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An individual player will assume up to 3 identities: 1. The first identity is his PLAYING DIRECTION, ie, North, East, West or South. 2. The next two identities pertain to the bidding order which change from board to board. It's somewhat like the change in batting order during a baseball game that changes from inning to inning. For each bridge hand, all seat position numbering proceeds in a clockwise fashion around the table. a. "SEAT POSITION" NUMBERING ORDER RELATIVE TO DEALER. The DEALER is the first player to have an opportunity to bid & he is in "SEAT POSITION NUMBER #1". The next seat position #2 is to dealer's left, with seat position #3 being the dealer's partner, & seat position #4 is to dealer's right. b. "BID POSITION" NUMBERING & IDENTITIES RELATIVE TO OPENING BIDDER. 1) The OPENING PAIR. Starting from seat position #1 (the dealer) & in a clockwise rotation, each player has a chance to start the bidding if the prior bidder passed. The first player to actually bid (other than pass) becomes the OPENER which is BID POSITION #1 (don't confuse with seat position). Bid Position #1 is the OPENER. His partner in Bid Position # 3 automatically becomes the RESPONDER. Bid Position #3 is always the opener's partner directly across from him, & he is ALWAYS the RESPONDER. His bids are called responses. 2) The CONTENDING PAIR. The opener's opponents are in bid positions #2 and #4, & they automatically become the CONTENDERS, because they will be given the opportunity to make COUNTER BIDS or CONTENTION BIDS. Bid Position #2 is to opener’s left & is called the IMMEDIATE CONTENDER. Bid Position #4 is to opener’s right & is called the SECONDARY CONTENDER. The first of the two contenders to make a bid (other than PASS) is called the PRIME CONTENDER (or simply the CONTENDER), and his partner automatically becomes the RESPONDENT. 3) The ADVANTAGED POSITION. It should be obvious that the contender who sits behind the opening pair's strongest hand is in the ADVANTAGED POSITION & so-called because he is presumed to be sitting behind the strong hand which gives him an advantage over that strong hand. In a non-preemptive opening scenario, the immediate contender sits in the advantage position. But in a preemptive opening situation, it is the secondary contender who sits in the advantaged position. Conversely, the partner sitting opposite the advantage position is the DISADVANTAGED POSITION. |