Kokish Game Tries
means OR


Kokish Game Tries is an alternative to Help Suit Game Tries. It is a way of exploring for game after 1 - 2 (raise). Its purpose is to do this without giving the defenders as much information about opener's hand.

For example, with a help ask where opener bids the suit in which he needs help, if bidding goes 1-2, 3-3, opener and responder have both shown that they don't have A, K, singleton or void in clubs. If the defender on lead (West) has K2, he can assume that East has the A, so West can lead the K, then the 2, the after East takes the A, he returns a club for West to ruff -- a line of play defenders would not normally take.

But if instead of bidding 3 to ask for help, opener bids 2 over 2 to ask responder to bid his lowest suit help and responder bids 3. West cannot confidently lead K from K2 because he can't be sure that opener doesn't have the Ace of that suit. He might have been looking for help in another suit.

Kokish help ask is invoked by bidding the next call up from the trump suit -- 1-2, 2 or 1-2, 2N.

Then responder bids the lowest suit which could provide help to opener For example, if responder has a hand like K932-Q73-AT54-74, after 1 - 2 - 2N, responder would bid 3. Skipping over clubs tells opener that responder does not have any help in clubs.

If opener's suit was hearts, the bidding would go 1 - 2 - 2 to ask for a help suit. Then 2N shows help in spades while 3 are short-suit game tries.

As with Help Suit Game Tries, the experts say (Goggle it) that Kokish should normally be used only when opener has 16-18 total points since responder showed 6-9 points. If opener has more than 18, he should just bid game. If he has fewer than 16, he should pass.

The math doesn't seem to quite add up. If opener has 16 points and responder has 6, that is just 22 points. Even if responder has points in the requested suit, that's a pretty thin game. If opener has 15 and responder has 9, that's 24 points yet opener is expected to pass.

If opener has 19+, opener is supposed to jump to game. If responder has 6, that's a total of 25, but that's also a thin game when responder's hand could be a poor 6.

Other possible bids by responder after 1-2, 2 or 1-2, 2N:

  • 3 of the agreed major = a minimum.
  • 3N = spread-out values in a balanced hand. Opener can pass or correct to 4 of the agreed suit.
  • 4x = ace or king in the suit bid; game force.
  • 4 of the agreed suit = a maximum but no slam interest.

If opener is interested in a suit higher than the help suit responder bids, opener can bid the higher suit to ask for help.

If responder has a hand with help in all 3 side suits, such as xx xxx KQT9 Axxx where hearts are the agreed suit, then he could just jump to 4 showing such a hand. Or he could bid 3 first and allow opener to ask again if clubs wasn't the target suit.

For more detailed information, see