Game tries in competition

[vodkagirl]

In competitive auctions playing SA or 2/1, where we open and either one or both opponents intervene, is playing new suit game tries (with Maximal Doubles) usual whilst raising in suit is competitive.

 

 

eg 1♠ 2♥ 2♠ Pass ???

 

3♣/3♦ (artificial, and asking PD to bid 4♠ if at the top of his range and three of suit if minimal.

 

 

If new suit game tries are not the regular treatment for finding game could someone tell me what is?

 

Much obliged.

[aguahombre]

A 3S bid in your example should be, IMO, as you say...a mere competitive bar-bid. Whether it IS depends on the experience/level of your partnership. Whether the nature of your new-suit game tries changes because you have a cue of their suit available for random game tries is a subject for discussion.

[Stephen Tu]

New suit is definitely a game try, of some sort up to partnership agreement. Help-suit being most common, though some people play two way game tries also utilizing the 2nt bid, then one can incorporate shortness tries as well. Whether 3 of major (when opps haven't bid over 2 of your suit yet) is a preemptive blocking maneuver, or a different game try asking for something else than a new suit would ask for, is also up to partnership agreement.

 

If the opp does bid over 2 of your major, 3 of your major should definitely just be competitive, not game try.

[perko90]

I agree with everything said so far, but just wanted to add that even if you agree to help suit games tries, be mindful of how much room is left.

For ex, 1♥-2♣-2♥-3♣; 3♦.

3♦ might be a "help suit game try" but it's also the ONLY invite available (assuming competitive raises and penalty X), so don't read too much into it beyond a generic invite.