Such a simple question?

[Double !]

I was having a discussion with a couple of online friends when I asked one of them to explain what bidding is? This person had some difficulty answering the question and threw the question back to me, asking me what my definition of "bidding" is?

I answered, "IMO, bidding is a form of communication, like a language. Like many languages, there are numerous different types of bidding." I then proceeded to explain that some bids make statements, some ask questions, some answer questions, etc., etc.

 

I thought that i had given a good, conceptual answer. However, I started to wonder how others, especially those who are Bridge professionals and/ or Bridge teachers, might answer this seemingly simple question?. Do you agree with my definition? If not, how would define the word "bidding"?

(BTW, fwiw, my answer to defining the term "carding" is essentially the same.)

 

TIA

 

DHL

[nige1]

Many books define bidding, but off the top of my head...

The bidding is an auction between opposing pairs (partners who sit opposite each other). Ostensibly, a player's bid is an undertaking to take a number of tricks with or without a (named) trump suit. Instead of making a bid, a player may make other calls: usually "pass" (but occasionally "double" or "redouble" if appropriate). Players call, in turn, clockwise round the table. Three passes terminate the auction. Only the last bid is contractual so prior calls can be used to commmunicate with partner or to thwart opponents.

[matmat]

A silent argument between four people sitting at the same card table, preceding a period of play, and then continuing vociferously afterward, frequently laced with invective.

[hanp]

That sounds like:

 

You want to know what fruit is? A fruit is a bit like a car. Just as there are many different kinds of cars, there are many different kinds of fruit.

[Free]

Three passes terminate the auction.

That's not correct: after pass-pass-pass 4th hand may still bid.

[Fluffy]

Bidding: the gibberish nonsense that precedes the real play :unsure:, I know many poelpe who think this way.

[gwnn]

That's not a definition, that's a comparison

 

and of course bidding is communication, see definition number 2 from dictionary.com

 

the imparting or interchange of thoughts, opinions, or information by speech, writing, or signs.

[Free]

That's not a definition, that's a comparison

 

and of course bidding is communication, see definition number 2 from dictionary.com

 

the imparting or interchange of thoughts, opinions, or information by speech, writing, or signs.

Awesome, body language!

[Hanoi5]

I think you were defining 'bidding system'. I use the word bidding (and many people do too) in the sense of auction, i.e. all the calls made in order to get to a contract.

[helene_t]

The verb "to bid" means to name a contract which your side is going to play unless someone else makes a higher bid. A bid must be made during the auction, it must be higher than the last bid made, and a player can only bid at his own turn.

 

Bidding is derived from "to bid" according to the normal semantics rules.

 

Of course it should be mentioned that people often bid in order to convey information to partner rather than as a mean to get to play the named contract, but that is not part of the definition of "to bid".

 

If "bidding" means "auction" in the context of the OP then I'd rather use the word "auction".