A game try (also called a game trial bid) in the card game of bridge is a bid that shows interest in bidding a game and asks partner to help in making the decision.
For example, (using Acol or Standard American bidding) if opener, with around 16-17 HCP, bids 1♥ and partner responds 2♥ (showing 6 – 9 support points) opener is in a quandary: if responder has a maximum strength hand, with well-positioned high cards, then game will probably make; but the information revealed so far is not accurate enough for either partner to decide whether to play in game or only part score.
Originally, opener would make a game try by bidding 3♥ (inviting game) and responder would then bid game with maximum (8-9) points or pass with minimum (6-7) points. Modern game try bids permit more accurate decision-making. Following a simple raise by partner (e.g. 1♥ – 2♥), opener bids a new suit either to show extra values or to ask responder to show more about his values. There are a variety of methods to do so including long suit, short suit, or help suit game tries and partnership agreement is required. [1]
Whichever method is adopted, responder and opener will collaborate to evaluate the additional information and make one of the following choices: sign off in three of the agreed major; jump to game in the agreed major; jump to game in notrump if the suit is a minor; or make a counter try in yet another new suit. When opener has a very strong hand, slam investigation may also be undertaken.
Prior partnership agreement is needed to determine which variety of game try is being used:
Because 11 tricks are required for a minor suit game, most players prefer to investigate the possible optimum contract of 3NT before settling for a minor suit contract (game or part score) and thus a trial bid new suit shows a stopper in that suit for NT purposes, e.g.: 1♦ – 2♦; 2♠ shows game going strength and a stopper in spades
When using any of the above methods of game tries, it is common that a rebid of three of the agreed suit is not a game try, but a preemptive strategy intended to inhibit the opponents from entering the auction. Responder must pass, as in this example: 1♥ – 2♥; 3♥ – Pass.
If opener has such a good hand that a slam seems possible even following a single raise by partner, then more information about responder's hand can be obtained by using a game try bid. If responder rejects the game try, opener can sign off in game. If responder accepts the game try, then opener can further investigate the slam.
A game try (also called a game trial bid) in the card game of bridge is a bid that shows interest in bidding a game and asks partner to help in making the decision.
For example, (using Acol or Standard American bidding) if opener, with around 16-17 HCP, bids 1♥ and partner responds 2♥ (showing 6 – 9 support points) opener is in a quandary: if responder has a maximum strength hand, with well-positioned high cards, then game will probably make; but the information revealed so far is not accurate enough for either partner to decide whether to play in game or only part score.
Originally, opener would make a game try by bidding 3♥ (inviting game) and responder would then bid game with maximum (8-9) points or pass with minimum (6-7) points. Modern game try bids permit more accurate decision-making. Following a simple raise by partner (e.g. 1♥ – 2♥), opener bids a new suit either to show extra values or to ask responder to show more about his values. There are a variety of methods to do so including long suit, short suit, or help suit game tries and partnership agreement is required. [1]
Whichever method is adopted, responder and opener will collaborate to evaluate the additional information and make one of the following choices: sign off in three of the agreed major; jump to game in the agreed major; jump to game in notrump if the suit is a minor; or make a counter try in yet another new suit. When opener has a very strong hand, slam investigation may also be undertaken.
Prior partnership agreement is needed to determine which variety of game try is being used:
Because 11 tricks are required for a minor suit game, most players prefer to investigate the possible optimum contract of 3NT before settling for a minor suit contract (game or part score) and thus a trial bid new suit shows a stopper in that suit for NT purposes, e.g.: 1♦ – 2♦; 2♠ shows game going strength and a stopper in spades
When using any of the above methods of game tries, it is common that a rebid of three of the agreed suit is not a game try, but a preemptive strategy intended to inhibit the opponents from entering the auction. Responder must pass, as in this example: 1♥ – 2♥; 3♥ – Pass.
If opener has such a good hand that a slam seems possible even following a single raise by partner, then more information about responder's hand can be obtained by using a game try bid. If responder rejects the game try, opener can sign off in game. If responder accepts the game try, then opener can further investigate the slam.