Eric Kokish came up with what he called two-way game tries.
1![]() |
Pass | 2![]() |
Pass |
? |
When opener relays with 2NT (asking for a help suit), responder will bid the cheapest suit in which they would accept a help-suit game try. So if responder has QT6
J84
KQ632
86, they'll bid 3
over 2NT. This not only tells partner about help in diamonds, but since 3
was skipped over, opener knows that responder has a poor club holding.
So let's say the auction went 1 - 2
- 2NT [asking] - 3
[showing goodies in clubs], but opener wasn't interested in the club suit. They can now bid 3
or 3
, asking for help there. So, theoretically, an auction might go like this:
1![]() |
Pass | 2![]() |
Pass |
2NT* | Pass | 3![]() |
Pass |
3![]() |
Pass | 3![]() |
Pass |
4![]() |
It gets just a bit trickier for a lot of folks when hearts are trumps. If we were to use 2NT as the "help-suit ask" over 2, there would be no way to show spade help-- so we use 2
as the asking bid.
1![]() |
Pass | 2![]() |
Pass |
? |
One more little space-saving maneuver: When partner asks with 2, to show spade help we bid 2NT.
So if the auction goes:
1![]() |
Pass | 2![]() |
Pass |
2![]() |
Pass | 3![]() |