[campboy]

A dropped card will sometimes need to be played as well, since if it is an honour it will be a major penalty card. I suppose the laws could say that a card played inadvertently becomes a penalty card subject to the usual restrictions, but it is probably harder to tell (without looking in the player's hand, of course) whether a card was inadvertent than whether a bid was (bids which are adjacent in the box generally not being bids you might be choosing between).

[WellSpyder]

 campboy, on 2012-October-16, 08:45, said:

Because it doesn't matter when you change an inadvertent 2♠ bid that partner now knows there is a 2♠ card in your bidding box.

 gwnn, on 2012-October-16, 08:48, said:

Good point but wouldn't that apply also to dropped cards?

No, it's not the same. My partners, if they are in good form, actually already know that I have a 2♠ bidding card in my bidding box before it falls out. They don't already know that I have a 2♠ card in my hand before it falls out.

[gwnn]

I think you misread me.

[barmar]

 gwnn, on 2012-October-16, 08:48, said:

Good point but wouldn't that apply also to dropped cards?

I think that's why the law on penalty cards distinguishes honors from non-honors. Knowing you have a particular small card is not as significant as knowing you have a specific honor, so accidentally dropped small cards incur a less severe penalty.