Slam bidding. Spotting the chance

Bridge Venue

Slam in No Trumps. Brute strength required !

Slam in a suit

Losing Trick Count and slam bids (in suits)

Should you go for a Grand Slam ?

Quick summary

Quiz: Barrier-Reversing

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Quiz: Barrier-Reversing

Quiz: Deal # Sunday
Free Downloads Cribsheets Conventions Quick Book Glossary Books to read Deal a hand Other stuff
Basic
strategy
0000). How to use 0001). Bidding Objectives = "8 and 25" 0002). 28 for minor 0003). 33 for NT slam 0004). Suit slam 0005). Importance of length 0006). Convention card 0007). ACOL and American Standard, differences 0008). A-Z Glossary 0690). A-Z Glossary
Hand
evaluation
0010). Balanced-Unbalanced 0011). How strong is your hand, HCP 0012). Distribution points 0013). Losing trick count 0014). Barrier-Reversing 0015). Selection of opening suit 0016). Showing shape 0017). 4441 distribution 0018). The skip over principle 0019). Rule of 20 Opening 1 of a suit 0019a). Rule of 25 Opening 2 of a suit 0019b). Rule of 500 Max penalty risk on preempt if doubled 0019c). Law of total tricks 0019d). Rule of Protective bidding
Opening
bids
0020). Plan of attack 0021). Bal, 12 to 19 HCPs, weak NT 0022). Bal, 20+ points 0023). Bal, 15 to 17 HCPs, strong NT 0025). Unbal, 12 to 19 HCPs, 1 suit 0026). Unbal, Strong 2s 0027). Unbal, Pre-emptive 0028). Unbal, Gambling 3NT 0029). Benji Strong 2s
Responder
1st bids
0030). After 1NT, General principles 0031). After 1NT, Weak 0032). After 1NT, Getting out of trouble 0033). After 1NT, 11+ balanced 0034). After 1NT, 11+ 4-card major 0035). After 1NT, 11+ unbalanced 0036). After 1NT, 19+ 0037). After 2NT 0038). After 1NT, and Enemy has interfered 0039). 1 NT responses 0040). After 1 Suit, With fit 0041). After 1 Suit, No fit, but alternative suit 0042). After 1 Suit, No fit, no new suit, probably balanced 0043). After 1 Suit, 6 points, nothing to bid 0044). After 1 Suit, Very strong 0045). After 1 Suit, Weak freak 0047). After 2 Suit, Strong 2s 0048). After 2 Suit, Weak 2s 0049). After 3 Suit, Responding to preempt
Openers
rebid
0050). Unbalanced, The general idea 0051). Unbalanced, You are weak 0052). Unbalanced, You are strong 0053). Unbalanced, Partner replied with 1NT 0054). Unbalanced, Delayed support 0055). Balanced
Responder
rebids
0060). Responder rebids, The general idea 0061). Choice of two suits 0062). Responders reverse 0063). After 1NT rebid
Basic
Convention
0080). Stayman 0081). Transfer 0082). Transfer after 2NT 0161). Minor suit transfer
Slam
bidding
0090). Slam, Spotting the chance 0091). Blackwood 0092). No-trump slam 0093). Gerber 0094). Extra slam techniques
Interfering
bids
0100). Overcalls, the basic idea 0101). Overcalls, in a suit, over a suit 0102). Overcalls, in a suit, over 1NT 0103). Overcalls, in NT, over a suit 0104). Overcalls, Jump overcall 0105). Overcalls, Double then bid a suit 0106). Overcalls, Bidding opponents suit 0107). Overcalls, Balancing (protective) 0108). Overcalls, Overcall a preempt 0109). Overcalls, Preemptive double jump 0110). Overcalls, To overcall, or to double 0111). Overcalls, Response to 1NT after suit overcall (Lebensohl) 0115). Defence after 1NT 0116). Competitive bidding 0117). Be cautious sometimes 0118). Sacrificing Be bold when non-vulnerable 0119). Sacrificing 0120). Doubles, Double a 1NT 0121). Doubles, Double for takeout 0122). Doubles, Doubling after opponent overcall 0126). Doubles, Protective double
Doubles

