BB

What’s Standard? by David Lindop

This series is based on Grant ♠ A J 9 8 4 With a medium Standard, a set of conventions and Jacoby 2NT ♥ K 3 strength hand of about agreements that are in popular use ♦ K Q 7 4 15-17 points and no today, such a 15-17 1NT openings, singleton or , For example, suppose we are West ♣ Q 6 five-card majors, and weak two- opener rebids 3NT. and the auction begins: bids. A summary chart of Grant The reason opener didn’t start with Standard and the corresponding WEST NORTH EAST SOUTH 1NT is because the hand is only can be found at 1♠ Pass 2NT Pass semi-balanced with two doubletons. www.AudreyGrant.com. The site ? Opener’s extra strength might get also has Grant Basic, a simpler set ♠ With this hand, we responder to consider slam. of agreements. K Q 8 6 2 ♦ ♥ A J 7 3 rebid 3 , showing a ♠ With a maximum Earlier articles in this series ♦ singleton or void in A Q J 8 6 2 hand of about 18 appeared in the Bridge Bulletin and 3 ♥ AK ♣ Q 8 2 diamonds. As we or more points, we can also be found under ‘Articles’at shall see shortly, ♦ 9 4 3 ♣ rebid the , www.AudreyGrant.com. this is likely to be the most useful K 8 3♠. We’re telling popular modern agreement feature in our hand to help responder responder we don’t have a singleton is that when partner opens decide whether to pursue a slam. or void but there’s likely enough ♥ ♠ ♠ With this hand, we combined strength to consider A1 or 1 , a jump response K J 9 8 4 ♣ jump to 4 to show getting to slam anyway. We’re also of 2NT is an artificial, forcing ♥ 3 a good five-card leaving room to explore without raise—the Jacoby 2NT convention. ♦ Q 4 side suit. The term getting to high. ♣ A Q J 7 3 JACOBY 2NT OVER 1♥/1♠ ‘good’ is a little After opener’s descriptive rebid, • four-card or longer support vague. A reasonable agreement is a the next move is up to responder. suit with two of the top three or • 13 or more points three of the top five honors. If Opener Shows Shortness Partner will know we have a When opener shows a singleton or It commits the partnership to game void, responder considers whether in opener’s suit and leaves room singleton or void in either hearts or diamonds. We have shown at least this is a good thing or a bad thing to explore for slam. The key to for the partnership’s slam prospects. effectively using Jacoby 2NT is five spades and five clubs, leaving room for at most three cards in hearts Understanding the concept of wasted what happens after the 2NT response, values is a key to good slam bidding. starting with opener’s rebid. and diamonds combined. For slam purposes, the second suit offers a Let’s look at various hands where Opener’s Rebid After 2NT potential source of tricks, so it’s likely opener has a singleton diamond and To help the partnership decide to be of more value that telling see how the auction might go. whether a slam is possible, opener’s partner we have a singleton heart. WEST EAST rebid describes the distribution and With a weak five- ♠ A K J 8 5 ♠ Q 10 7 3 ♠ A K J 7 3 ♥ ♥ strength of opener’s hand: card side suit, we K 6 3 A J 2 ♥ KJ ♦ ♦ would rebid 3♣ with 8 K Q 7 5 ♦ Q 8 6 4 2 ♣ ♣ OPENER’S REBID AFTER 2NT this hand, emphasiz- A 9 7 3 Q 4 ♣ 5 With shortness: ing the singleton WEST NORTH EAST SOUTH • a new suit at the three level club. Partner can infer we have some 1♠ Pass 2NT Pass shows a singleton or void. length in hearts and diamonds. 3♦ Pass 4♠ Pass • a jump to the four level in a Pass Pass ♠ Q J 9 7 4 With no singleton or new suit shows a good five- void, opener describes After West opens 1♠ and East uses card side suit. ♥ KQ 6 ♦ the strength of the the Jacoby 2NT response, West bids With no shortness; A 6 ♦ ♣ J 7 3 hand. With a minimum 3 , showing a singleton or void in • a jump to game in the major opening bid, opener diamonds. That is not good news for shows a minimum opening. jumps to game, 4♠. This usually East. The ♦K and ♦Q are not likely • 3NT shows a medium- ends the auction unless responder is to be of much use. East-West will strength hand (about 15-17). still willing to consider slam, have to lose a diamond trick despite • a rebid of the major at the knowing opener has a minimum West’s singleton and East’s 5 high- three level shows a maximum hand with no shortness. card points in the suit.

