The updated Orange Book is effective from August 1st 2010. Click here for a fully updated version.

A small number of changes are made from August 1st each year. You can click here to download the 2009 and 2010 changes.

A summary of the main changes for 2010 follows (In the electronic Orange Book all are marked in red to assist). In addition there are a few minor clarifications not listed below.
• There are no changes to the alerting or announcing rules.
• Section 4B2 is amended to say that the WBF style convention card is allowed in all Level 5 events. It continues NOT to be permitted at a lower level.
• Section 6D has been added to explain how and why a director may adjust a score following a psyche or misbid.
• Section 7A3 has been added to clarify that cards may not be removed from the slot of a board unless a member of each side or the director are present
• Section 9F2 and 11R cover the use of Level 5. Level 5 will be the level played in a small number of higher level tournaments where a significant number of boards is played. The main effect of this will be to require a 1H or 1S opening bid to show the suit bid at all levels below Level 5. Those who play a system where this is not the case may only do so where Level 5 is the permitted level. Clubs and counties continue to be free to do as they wish regarding allowed levels but for simplicity if Level 4 were the default level then the matter of 1H and 1S openings being restricted is the only significant change. There is no change for any competition played at a lower level.
• The events which will be played at Level 5 are the Spring Foursomes, Crockford’s Cup and Plate, The National Swiss Teams Congress, the Ranked Masters (Life master and above only) and the Tollemache (both qualifying round and Final ). BGB sets its own regulations for the Gold Cup and Silver Plate but these have traditionally closely followed EBU levels and the Premier League will be played at Level 5.
• 10A10 has been added to explain what happens if a pair plays an illegal method.
• The index and table of contents have also been updated and show the minor changes (in red) not mentioned above.

The revised code of bridge laws - The Laws of Duplicate Bridge 2007 took effect in England on August 1st 2008. Click here for the 2007 English edition.

NEW: The Tangerine Book, a simplified version of the Orange Book, has now been released.

• Tangerine Book

Submitting a method

Additions and amendments to permitted methods normally take effect from August 1st and any applications to change anything need to be received by the L&E Secretary by the end of February.

If you wish to apply for approval of any agreement not currently permitted you should send it either typed on A4 paper to The Secretary to the Laws and Ethics Committee, EBU, Broadfields, Aylesbury HP19 8AZ or by email to john@ebu.co.uk. You should include a logical defence to any agreement and indicate how it is to be shown on the convention card. The Committee tend to look more favourably on applications that are not especially difficult to defend against.

Please be aware that the Orange Book is a big file and will take some time to download. It is probably best if you right-mouse-click on the link and save it to your own hard disc then open it from there.

Click here to download the Easy Guide Card and Click here to download the new EBU Convention Cards

John Pain
Secretary to the Laws & Ethics Committee
August 2010