When is a claim "complete"?

[Andrew Struik]

A player says "I will save time by claiming the remaining tricks. I will draw trumps and then...Oops that's not good enough, I need to do it a bit differently"

It seems a claim has been made, but the clear statement of how the play should proceed has not been completed. There has not been any comment from the opponents to this point.

Can the claimant now provide a line of play which involves another step before drawing trumps? Is this spelt out in the Laws?

[Matthew McManus]

Under Law 68A, a claim has been made. "Any statement by declarer or a defender to the effect that a side will win a specific number of tricks is a claim of those tricks."

Law 68C details the need for clarification. "A claim should be accompanied at once by a clear statement of the line of play or defence through which the claimer proposes to win the tricks claimed, including the order in which the cards will be played." What the claimer said, "I will save time...oops, that's not enough..." does not constitute a "CLEAR" statement. Therefore they will be given the chance to clarify their line of play. If they can't or are unable to do so within a reasonable time frame, then one of two things can happen. The non-claiming side can request that play continue - all four players must agree for this to occur. Alternatively the director will rule on a Contested Claim under Law 70. In doing so, the confused statement made by the claimer will be given significant weight in the consideration of the director's decision.

Note that this will not apply if there were any comments or actions taken by the partner of the claimer which could have led to their realisation that their original plan was faulty. Similarly, if the opponents made any comment which might have led the claimer to alter their line of play. In such cases, again, at the instigation of the non-claiming side, all four players can agree to keep playing. Or the director will make a ruling on the basis that the claimer will start by drawing trumps.