Three suiter
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- This article concerns Contract Bridge and uses terminology associated with the game. See Contract bridge glossary for an explanation of unfamiliar words or phrases.
In the game of bridge a three suiter (or three-suited hand) denotes a hand containing at least four cards in three out of the four suits. As a bridge hand contains thirteen cards, only two hand patterns can be classified as three suiters: 4-4-4-1 and 5-4-4-0.
In natural bidding systems, strong three suiters are often difficult to describe, as — following the likely response of partner in the short suit — they do not allow for a high-level notrump rebid, nor for a reverse bid. Some systems therefore use dedicated opening bids to describe strong three-suited hands (e.g. the 2♦ opening in the Roman system).
The standard treatment to describe a three-suited hand after an opposing opening in a suit is the takeout double. Conventions like Kelsey and Cansino can be used to introduce a three-suited hand after an opposing 1NT opening.
[edit] See also
[edit] Literature
- H.G. Francis, A.F. Truscott and D.A. Francis (Eds.): The Official Encyclopedia of Bridge, 5th Edition, ISBN 0-943855-48-9.