Serious 3NT Serious 3NT Serious 3NT is a contract bridge bidding convention. It is used in game-forcing auctions where a major suit has been agreed upon. 1–2 if using 2/1 Game Forcing or 2–3 (Agreeing spades) The next bid indicates suitability for slam: Since Spades are the agreed trump suit, Three No Trump is not usually the best contract. Using Serious Three No Trump, a bid of Three No Trump says "I am Serious about slam", i.e. "I have a good hand". Bypassing bidding Three No Trump says "I am not Serious about Slam". Examples shown in the above auction. If one
Auction sniping placed multiple incremental bids as the auction progresses. Many online auctions use proxy bidding, an iterative sealed bid auction where winners pay a fixed increment over the second highest bid. The auctioneer does not disclose the current maximum bid, but the second highest bid is always public. In proxy bidding, the wise bidder must know in advance the "true" value of an item as a basis for their secret bidding limit. The fact that the maximum bid is revealed when it is outbid introduces the possibility of maximum bid fishing. Bidders unsure of the value of an item may incrementally