Tournaments > Psyche Register

Psyche Register

The NSWBA has a "Psyche Register"

If you psyche in an NSWBA event, you must record it in the Psyche Register.

If you believe someone has psyched against you, you may opt to have it recorded in the Pyche Register.

The NSWBA also maintains a Psyche Register for all congresses held in NSW.

What is a psyche?
A psychic call is a deliberate and gross misstatement of honour strength or suit length.

Are psyches allowed? What restrictions are there?
A player may make any call (including a psychic bid), without prior announcement, provided that such call is not based on a partnership understanding. (Law 40)

But, a player may not make a psyche based on a special partnership understanding unless an opposing pair may reasonably be expected to understand its meaning, or unless his side discloses the use of such call or play in accordance with NSWBA regulations.

Why are we keeping a register?
"Once is happenstance, twice is coincidence, the third time it’s enemy action ." - Auric Goldfinger, speaking to James Bond.

If you psyche repeatedly without properly disclosing what you do, partner may be more likely to recognise it than opponents. That’s unfair. (And if deliberate, it’s cheating!)

The psyche register can be used to observe psyching patterns, and to confirm nobody is behaving inappropriately, or being unfairly disadvantaged.

Who has to report a psyche? How?
In NSWBA events the player who psyches must report it.
In both NSWBA events and congresses a player who believes they have been psyched against may report it.

For NSWBA events you have two options, after the session, collect a Psyche Report Form from the Director, fill it in, and give it to the Director. If it is the Psychee who reports the psyche the Director will obtain a comment from the Psycher. Alternatively email your report to .

For congresses email a report to

Psyche Report Form