Strong pass
Encyclopedia
In the card game of bridge
, a strong pass is an opening pass that indicates a strong hand, typically with a minimum of 11-16 points. Strong pass bidding system
s are of a quite different nature from the more typical "natural" systems, but share some similarities with strong club system
s. Strong pass systems are sometimes called "forcing pass" systems; the term "strong pass" is preferred here to avoid confusion with a different meaning of the term "forcing pass
" in bridge.
, as it is used when your hand is a load of manure). All other bids show limited-strength hands of various distributions. The fert bid is usually between 1 and 1; higher bids are more preemptive, but correspondingly more dangerous. Because of the necessity of using a fert bid, the limited openings usually have a significantly lower range than in strong-club systems, and very weak preempt
ive bids on the 2 and 3 levels are allowed.
The basic motivation of strong pass systems is to reserve as much bidding room as possible for strong hands, and to be as preemptive as is safely possible with weak hands. Strong pass systems are often coupled with relay system
s for precisely describing strong hands, and limited bids are heavily oriented towards finding low-level major-suit contracts, with "major-suit" bids (i.e. bids that promise a certain major-suit holding, which are not necessarily natural heart or spade bids — most strong-pass systems are highly artificial) typically promising only four cards in a particular major.
Note that a strong-pass partnership will always open the bidding when playing first position, or when second position after an opposing natural pass. Thus, partnerships playing against a strong pass system will be on defense much more often than normal, and must have highly developed defensive methods for handling situations where the partnership possesses game strength or more. As a result, strong-pass systems are typically prohibited at all but the highest levels of tournament play.
A sample strong-pass system is the TresBoof system. The outline of the opening bids of this system is as follows, with relative frequencies attached:
Note that 1 and 1 are "transfer openings"; if responder has a strong hand, he accepts the transfer by bidding 1 or 1 (respectively), initiating a relay sequence.
System Policy, a system is classified as a Highly unusual method
(HUM) if "a Pass in the opening position shows at least the values generally accepted for an opening bid of one, even if there are alternative weak possibilities" or "by partnership agreement an opening bid at the one level may be weaker than pass." Thus, strong pass systems are classified as HUM and allowed only on competitions of Bermuda Bowl
/Venice Cup
level, with additional provisions that the pair playing HUM method must submit their convention cards in advance, and their team loses the right to chose the opponents (i.e. they must seat first and let the opposing team select the lineup). HUM systems are banned altogether on lower-level competitions, especially on pairs events (as a round of 2-3 boards is too short to require all other players to prepare the defense against strong pass in advance). Sponsoring organizations on lower levels are permitted to impose lesser restrictions, but that is seldom the case; thus, the strong pass is mostly limited to world team competitions, special invitation tournaments and friendly games.
Contract bridge
Contract bridge, usually known simply as bridge, is a trick-taking card game using a standard deck of 52 playing cards played by four players in two competing partnerships with partners sitting opposite each other around a small table...
, a strong pass is an opening pass that indicates a strong hand, typically with a minimum of 11-16 points. Strong pass bidding system
Bidding system
A bidding system in contract bridge is the set of agreements and understandings assigned to calls and sequences of calls used by a partnership, and includes a full description of the meaning of each treatment and convention...
s are of a quite different nature from the more typical "natural" systems, but share some similarities with strong club system
Strong club system
The Strong Club System is a set of bidding conventions in the game of contract bridge. It is classified as an artificial type of bidding system since the bids are highly codified.-Explanation:...
s. Strong pass systems are sometimes called "forcing pass" systems; the term "strong pass" is preferred here to avoid confusion with a different meaning of the term "forcing pass
Forcing pass
In the card game bridge, a forcing pass is any pass that obliges the partner to bid, double, or redouble over an intermediate opposing pass: to act rather than to pass. By agreement or tacit understanding, that is, partner must "keep the bidding open".Here "..." represents any beginning to the...
" in bridge.
Features
Since "pass" is used to indicate strong hands, weaker hands—even those with no points—must make an opening bid. Typically, one bid is used for extremely weak hands (less than 8 or 9 points); this is called a "fert" bid (short for fertilizerFertilizer
Fertilizer is any organic or inorganic material of natural or synthetic origin that is added to a soil to supply one or more plant nutrients essential to the growth of plants. A recent assessment found that about 40 to 60% of crop yields are attributable to commercial fertilizer use...
, as it is used when your hand is a load of manure). All other bids show limited-strength hands of various distributions. The fert bid is usually between 1 and 1; higher bids are more preemptive, but correspondingly more dangerous. Because of the necessity of using a fert bid, the limited openings usually have a significantly lower range than in strong-club systems, and very weak preempt
Preempt
Preempt is a bid in contract bridge whose primary objectives are to thwart opponents ability to bid to their best contract, with some safety, and to fully describe one's hand to one's partner in a single bid. A preemptive bid is usually made by jumping, i.e. skipping one or more bidding levels...
ive bids on the 2 and 3 levels are allowed.
