Claim or concession

[daphembus]

Which director is right.  Should you always claim the rest of the tricks, explaining how the cards will be played, when they are all winning tricks.  Is this an Etiquette rule that you should claim?  I can't find anything in the Laws of Duplicate Bridge that would support this.

daphembus

[Ed Reppert]

The law allows claims. It does not necessarily require them. However, it is illegal to prolong play when you know you have the rest of the tricks, if you do so "for the purpose of disconcerting an opponent" (Law 74B4, which is indeed about etiquette).

When you claim, a clear statement as to the line of play you propose is required (Law 68C). If you don't make one, or it's not clear (e.g., "the rest are mine") you jeopardize your position â€" the TD will rule against your claim if there's any possibility the opponents might get a trick (see Law 70).

[bluejak]

Putting it another way, if a player knows all the rest of the tricks are definitely his, why is he not claiming?  Perhaps he is just too nervous to claim.  In which case it is not illegal if he does not claim.

But if he does not claim because he wants to tire the opponents out, letting them think there is still some hope, that's illegal.