Lesson 13 Bidding to Slams Bridge for Beginners Lesson 13 Bidding to Slams

Homework – Question 1 What is your opening bid?  AKQ9  KJ7  AQ2  AKQT72  652  AK  AK  KQ7  AK53  KT4  AJ3  QT8  AK  KQ753  AJ3 2 2 2NT 1  AKJT6  AQT7  9  KQJ  A9  AKJT  AQ62  KQJ  KJ7  AK53  KT4  AJ3  A  KQJ7  AKQ952  62 2 2 1 2

When partner has opened 2 2 2 2 2NT 2 2NT Homework Question 2a What is your response When partner has opened 2 2 2 2 2NT 2 2NT PASS  6  5  3  2  9  6  4  3  T  5  2  J  7

When partner has opened 2 2 2 2 2NT 2 2NT Homework Question 2b What is your response When partner has opened 2 2 2 2 2NT 2 2NT 3NT  8  5  4  7  2  Q  T  8  3  A  7  5  4

When partner has opened 2 2 2 2 2NT 2 Homework Question 2c What is your response When partner has opened 2 2 2 2 2NT 2 3 3NT  Q  T  5  4  J  T  3  Q  7  K  Q  9  7

When partner has opened 2 2 2 2 2NT 2 3 3NT Homework Question 2d What is your response When partner has opened 2 2 2 2 2NT 2 3 3NT  A  K  6  Q  9  8  5  6  2  T  7  5  3

When partner has opened 2 2 2 2 2NT 2 2NT Homework Question 2e What is your response When partner has opened 2 2 2 2 2NT 2 2NT 3NT  8  7  7  6  3  K  5  4  Q  5  4  3  2

When partner has opened 2 2 2 2 2NT 2 2NT Homework Question 2f What is your response When partner has opened 2 2 2 2 2NT 2 2NT 3  K  Q  8  7  3  Q  T  3  6  5  4  3  2

Bidding to Slams We looked at opening bids with strong hands last week And responses Some hands had slam possibility But any slam bid would have been made in hope rather than expectation To help we will learn a Conventional Bid Called ‘Blackwood’

Blackwood Convention If you bid 1NT and partner responds 4NT This is a ‘minimaxi’ slam try You Pass with a minimum opener Or bid 6NT with a maximum But 4NT is not otherwise used Because 3NT is game If you agree a suit and then bid 4NT Shows slam interest and is Blackwood

Blackwood Convention After a bidding sequence you bid 4 and partner bids 4NT Partner thinks you may have slam on And is checking that you are not missing more than 1 Ace There are 2 versions Standard Blackwood Roman Key Card Blackwood (RKCB)

Blackwood Convention When partner bids 4NT Although a Conventional Bid do NOT alert No alerts over 3NT The 4NT bid says: How many top cards have you?

Standard Blackwood Top cards are the 4 Aces With 0 or 4 Aces bid 5 With 1 Ace bid 5 With 2 Aces bid 5 With 3 Aces bid 5 These bids say nothing about the suit bid They reply to partner’s request

Standard Blackwood Partner knows how many Aces you hold And whether to bid a slam (12 tricks) Or look for a Grand Slam (13 tricks) Partner can ask for Kings If a Grand is likely But only do this with all Aces present Because you are committed to at least a small slam

Standard Blackwood Partner asks for Kings by bidding 5NT Responses are: With 0 Kings bid 6 With 1 King bid 6 With 2 Kings bid 6 With 3 Kings bid 6 With 4 Kings bid 6NT

Roman Key Card Blackwood King of trumps is counted as a top card So 5 Key Cards 4NT asks how many of these do you have Partner then responds: With 3 or 0 Key Cards bid 5 With 4 or 1 Key Cards bid 5 With 5 or 2 Key Cards, no Q trumps bid 5 With 5 or 2 Key Cards, + Q trumps bid 5 Remember the sequence 30, 41, 52

RKCB Partner asks for Kings by bidding 5NT But not including the trump King Responses are: With 0 Kings bid 6 With 1 King bid 6 With 2 Kings bid 6 With 3 Kings bid 6

Blackwood – Example 1 Partner opens 1 Your bid? 2 Partner bids 4NT What is your response Ordinary Blackwood? With 1 Ace 5 RKCB? With 1 Key Card 5  A  5  4  9  8  5  4  Q  T  7  4  5  4

With 2 Key Cards and not Q trumps 5 Blackwood – Example 2 Partner opens 1 Your bid? 2 Partner bids 4NT What is your response Ordinary Blackwood? With 1 Ace 5 RKCB? With 2 Key Cards and not Q trumps 5  A  5  4  K  8  5  4  J  T  7  4  5  4

With 2 Key Cards plus Q trumps 5 Now partner bids 5NT Blackwood – Example 3 Partner opens 2 Your bid? 2 positive 8+ HCP Partner bids 4NT Agreeing your suit Ordinary Blackwood? With 1 Ace 5 RKCB? With 2 Key Cards plus Q trumps 5  A  5  4  K  Q  8  5 Now partner bids 5NT Asking about Kings Ordinary Blackwood? With 1 King 6 RKCB? With No Kings to count 6  T  7  4  3  5  4

Blackwood – Example 4 The Bidding Goes Partner opens 2 2 2 4NT 3 Ordinary Blackwood? With no Aces 5 RKCB? With 1 Key Card 5   5  4 2 3 ?  K  Q  8  5  4  T  7  4  J  5  4

Blackwood – Example 5 The Bidding Goes Partner opens 1 3 1NT 4NT 4 Ordinary Blackwood? With no Aces 5 RKCB? With no Key Cards 5  Q  5  4 1NT 4 ?  Q  8  5  4  Q  7  4  Q  5  4

With 2 Key Cards plus Q trumps 5 3 ? Blackwood – Example 6 The Bidding Goes Partner opens 2 4NT Ordinary Blackwood? With 2 Aces 5  RKCB? With 2 Key Cards plus Q trumps 5  A  5  4 3 ?  Q  8  5  4  A  7  4  5  4  3

When do You Bid the Slam? If you have all Aces or all Key cards present bid the slam And think about asking for Kings Missing 1 Ace or 1 Key card Bid it with good suit(s) to run Using RKCB bid it if you hold the trump Q Missing 2 Aces or Key cards Stop at the 5 level

Blackwood or RKCB Blackwood is slightly easier Blackwood is universal RKCB gives you more information Making judgement on bidding the slam more accurate If you play RKCB all the time it becomes the norm RKCB can give you an edge

Summary You MUST use one or other version I strongly advise RKCB Don’t panic when partner bids 4NT All you have to do is make the correct response Partner has the difficult job to decide where to stop Bidding and making slams gives tremendous satisfaction!!!