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OBAR BIDS - Acronym for Opponents Bid And Raise - Balance
In Direct Seat. Popularized by Larry Cohen in "To Bid Or Not
To Bid: The Law of Total Tricks". Conceptually, when one side discovers
a trump fit at the 2 level trump (beneath 2 Spades), the other side should
consider entering the auction - even bidding without substantive values in
direct seat. While many might make a bid in the balancing/passout seat
("borrowing partner's King"), making a freebid in direct seat is typically
viewed as showing additional values - no so playing OBAR BIDS.
Criteria to
consider when making an OBAR BIDS:
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1. |
Sensitive to Vulnerability
- caution when unfavorable "Red versus White" |
|
2. |
Shortage in OBAR suit |
|
3. |
Reasonable length in higher
ranking suit |
|
4. |
Working values - honors in
higher ranking and side suits |
|
5. |
Quality of hand - controls,
primary honors, intermediate values, sequences, etc |
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Also see
Environmental Factors |
Example:
P - (1H) - P - (2H);
2S
A reasonable bid holding:
 K Q J 8 2
Nice sequence, working values, and good lead direction
 5 3
 J 10 5
 9 6 4 |
