Correct contract bridge / by E.V. Shepard ; including the official Laws of contract bridge adopted by the Whist Club, New York, and by all the leading clubs in America.

LAWS OF CONTRACT BRIDGE 221
his own pack; in (b), by the same dealer with a perfect pack. If no legal demand for a new deal be
made under this law before the end of the deal, it
stands and the player on the left deals next with the
still pack.
THE CONTRACTING
I7. (a) The contracting begins when the deal
ends, and ends when all four players pass; or after
a declaration that three players in proper succession
have passed. The first legal act of the contracting
is a bid or pass by the dealer. Thereafter, each
player in turn to the left must pass; bid, if no bid
have been made; make a higher bid, if a bid have
been made previously; double the last bid made by
an opponent, or redouble an opponent's double, provided no bid has intervened. Each pass, bid,
double or redouble is a declaration.
(b) When all four players pass, no bid having
been made, the hand is abandoned and the next
dealer deals the still pack.
BID
18. A bid is made by specifying any number from
one (I) to seven (7) inclusive, together with the
name of a suit or No Trump, thereby offering to
contract that with such suit as trump, or with No
Trump, the bidder will win at least the specified
number of tricks over six.
RANK OF BIDS
I9. A bid of a greater number of tricks ranks
higher than a bid of a less number. When two
bids are of the same number, they rank: No Trump