Every good player knows that the 4th bidding seat has many benefits. Here's how to use these benefits against a 4th-seat opponent.

We have all been in those games where the opposition is getting the good cards. We aren't able to set them because they bid conservatively enough on every hand. Before we know it, the score is 370 to 220! How can we stop the opponents? We do have one weapon for these situations. I call it the Thirty-One Bid Convention.

The fourth bidder is entitled to many advantages. He is provided with the most information, and can complete the bidding accordingly. One of these benefits includes a slight overbid against an overly conservative opposition. Who can blame the fourth seat for stretching his bid to make the total bid 10? Most of the time, this stretch allows his side to receive free points! After getting bagged every hand, the fourth seat will be even more tempted to bid aggressively.

This is where the thirty-one bid comes in. In other words, the third seat bids 1! Regardless of how many tricks you hold, you go ahead and bid 1 as the third position bidder. Now, my 1-bid becomes a red flag to my partner because of the partnership agreement. When the total table bid becomes 10 or less, the flag becomes even larger to my partner that I want a set.

Make sure you only use this convention when you are in the 3rd position. It isn't applicable to the 2nd and 4th positions. Specify the situations that you want to utilize this convention with your partner so that he knows when to look for the flag. Use this convention only as a last resort, since underbidding your hand will cost you in most other situations.

-- Dustin Stout