0120). Doubles, Double a 1NT 0121). Doubles, Double for takeout 0122). Doubles, Doubling after opponent overcall 0123). Doubles, Negative double 0124). Doubles, Double a 1NT overcall 0125). Doubles, Double a suit over 1NT 0126). Doubles, Protective double 0127). Doubles, Responsive double 0128). Doubles, Double then bid a suit 0129). Doubles, Penalty 0130). Doubles, Support double 0131). Doubles, Lead directing double 0132). Doubles, Maximal double 0133). Doubles, Redoubling - coded meanings 0134). Doubles, Forcing Pass 0135). Doubles, Re-opening double 0139). Doubles, Index of doubles
Advanced
Convention
0150). Majors Jacoby 2NT 0151). Majors Splinters 0152). Majors Weak 2s 0153). Majors Weak 2 defence 0154). Trial bid 0160). NT and minors 4th suit forcing 0161). Minor suit transfer 0162). DONT Bidding When Opponents open 1NT 0163). Game tries 0166). Grand Slam Force 0167). Roman Keycard Blackwood 0168). Cue bidding for controls 0170). 2-suited Overcall Unusual 2NT 0171). 2-suited Overcall Michaels cue bid 0172). 2-suited Overcall Landy over 1NT 0173). Overcall Unassuming cue bid 0179). Very advanced

Quiz How much do you know about this page? Quiz

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33+ HCP for NT slam. Brute strength needed

30 HCP for suit slam, including shape points. Ruffing important

HCP and LTC assessment is not enough. Need to check for controls

Blackwood
Cue bidding
Splinters
Jacoby 2NT

Re-evaluate your suits in the light of partner's bids

Try to avoid going straight to 4 of a Major if a slam is on: it's weak

Print cribsheet

+	West
	Q 10 6 2
	J 9
	Q 7 2
	10 4 3 2

	North
	3
	K 8 5 4
	A K J 10 9 6
	K 5

+	East
	K J 9 8 4
	Q 6
	5 4 3
	9 7 6

+	South
	A 7 5
	A 10 7 3 2
	8
	A Q J 8

Example Deal

You: North
Dealer: East
Vuln: all

# 126032

Sorry partner, we should have been in a Slam…
..
Go to quiz (& full page) of deal # 126032
***

Click the + buttons to peep

Click on "q1" below to see question 1, and on "A1" to see the answer.

Question 1

Your partner at South opens one Heart. What should you now bid in reply? (Just look at those wonderful diamonds !)

Question 1

Your partner at South opens one Heart. What should you now bid in reply? (Just look at those wonderful diamonds !)

Answer

After South opens 1H, North knows the partnership has a Major suit fit and sufficient points for game (26 are guaranteed). Sounds like 4 heart game bid, many might say.

But might it be enough for a Slam? Ideally a pair needs 30-31 points to be in the 'slam zone' and trigger investigating the possibility of bidding six of a suit.

North has 'only' 14 HCP points (so the partnership may have as few as 26 points), but his hand is much stronger than that - for two reasons.

(1): The singleton spade means declarer (will be South) may be able to any ruff any weak losing spades in dummy AND (2): the wonderful diamond side suit is another way South may be able to get rid of losers, as well as make some winners from the length.

So North could bid 4NT (Blackwood) over the 1H opening bid, asking partner how many aces he has. When South replies 5S, promising three aces, North can confidently bid 6H - since we've got all the Aces up our sleeve...

Question 2

How might more advanced players at North-South bid to reach 6H?

Question 2

How might more advanced players at North-South bid to reach 6H?

Answer

After South opens 1H, North should realise (with a trump fit and only five losing tricks) that a Slam is likely to be on.

Some players will bid 4NT, and if you play the Roman Key Card version of Blackwood (you should!) partner will respond 5C (promising zero or three of the FIVE key cards - four Aces and the King of trumps). North, having two of the keycards should smile at this point, knowing that not even one keycard is missing. (Surely it can't be 3 Aces missing, given the bidding!) He raises it to 6H.

If a partnership has Splinters (an invaluable Slam bidding tool) in their bidding armoury, the auction will be different. After the opening 1H, North has the ideal hand for a Splinter bid (promising 4+card support for Partner's Major suit, game values and a singleton or void in the Splinter suit), so bids 3S (the unnecessary jump in the suit signifies it's a Splinter bid). South has the perfect holding in spades to take advantage so bids 4NT to check for Aces / keycards. North responds 5H, promising two key cards but no Queen of Trumps. With all five key cards, South can happily bid 6H - and in fact should make all 13 tricks.

