Bidding box

File:Bidding box.jpg

Bidding box is a device used in contract bridge for the purpose of making the bidding easier. It is a plastic, wooden or cardboard box with two slits, each holding a set of bidding cards. The back holder contains 35 cards with symbols of bids (5 denominations—clubs (Template:Cs), diamonds (), hearts (), spades () and notrump (NT) in seven levels of bidding, numbered 1-7). In the front holder are stored Pass cards (usually 8-10 pieces), few Double (X) and Redouble (XX) cards, Alert card, Stop card, and, optionally, "Tournament director" card. Pass cards are commonly colored green, double and stop cards red, redouble cards blue, and alert card light-blue. Each of four player has his own bidding box, normally held at the corner of the table; on dubplicate tournaments, boxes remain stationary on the tables.

Bidding (auction) is performed so that every player makes a call (a bid, pass, double or redouble) at their turn to bid, until it is concluded by means of three consecutive passes. Since the times of auction bridge the bidding has become more and more complex, and conventional auctions often lasts through several rounds of bidding.

Usage of bidding boxes has several advantages over oral bidding:

• It helps maintain the silence on tournaments, so that bidding cannot be overheard on the neigboring tables.
• The previous bids need not be memorized, which helps players maintain concentration during bidding.
• The auction may be easily reviewed in any moment during auction (every player is entitled to review of the previous bids whenever is his turn to bid or play)
• It is far more difficult to make a bid out of turn.
• Unauthorized information can not be passed by means of the varying tone of voice or choice of different names for bids.

Procedure

When it is player's turn to bid, the player selects the cards from the bidding box and places them in front of himself. With standard, "right handed" (see laterality section below) boxes, the calls are placed left to right on the table, newer overlapping the older ones, but so that the symbols remain visible. The 35 bid cards are cut so that the symbols form tabs, as in phone books. When bid cards are used, the entire remaining stack below the desired bid card should be pulled out, (e.g. when bidding 1, cards of 1, 1 and 1Template:Cs should be taken out also), but the topmost one (desired bid) covering the others. Pass, Double and Redouble cards are pulled out one by one.

At the end of auction (after the requested reviews, if any, are made), every player first pulls out his previous Pass, Double and Redouble cards and returns them to the front holder of the box. After that, all the bid cards from the table are simply stacked up and placed back into the back holder; in this way, the box is returned to the original state and made ready for the following deal.

When bidding boxes are used, the following rules apply :

1. Players must choose a call before touching any card in the box. A call is considered made when a bidding card has been taken out of the bidding box with intent.
2. A call may be changed without penalty under the provisions of Law 25 only if a player has inadvertently taken out the wrong bidding card, and the player corrects, or attempts to correct without pause for thought, and the player's partner has not made a call.
3. The skip-bid warning is given using bidding boxes by displaying the stop card, making a call and then replacing the stop card in the bidding box. LHO is obligated to wait 10 seconds (while giving the appearance of studying his hand) before making a call.

Construction

There are two main types of bidding boxes construction: the more common ones are "free-standing" ones, held on the top of the table. The other, hanging variant is smaller, with two holders closely together, but attached to the side of the table using C-clamps. The latter has the advantage that it doesn't occupy space on the table, but it can hamper the players' passage to and from the chair, so it gets damaged more easily. The free-standing boxes usually have a cover on the bottom, where the bidding cards can fit within when packed up, while they must be kept separately with the hanging ones.

The bidding cards are made of cardboard or thin plastic; like playing cards, cardboard ones are more resistant to wearing (especially when plastic-coated), while plastic ones are more resistant to tearing. Manufacturers also offer the bidding card sets for purchase separately from the boxes.

Accessibility considerations

Laterality

Most bidding boxes on the market are suited for right-handed people; the tabs of bid cards grow up from right to left side of the stack, and the printed symbols are right side up when the card is held with the right hand at the tab. That makes it somewhat difficult for left-handed people, who naturally bid with left hand: they would normally hold the box at the left side of the table, and the card symbols on standard boxes turn upside down unless rotated in an awkward manner. Also, the natural order of placing the cards would be from right to left. Some manufacturers offer the bidding boxes for left-handed people, which are constructed (except for the placement of suit symbols on the tabs) and used as mirrored right-handed boxes. Tournament organizers generally permit the players to carry their own left-handed bidding boxes.

External links

• BridgeGuys glossary
• Bidding boxes on Jannersten, card game equipment manufacturer