OBAR BIDS – Acronym for Opponents Bid And Raise – Balance In Direct Seat. Popularized by Larry Cohen in “To Bid Or Not To Bid: The Law of Total Tricks“. Conceptually, when one side discovers a trump fit at the 2 level trump (beneath 2 Spades), the other side should consider entering the auction – even bidding without substantive values in direct seat. While many might make a bid in the balancing/passout seat (“borrowing partner’s King”), making a freebid in direct seat is typically viewed as showing additional values – no so playing OBAR BIDS.