The basic motivation of strong pass systems is to reserve as much bidding room as possible for strong hands, and to be as preemptive as is safely possible with weak hands. Strong pass systems are often coupled with relay system
Relay bid
In contract bridge, relay is a term for a conventional bid that usually has little or no descriptive meaning but asks partner to describe some feature of his hand. A relay is often the cheapest bid available but need not be. Stayman and Blackwood are common examples of relay bids.The rationale...
s for precisely describing strong hands, and limited bids are heavily oriented towards finding low-level major-suit contracts, with "major-suit" bids (i.e. bids that promise a certain major-suit holding, which are not necessarily natural heart or spade bids — most strong-pass systems are highly artificial) typically promising only four cards in a particular major.
Note that a strong-pass partnership will always open the bidding when playing first position, or when second position after an opposing natural pass. Thus, partnerships playing against a strong pass system will be on defense much more often than normal, and must have highly developed defensive methods for handling situations where the partnership possesses game strength or more. As a result, strong-pass systems are typically prohibited at all but the highest levels of tournament play.
A sample strong-pass system is the TresBoof system. The outline of the opening bids of this system is as follows, with relative frequencies attached:
- Pass (21%): 14+, any shape.
- 1 (17%): 8-13, 4+ hearts, possibly longer minor, possibly 4-4 majors.
- 1 (16%): 8-13, 4+ spades, possibly longer minor.
- 1(11%): 0-8, any shape. Usually no 5-card suit except possibly clubs (since an off-shape weak two is safer, more descriptive, and more preemptive)
- 1 (10%): 9-13, balanced, no four-card major unless 4333.
- 1NT (3%): 9-13, 5+ diamonds, no four-card major. (Implies 6+ diamonds and/or 4 clubs).
- 2 (2%): 9-13, 5+ clubs, no four-card major. (Implies 6+ clubs and/or 4 diamonds).
- 2 (?): 4-8 weak 2 in major or 20-21 balanced, MULTI
- 2 (?): 4-8 hearts + minor
- 2 (?): 4-8 spades + another suit
- 2NT (0.3%): 8-12, 5-5 or more in minors.
- 3NT (0.2%): 8-13, solid 7-card or 8-card minor.
Note that 1 and 1 are "transfer openings"; if responder has a strong hand, he accepts the transfer by bidding 1 or 1 (respectively), initiating a relay sequence.
Restrictions
According to the World Bridge FederationWorld Bridge Federation
The World Bridge Federation is the world governing body of contract bridge. The WBF is responsible for world championship competition, most of which is conducted at a few multi-event meets on a four-year cycle...
System Policy, a system is classified as a Highly unusual method
Highly unusual method
Highly unusual methods is a class of contract bridge bidding systems defined by the World Bridge Federation. Usually these are artificial systems that require advance preparation to contend with, and are restricted to the highest levels of tournament play in most locations...
(HUM) if "a Pass in the opening position shows at least the values generally accepted for an opening bid of one, even if there are alternative weak possibilities" or "by partnership agreement an opening bid at the one level may be weaker than pass." Thus, strong pass systems are classified as HUM and allowed only on competitions of Bermuda Bowl
Bermuda Bowl
The Bermuda Bowl is a trophy awarded to the winners of the Open series in the World Team Championship in contract bridge and is named for the site of the inaugural tournament held in 1950...
/Venice Cup
Venice Cup
The World Teams Championship in contract bridge for women players only is also known as the Venice Cup, because the first edition was held in Venice, Italy in 1974.It is held every two years, in parallel to the Open World Teams Championship, the Bermuda Bowl....
level, with additional provisions that the pair playing HUM method must submit their convention cards in advance, and their team loses the right to chose the opponents (i.e. they must seat first and let the opposing team select the lineup). HUM systems are banned altogether on lower-level competitions, especially on pairs events (as a round of 2-3 boards is too short to require all other players to prepare the defense against strong pass in advance). Sponsoring organizations on lower levels are permitted to impose lesser restrictions, but that is seldom the case; thus, the strong pass is mostly limited to world team competitions, special invitation tournaments and friendly games.
External links
- TresBoof system (see above).
- SPREAD system; uses a 1 fert bid and 1 as "semi-fert" bid (around 7-9 points), along with 4-card major transfer openings, as in TresBoof.
- Magic Pass uses a two-way opening pass (17+ points, or 9-11 balanced) and 1 fert bid, a strong but limited 1 bid (13-16 unbalanced or 15-17 balanced), and natural 4-card major openings.
- Tuebingen Pass uses a two-way opening pass/fert (16+ or 0-7 points).
- Precision Pass is based on Precision ClubPrecision clubPrecision Club is a bidding system in the game of contract bridge. It is a type of strong club system that was invented by C. C. Wei and used to good effect by Taiwan teams in the early 1970s...
, maintaining the strong 1 opening; the initial pass shows 8-17 points unsuitable for other bids, and the only fert bid is 1. - Dejeuner A derivative of TresBoof that uses symmetric rather than MOSCITO relays.