Question 3

For the North-South pair, are there any alternative ways of bidding to 6 Hearts?

Question 3

For the North-South pair, are there any alternative ways of bidding to 6 Hearts?

Answer

Yes. On hearing about the Spade Splinter from North (mentioned in question 2), South could cue bid 4 clubs to announce control of the club suit. North then cues 4 diamonds (having control of the diamond suit).

At this point South now knows that all 4 suits are controlled (i.e. no more than one loser per suit), and could then switch to Blackwood, 4NT, to check for first round controls with the 5 keycards, since a dangerous 2 keycards are missing from his hand. North, who uses RKCB (Roman KeyCard Blackwood), will reply that he has two keycards but lacks the Queen of trumps, by bidding 5 Hearts.

South will smile to himself; all is safe for a Small Slam bid of 6 Hearts.

Grand Slam? ...wonders South to himself. But with the Queen known to be among the enemy's 4 trumps, possibly along with the Jack too, he won't risk a Grand Slam since it would require the good fortune of the trumps splitting 2-2. (And that's quite apart from North having to have the King of diamonds, which he hasn't yet enquired about).

Question 4

After the cue bidding of question 3 gets to the RKCB response of 5 Hearts from North, how could South safely enquire about the missing red King, if South did want to pin his hopes on good fortune and risk a Grand Slam?

Question 4

After the cue bidding of question 3 gets to the RKCB response of 5 Hearts from North, how could South safely enquire about the missing red King, if South did want to pin his hopes on good fortune - and risk a Grand Slam?

Answer

Bidding 5NT to ask about Kings. And the answer that comes back is 5 diamonds.

Question 5

Does that 5 diamond bid from North mean either that he has exactly one King, or that he has the King of diamonds at the least?

Question 5

Does that 5 diamond bid from North mean either that he has exactly one King, or that he has the King of diamonds at the least?

Answer

It could be either! Either way, we don't care, because the only King we care about is the King of diamonds, since we've already worked out the position with the other suits.

(But don't forget to agree with your partner which system you are using when asking about Kings with a 5NT bid. We prefer the "which is your lowest ranking King" version, because we often need to be suit-specific at that stage of the bidding for a suit Slam).

...Now the only question for South, who can only be confident of a lowly total of 28 HCP (15 + 11), becomes whether to risk all those lovely bonus points from a successful vulnerable Small Slam (750 + 500 + 6x30 = 1430), in order to get the North-South hands on even more points, 750 more, for a vulnerable Grand Slam (1500 + 500 + 7x30 = 2210). And he's only sure of 26 HCP in total....

. . . .

Some subjects to follow up on
Majors Splinters
Roman Keycard Blackwood
Cue bidding for controls
Selection of opening suit
Extra slam techniques

#1	+	<-- click the + to show/hide one possible Bidding Sequence
West			North	East	South
-			-	p	1H
p			???
			3S	p	4NT
p			5H	p	6H
p			p	p
-			System: Acol (Benji)
suggest a different Bidding Sequence

bid	explained at....
#2	+	<-- click the + for explanation of relevant Bidding Techniques
1H	Unbal, 12 to 19 HCPs, 1 suit
3S	Majors Splinters
4NT	Slam, Spotting the chance
5H	Roman Keycard Blackwood


			Hand evaluation

#3	+	<-- click the + for ideas on the Opening Lead
Opening Lead: West , 2 Reasons, when playing in Either suit or NT contract: 1. unbid suit 2. 4th highest, so I've got 1 or 2 non-touching honours

« 0090 »

Bidding and making a Slam is exciting, difficult, rewarding and wins you lots of points. Most of us make far more slams that we bid, yet really it should be almost the other way round, because the rewards for success are often greater than the penalties for failure, especially if you are playing either Teams, Chicago or Rubber bridge.

For example, let's look at a small slam (12 tricks, bid 6). A small slam in will make you 980 points in prize money - 1430 if you're vulnerable. But if you fail to make the slam - most commonly by one trick, you only lose the 420 that you would have won for game (plus the 50 point penalty for going down one trick).

