Talk:Game try

I absolutely agree with the merge and I will do it. The situation arose because I didn't manage to find this article when I searched for game trial bid so I created a new one ... when I found this one I realised it was what I was seeking. As a first stage of merging I have revamped this article and will soon merge the other bits into it. Abtract 10:09, 13 June 2006 (UTC).

I have completed the merge, made the redirect and removed the tags - I presume its OK to remove your tags? maybe I should have checked the rules . If there is a problem please put me straight. Abtract 10:46, 13 June 2006 (UTC).

Thanks, I was busy so I just put the tags, hoping you would notice. All right now. Duja 12:17, 13 June 2006 (UTC)

Other methods of "trying" for game

I propose we delete the 'Fourth suit forcing' and 'Stayman' text under the header Other methods of "trying" for game These methods are totally unrelated to game trials. 213.93.108.158 15:49, 30 June 2006 (UTC)

but they are quite closely related, sufficiently so to merit mention in this article since their purpose is often to seek the best game contract (not always I agree). it is surely better to err on the side of too much info rather than too little? Abtract 18:57, 28 July 2006 (UTC)

100 months later we have no "Invite" or "Invitation/al" article and we say in the glossary GCB merely (invite):

Invitation: A bid which invites the partner to bid on to game or slam if he has extra values. It is a non-forcing bid by definition. Compare semi-forcing bid.

That is one of the shortest entries beside cross-references. It makes "invitation" natural by definition, and it excludes major suit game tries in the sense of this article whether they are natural or not.

Section 5 Game try#Other methods of "trying" for game does seem out of place here. Along with the current lead sentence ("a bid that shows interest in bidding a game and asks partner to help in making the decision"), it interprets "game try" in a general way while the body of this article --like the Glossary-- makes it a technical term.

On the other hand, the 1984 Encyclopedia (OEB4, cited below) does not contain any 'game try' entry under G --only HSGT, SSGT, WSGT, and 'Two-way game tries'.

--P64 (talk) 01:28, 30 January 2015 (UTC)

Help suit

Current we say here,

• Help suit game try – This agreement is similar to the long suit game try, but slightly more precise. Responder should envision opener holding three small cards in the new suit (although the holding may in fact be better, perhaps as good as KJx).

This isn't close to a long suit try. It does match almost perfectly the 1984 Official Encyclopedia of Bridge (4th ed.), where 'help suit game try' is a cross-reference to 'weak suit game try'; where in turn the only example shows xxx in the weak suit.

Previously in the Glossary of contract bridge terms (GCB) we said of long suit game try "Alternative term for help suit game try" --a cross-ref from LSGT to HSGT where OEB4 gave a cross-ref from HSGT to WSGT. I made some changes there, mainly by expansion, so that GCB is now consistent with this page and OEB4 but emphasizes the variable usage--that the meaning of "help suit" ranges almost across the spectrum.

We need a source for the (increasing, i suppose) use of "help suit" near the long suit end of the spectrum. Perhaps there is a 21st-century source for our previous GCB cross-reference from LSGT to HSGT.

GCB should actually say less about game tries that it did yesterday, not to mention what it says now. The improved treatment belongs primarily here.

--P64 (talk) 01:13, 30 January 2015 (UTC)

OEB7 states as follows:

1. "HELP-SUIT GAME TRY. After a suit has been agreed in an auction where a game force has not been established, new suits will frequently be used artificially. A long-suit (or help-suit) game try suggests three or four cards in that suit, with one top honor only – possibly with a jack or ten in addition. Responder should value highly any two of the top four cards in this suit, or a doubleton honor, or any less-strong holding when allied with decent trump length or a maximum hand in the context of the auction. Any three- or four-card holding without an honor or with only a minor honor rates to be unhelpful. Help-suit tries can be used when looking for slam and in Bergen or Drury auctions. Related: Weak-Suit Game Try, Short-Suit Game Try and Reject."

2. "WEAK-SUIT GAME TRY. A rebid by opener in his weakest suit to try for game after responder has raised the major suit opening bid to two. Most often called a “help-suit game try. ... A disadvantage of weak-suit game tries is that they usually reveal to the opponents the vulnerable spot of opener’s hand, and therefore the defenders’ most advantageous point of attack. Another disadvantage is that the partnership may wish to shift to a different suit. ... Related: Short-Suit Game Tries and Two-Way Game Tries.”

3. "TWO-WAY GAME TRY. A method devised by Robert Ewen that combines long-suit and short-suit game tries after a major-suit raise. If the auction starts 1♥ – Pass – 2♥, opener bids 2NT, 3♣ or 3♦ to make a short-suit try in, respectively, spades, clubs and diamonds. A 2♠ rebid by opener forces responder to bid 2NT, after which opener bids 3♣, 3♦ or 3♥ to make a long-suit try in, respectively, clubs, diamonds and spades. If the auction begins 1♠ – Pass – 2♠, a new suit by opener on the three-level is a short-suit try with the named shortage. A 2NT rebid by opener forces responder to bid 3♣, after which opener bids 3♦, 3♥ or 3♠ to make a long-suit try in, respectively, diamonds, hearts and clubs. Reraises of the major (1♥ – Pass – 2♥ – Pass; 3♥) are general-strength game tries. This method may be expanded to include raises of overcalls, or as a slam try after a forcing double raise. A similar procedure, Reverse Romex, is recommended by George Rosenkranz. The converse procedure is possible – delayed tries with short suits, direct tries with long suits."

4. "SHORT-SUIT GAME TRY. After a suit has been agreed in an auction where a game-force has not been established, new suits will frequently be used artificially. While the Help-Suit Game Try is most popular, this method has its adherents. The reasoning is that responder is easily able to devalue honor cards (other than the ace) in the game-try suit. Related: Kaplan-Sheinwold, Reject."

Newwhist (talk) 19:45, 30 January 2015 (UTC)