BETTER 14 BRIDGE VOL. 9, NO. 1 SEPT./OCT. 2004 BB So, East simply jumps to 4♠, WEST NORTH EAST SOUTH If Opener Shows Strength showing no interest in reaching 1♠ Pass 2NT Pass If opener has no shortness, the slam. West has a good hand, but not 3♦ Pass 3♠ Pass decision on whether to bid slam is enough to override East’s decision. 4NT Pass 5♦ Pass typically based on combined strength 4♠ is a good spot since a 6♠ slam has 6♠ Pass Pass Pass rather than distribution. Suppose almost no chance. The defenders East doesn’t want to jump to 4♠ and these are our combined hands: should get the ♦A and a club trick. give up on slam, so East simply bids WEST EAST Notice that even though the ♦K-Q ♠ ♠ QJ 4 ♠ K 9 2 3 to give West an opportunity to ♥ ♥ can be developed into a trick or two, show interest. With a good hand, K J 9 6 5 AQ8 3 that is not much help. West can’t ♦ J 7 4 ♦ Q 8 West could ask for aces using the discard enough clubs on the dia- ♣ A 8 ♣ K Q 7 2 Blackwood convention and then monds to avoid a club loser. The The auction might go: ♦ take the partnership to slam when K-Q are essentially wasted values. WEST NORTH EAST SOUTH ♦ ♦ only one ace is missing. If we move East K and Q to ♠ 1♥ Pass 2NT Pass different suits, the situation is quite 6 can be made by trumping two ♥ club losers in the East hand. The 4 Pass Pass Pass different after West shows the East has a good hand for the 2NT only trick lost is the ♥A. singleton diamond: response but West shows a minimum WEST EAST If West had a minimum hand after by jumping to 4♥. East has no reason ♠ A K J 8 5 ♠ Q 10 7 3 East showed slam interest with the ♠ ♠ to get the partnership higher. Even ♥ K 6 3 ♥ A Q J 2 3 bid, West could simply bid 4 , the five level is too high since the ♦ 8 ♦ 7 5 4 2 showing nothing extra. The partner- opponents can take the ♠A and ♦A-K. ♣ ♣ A 9 7 3 KQ ship would stop safely in game. If opener shows a medium- None of East’s high cards are So, when opener shows shortness strength hand, responder will usually wasted. Although the partnership after the Jacoby 2NT bid, responder move toward slam. For example: has no high cards in diamonds, it decides whether to stop in game, WEST EAST won’t lose more than one trick in bid slam, or invite slam based on ♠ J4 ♠ K 9 2 the suit because of West’s singleton. how well the hands seems to fit ♥ K J 9 6 5 ♥ AQ8 3 Being short in diamonds, West together. ♦ A K 7 4 ♦ Q 8 will have length in hearts and clubs, ♣ ♣ If Opener Shows a Second A 8 K Q 7 2 so East’s high cards in those suits WEST NORTH EAST SOUTH Five-Card Suit are certain to be useful. East will 1♥ Pass 2NT Pass want to move toward slam, perhaps When opener shows a second suit, ♥ ♥ 3NT Pass 5 Pass making a cuebid of 3 to show some responder can also decide whether 6♥ Pass Pass Pass interest, or going straight to 4NT. this makes slam appealing. Suppose After West shows about 15-17 points, We’ll leave a detailed discussion these are the combined hands: East makes an invitational jump to 5♥ of slam bidding methods for another WEST EAST and West accepts. Not very scientific, time. The point is to recognize when ♠ 6 2 ♠ A 8 5 but it gets the job done. 6♥ is a the hands fit well together. ♥ A J 8 5 2 ♥ K 10 6 3 good contract which will only go Although West’s hand is the same as ♦ 5 ♦ A 7 6 2 ♠ down if a spade is led and both the before, 6 is now an excellent con- ♣ A Q 10 7 3 ♣ K 4 ♠A and ♠Q are unfavorably placed. tract. The defenders will get only The auction might go: When opener shows a maximum, one diamond trick...and only if they the partnership will usually be take it right away! WEST NORTH EAST SOUTH ♥ headed for slam or grand slam. Let’s keep the West hand the same 1 Pass 2NT Pass ♣ WEST EAST but change the East hand again: 4 Pass 4NT Pass ♠ ♠ 5♥ Pass 6♥ All Pass A4 K 9 2 East has two fewer high-card points, ♥ K 10 7 6 5 4 ♥ AQ8 3 Once East finds out that West has a WEST EAST ♦ AK 7 ♦ Q 8 ♠ A K J 8 5 ♠ Q 10 7 3 good five-card club suit, slam looks ♣ A 8 ♣ K Q 7 2 possible. East can anticipate that ♥ K 6 3 ♥ Q J 2 WEST NORTH EAST SOUTH there won’t be many losers in 6♥ ♦ 8 ♦ A 5 4 2 1♥ Pass 2NT Pass ♣ A 9 7 3 ♣ K 4 and, after checking for aces, bids 3♥ Pass 4NT Pass the good slam. ♠ ♦ 5 Pass 5NT Pass but the A opposite West’s singleton Slam could go down, but it could 6♥ Pass 7♥ All Pass guarantees there are no losers in that also make an overtrick. Not bad on So, Jacoby 2NT is a useful tool if the suit. So, the auction might go: 25 combined high-card points. partnership follows up successfully. BETTER 15 BRIDGE VOL. 9, NO. 1 SEPT./OCT. 2004