Bidding Conventions in 42 Tournaments

If unenforceability is valid, then traditional players who don’t use such bids (and want to be more competitive in tournaments) need to learn the various private and cultural bidding conventions, be wary of those used by their opponents, and perhaps consider using acceptable bidding conventions to their own advantage in tournament play. (The key word is "acceptable.")

Traditional 42 originally was played as a social game. Over the years it made its way into tournaments, especially with the onset of the internet. Traditional players bid their hands and rely on opponents’ integrity and fair play.

The culture, however, has changed, and some advanced players are using bids to communicate information about their hands to their partners. It’s not that today’s ethics are in decline so much as creativity in bidding tactics has become more diversified and sophisticated. There has been progress, however, and bids that communicate specific information in sanctioned tournaments will not toleratated (see addendum below).

• 18 Sep 2016 Addendum:

The new N42PA tournament rules include the following statement: "... bids meaning specific information will not be tolerated." (The example cited is a show bid.)   - PP