Third seat biddingkokish Third Seat: (PH=passed hand) (1) Avoid opening 1m on BOTH a poor suit AND a poor hand. (2) Prefer a three-bid to a one-bid if it's close. (3) If your intention is to pass partner's suit response, try to hold either three-card support for a major or a minor that SCREAMS to be bid for lead purposes. (4) Prefer to open 1M to 1m or a weak notrump on a one-bid hand. (5) With equal quality and 4H+4S, prefer 1H on a poor hand; otherwise prefer the stronger suit. (6) Prefer a 2NT response (to third seat 1D ) to 2C on a moderate 5-card suit. 2C should usually deliver 6+ cards and needn't be a maximum pass. (7) An inverted raise to 2m is not forcing; prefer this to 1NT/2NT. (8) Jump in new suit by PH is natural but promises at least four- card support,at least nine combined cards in the two suits. If opener marks time with cheapest step, responder's new suit bid shows shortness, e.g. P-1C; 2H -2S ; 3D/3S=SPL. (9) Fourth suit (and third suit) by responder after passing=NAT, NF unless it is a reverse, in which case it is F1 only. (10) Consider a PH action in the context that opener will sometimes not make a second bid; i.e. you may wish to bypass a very weak suit if another alternative has some appeal. (11) Third hand opener does not pass a response if he has four-card support, regardless of strength. (12) With a fair hand and three-card support for a major response,always (at least) consider a raise. |