Game try


A game try 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, if opener, with around 16-17 HCP, bids 1 and partner responds 2 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 and responder would then bid game with maximum points or pass with minimum points. Modern game try bids permit more accurate decision-making. Following a simple raise by partner, 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.
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.

With a major suit fit

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 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

If opener has a weak hand

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 a very strong hand

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.

Other methods of "trying" for game