I know you'll also be thinking about the 420 points you've sacrificed that you would have won for making game if you'd left the bidding at 4 (620 if vulnerable), but with this kind of prize money for slam, you'd be wise to have a go at a small slam if the chances of success are 50:50 or better. Always making 420 is not as good as making 980 at least half the time. In the long run you'll win out.

You should explore a NT small slam with balanced hands if it's possible that you hold 33 points between you (HCP only). Note that not only is this a higher requirement than for a suit Slam, but also you must not include points for shortages. In NT, you won't be able to trump your short weak suits, so you need absolute strength in each suit, which is measured with HCP. You can though give yourself credit for long suits, provided all the suits are thoroughly stopped. A long tail of low cards will often all make, after the big cards have been played, and can make up for a missing King for example.

For bidding No Trump slams, use

Quantitative bids : bid 4NT to say: “NT slam is on if you are at the top of your range. Bid 6NT if you are.”

You can explore a suit slam if you recognise you have 30 points between you (inc. shape). It's important to include your points for length and shortages, since this gives you an opportunity to ruff, and make up for any lack of high cards. After all, a hand with all 13 spades will make Grand Slam with only 10 HCP.

Since shape is so important, you can also use the 'Losing Trick Count' method, see below, to evaluate whether slam could be on. LTC takes all three components into account: strength, length and shortage, and can be very useful when there is a trump fit with unusual distribution.

But the 'point count' or 'LTC' calculation is frequently not enough; you will often need to know how many Aces you have, since these are dangerous cards in the hands of the enemy. Kings are also dangerous. Also, you often need to know where your Aces, Kings and shortages are located. For instance, it's not much use having both a void in in your hand and the Ace in partner's hand. The void is wasted, and would be better off in assuming partner doesn't have the Ace.

Other encouraging indicators to look out for are:

if the two hands fit well, for example have no "wasted values"
a double fit (8+ cards in both trump suit and a side suit)
"primary values" (aces and kings) rather than "secondary" ones (jacks and queens)
nice shape (with long suits and voids or singletons).

As a result, there are 5 to 7 systems that have been devised to give you this kind of information, depending on the circumstances. The most commonly used is Key-card Blackwood.

Blackwood: 4NT. Ask for quantity of Aces, after suit agreement is obtained.
Keycard Blackwood: 4NT. Ask for quantity of key cards (4 Aces + King-trumps), after suit agreement is obtained.
Cue bidding: “I've got control(1) in this suit, where do you have control ?”
Grand Slam force: 5NT. “Please bid 7 if you have AK of trumps”
Splinters: “I've got 11+HCP, Major trump suit fit, and a singleton or void in the suit I just bid. ”
Jacoby 2NT: "I've got an opening hand and 8-card fit with your Major, but no short suits. Do you have a shortage ?"
Gerber: Old method with various problems, only used nowadays when you have a NT contract, and don't want to use Quantitative bidding, but you do still want to know how many Aces are missing.

Note that there are some situations where it's dangerous to use Blackwood.

Do we have 30/31 total points (HCP and shape) ? This is not always the most reliable way of recognising that a suit slam might be on the cards. The good thing about LTC is that it takes account of all three factors: strength, length and shortage.

Partner opens 1 , you reply 1, partner rebids 4. What next ? This is your hand:

	Hand 1
	9		You have 7 HCP, 11 with distribution. Partner has about 19-20. 30-31 total. Pass? But since partner has fit and bid 4, he has 5 losers. You have 7 losers. The LTC method suggests bidding to 6.
	K 6 5 4 3 2
	A 9 7 5
	8 4

Here's how the two hands look together:

Notice that the partners only have 24HCP. They have 30 including distribution, on the light side for a slam.

We calculated above that you should go for a Small Slam when the chances of success are 50:50 because at that probability the balance of risk and reward is in your favour. So, if the outcome simply depends on a finesse, and the missing card has an equal chance of being with either opponent, go for Small Slam.

With a Grand Slam you should only go for it when the odds are 75% on a favourable outcome. After all, you don't want to throw away your prize momey for the game and the Small Slam.

(1) “First round control” of a suit means an Ace or a void. (In "Blackwood" voids are not taken into account).
(2) “Second round control” of a suit means a King or a singleton. (In "Blackwood" singletons are not taken into account).

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Looking at everyone's cards it's easy to see with hindsight that Slam is on, depending on the trump split! Use the Losing Trick Count to spot these situations.

K 6 5 4 3 2