D9 SLAM BIDDING

1. INTRODUCTION

About one hand in 25, on average, is a 'slam hand' containing 12 or 13 tricks for one side.

The slam bonus is as follows;

2. REQUIREMENTS

To bid a slam, you need;

- A good source of tricks

- Strong 'controls' to stop the defence winning more than one 'quick trick'.

a) Source of tricks

The source of tricks may be in long suits. Sometimes you can actually count them, e.g. when partner has opened a strong 2 showing 8 playing tricks..

Alternatively, the source may be in the high card point count if the hands are more balanced. To make a small slam from high cards alone (no long suits), you need around 33 points in the combined hands. For a grand slam, you will need around 36 or 37 points. (Note that the opposition cannot have 2 aces against you if you have 33 combined high card points when you bid a small slam, nor one ace if you have 37 combined high card points in a grand slam)

b) Controls

Controls are aces, kings, voids and singletons.

A first round 'control' is an ace or a void. A second round 'control ' is a king or a singleton.

You won't make a small slam unless you have at least 3 first round 'controls (unless the defence leads the wrong suit!). And if you have first round controls in only 3 suits, then to make a small slam, you need second round control in the fourth suit. For a grand slam, you will need first round controls in all 4 suits.

3. CHECKING ON CONTROLS

There are 2 methods of checking controls.

a) Ace Asking Conventions;

When a suit has been agreed, the bid of 4NT is the 'Blackwood' convention and asks partner how many aces he/she has. (Do not use this convention if you have one side suit with 2 top losers.)

Response; 5§ = no ace or 4 aces, 5¨ = one ace, 5© =2 aces, 5ª =3 aces

After this, the 4NT bidder bids the slam, or signs off at the 5 level, or bids 5NT to ask for kings. The responses to 5NT are (as 4NT), 6§ no king or 4 kings, 6¨ 1 king. 6© 2 kings, 6ª 3 kings. The 5NT bidder shows joint possession of all the aces. (Responder could bid 7 if suitable)

Note that some players like the 'Gerber' convention where 4§ asks for aces. I recommend use of 4§ ace asking only over 1NT keeping 4§ as a natural bid in all other cases.

Response; 4¨ = no ace or 4 aces, 4© =1 ace, 4ª =2 aces and 4NT =3 aces.

5§ now asks for kings, 5¨ response no king or 4 kings, 5© 1 king etc.)

b) Cue Bidding

After a suit has been agreed, bids at the 4 level or above in a new suit show a 'control' in that suit, normally starting with the lowest first round control. Partner may show his 'controls' in reply. A repeat of the cue bid shows second round controls, king or singleton. e.g. The sequence 1ª P 3ª P 4§ shows the club ace or void and slam interest. It is never a request to play in clubs, spades are the agreed suit. Partner signs off or bids his/her controls, or bids the slam. Cue bidding is a conversation, i.e. 'I have the club control and fancy a slam; are you interested'?