The Gambling 3NT

FEB_10_EB_p45 Landy:EB_Layout 3 15/01/2010 12:41 Page 45

The Gambling 3NT

IN my articles last year, I looked at suit 3NT that the suit is solid and at least seven opening bids from the one to the five level, cards in length! but so far haven’t considered how best to use no trump bids as pre-empts. An Sandra Landy STANDARD ENGLISH opening 2NT shows 20 - 22 HCP. An Hand 1 Hand 2 opening bid of Two Clubs followed by a m Q J 9 m A K Q 2 2NT rebid shows 23-24 points. And Two n A J 9 7 3 2 n A K 6 5 This is known as ‘Pass or Correct’. Bids of Clubs followed by 3NT shows 25-27. Just 4 2 9 5p, 6p, or even 7p are played in the same once in my life I had 29 points in a p A 6 p K Q 5 2 way. If you don’t want to include this balanced hand, I opened Two Clubs and option in your responses, you may find rebid a natural 4NT – partner had nothing Hand 3 Hand 4 yourself having to guess which minor but I just managed ten tricks! m A 7 6 2 m Q 7 5 partner holds. So, with all those ways to show strong n A 6 5 3 n J 10 8 4 3 2 5. 4m. You don’t know if partner holds balanced hands that have lots of points, we 9 9 4 diamonds or clubs but for certain your don’t need an opening 3NT as an even p J 10 5 2 p 6 5 opponents have lots of heart tricks to cash stronger opening bid. Many players use it and playing in spades with this strong suit to show at least seven cards in a solid Hand 5 Hand 6 makes sense. 4n and 4m are natural bids minor suit, with almost nothing in the m K Q J 10 9 7 5 2 m A 6 4 over a 3NT opening, telling partner to other three suits, at most a queen or jack. n Void n 2 pass even if void in your suit. It’s called the gambling 3NT because you 10 4 2 10 9 4 2 6. 5p. Opponents surely can make game, are gambling that partner has the p 9 8 p 10 8 7 6 3 and quite possibly a slam, in a major suit. stoppers, if you have the tricks. So it’s up Make their life difficult by bidding to the to partner to pass 3NT with some stoppers Hand 7 Hand 8 five level before fourth in hand has a in the other three suits or to remove to our m K 7 5 2 m A K 8 5 chance to bid. Like the 4p bid on Hand 4, minor with only a few high card values. n A K J 5 n A J 9 3 5p is Pass or Correct. In fact you are so For example, in my last article you held: Void A K 8 weak that you might even jump to 6p to p A Q 4 3 2 p 5 3 give opponents a harder problem. At any We had to choose level, bidding clubs is Pass with clubs or m J 7 between 1p and Convert if holding diamonds. n J 9 5p. But opening 1. Pass. You have stoppers in the other three 7. 5. You can’t play in 3NT with a dia - 6 3NT gives part - suits. Seven diamonds in partner’s hand plus mond void as you won’t be able to get to p A K Q J 9 7 6 4 ner a clear idea your two aces should mean nine easy dummy to cash the diamonds. 5 is better of what to ex - tricks. Don’t even consider bidding 4n! played by your hand to protect the pect. You have a 2. 6NT. You were just wondering what to tenaces. The opening lead is almost bound hand with seven or eight cards in clubs, open with your 21 points and partner has to give a trick away. but practically nothing outside, except made your bid very obvious. Partner has 8. 6NT. You have twelve tricks if partner perhaps an odd jack. The example shown at least seven diamond tricks and you have has seven clubs and thirteen tricks if part - is about the best hand opener is likely to five more tricks in the majors. Your only ner has an eight-card suit. have. If you only had seven solid clubs, say loser is the club ace and opponents will do the 4 instead of the p4, you can still best if they cash it at trick one so you can An additional open 3NT. claim the rest. useful refinement 3. Pass. Two aces plus at least seven Test your responding diamonds means nine tricks. At worst If your memory can stand the strain, you opponents can cash three top clubs. If they can add one more asking bid. A bid of 4 If second hand passes partner’s 3NT open- do. 3NT makes ten tricks. over 3NT can be used to ask opener if the ing, what would you respond with the 4. 4p. With practically no stoppers in the hand has a singleton or void. Over this, a following hands? Make up your mind other three suits, you want to play in part - response of 4n shows a singleton or void before you look at my suggestions. ner’s minor. But you don’t know whether heart, 4m shows a singleton or void spade, Just remember that partner’s minor is partner has solid clubs or diamonds. A bid 4NT denies a singleton or void, and five of probably longer and stronger than any suit of 4p asks partner to pass with long clubs opener’s long minor shows a singleton or you hold. It’s a requirement for opening or to bid 4 with long solid diamonds. void in the other minor.