdrawn call, or
    2. Defines a subset of the possible meanings attributable to the withdrawn call, or
    3. Has the same purpose as that attributable to the withdrawn call.”

Instructions: In each of the examples/quizzes below you are presented with an initial illegal auction and then a revised auction. In each example the illegal bid is not accepted. Use the precise definition of comparable to decide if the substitute call in the revised auction is comparable. All auctions (except #4) are 2/1.

Quiz 1: Initial auction–