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What’s Standard? by David Lindop

This series is based on Grant WEST EAST Standard, a set of conventions and ♠ KQ 10 ♠ A J 5 agreements that are in popular use Slam Bidding — ♥ K 7 6 4 ♥ A Q J today, such a 15-17 1NT openings, ♦ J 5 3 ♦ Q 10 7 5 five-card majors, and weak two- Part I ♣ KQ J ♣ A 7 3 bids. A summary chart of Grant Now slam has no chance, despite Standard and the corresponding the 33 combined high-card points. convention card can be found at West opens 1NT showing 15-17 However, it would take very sophis- www.AudreyGrant.com. The site points and a balanced hand. With 18 ticated methods to keep out of slam also has Grant Basic, a simpler set high-card points, East knows the with these combined hands. We of agreements. partnership has at least 33 com- would have lots of company in 6NT. Earlier articles in this series bined points (15 + 18) and at most We can invite slam on a purely appeared in the Bridge Bulletin and 35 (17 + 18). There is enough com- quantitative basis: can also be found under ‘Articles’at bined strength for a small slam but WEST EAST www.AudreyGrant.com. not enough for a grand slam. ♠ A 9 7 3 ♠ K J 5 ♥ KQ ♥ A J 6 lam bidding is an important East knows the partnership belongs ♦ ♦ aspect of the partnership in notrump and there’s no need to A J 7 2 Q8 5 ♣ AQ 5 ♣ J 7 4 3 Smethods since there are lots of ask for aces. If West has no aces, points at stake. The conventional East would still take the partnership WEST NORTH EAST SOUTH agreements in Grant Standard are to 6NT. If East has one ace—and 2NT Pass 4NT Pass quite straightforward: Blackwood even all four of the missing kings— Pass Pass after a suit has been agreed; Gerber West would still settle for 6NT. The West’s 2NT shows 20-21 points. after a natural 1NT or 2NT bid. partnership will be missing some East has 12 high-card points, so the However, there is a lot more to queens and jacks, making grand slam partnership could have 33 if opener successful slam bidding than the unlikely. So East can simply bid 6NT. has a maximum (21 + 12) but not if basic agreements. To consider bidding This is quantitative bidding. East opener is a minimum. East can make a slam, there are three fundamental is bidding the slam purely on an invitational—quantitative—raise requirements: combined strength. There is no to 4NT. This is not Blackwood since no trump suit has been agreed. It is 1. Combined Strength guarantee that the partnership has twelve tricks, only an expectation similar to a raise of 1NT to 2NT, 2. Trump (or Notrump) Agreement that slam should have a reasonable inviting game. With a minimum, West 3. Controls chance. On these combined hands, passes the invitation and the part- Let’s take a look at each in turn. the slam would make easily. There nership stays out of the poor slam. 1. Combined Strength are nine top winners: two spades, Even ten tricks are no certainty on four hearts, and three clubs. Three these combined hands. The guideline is that the partnership more tricks can be promoted in the Determining combined strength is needs about 33 or more combined diamond suit. more challenging when the hands are points for small slam and 37 or Suppose we make a small change unbalanced. Distributional points for more for a grand slam. One partner to the West hand: length and shortness can play an must be in a position to add up the important role, and the location of combined strength and determine WEST EAST ♠ K 10 6 ♠ A J 5 the high cards may be critical. Still, that the partnership is in the “slam ♥ K 7 6 4 ♥ A Q J we can occasionally bid slam on zone.” This is most straightforward ♦ K 5 3 ♦ Q 10 7 5 strength alone: when both hands are balanced: ♣ KQ J ♣ A 7 3 WEST EAST ♠ ♠ WEST EAST There are still nine top tricks, but K 9 7 3 A Q J 8 5 2 ♠ K 10 6 ♠ A J 5 ♥ J 3 ♥ A K 6 ♥ ♥ finding three more won’t be so easy. K 7 6 4 A Q J ♠ ♦ A Q 7 2 ♦ — ♦ K J 3 ♦ Q 10 7 5 We’ll be looking around for the Q ♣ K 8 5 ♣ A 7 4 3 ♣ KQ 5 ♣ A 7 3 and the ♦J. We may make slam or go down one or two tricks. Still, WEST NORTH EAST SOUTH WEST NORTH EAST SOUTH ♦ ♠ slam is at least reasonable. It could 1 Pass 1 Pass 1NT Pass 6NT Pass 2♠ Pass 6♠ All Pass Pass Pass be worse: BETTER 14 BRIDGE VOL. 10, NO. 3 JAN./FEB. 2006 BB East has 20 points—18 high-card 3. Controls Blackwood points plus 2 length points for the Even when we have the combined This is where a convention such as six-card suit. Once West opens the strength for slam and have found a Blackwood comes into play. It isn’t bidding, East knows the partnership fit, there is a third consideration. designed to get us to good slams but is in the slam zone. When West ♠ Suppose partner ♠ K Q 7 5 to keep us out of bad slams, when we raises to 2 , showing support and a ♠ ♥ are missing too many aces and kings. minimum opening, East knows opens 1 and we K Q J 10 4 have this hand. We ♦ 5 When we have found a suitable where the partnership belongs and ♣ that there are unlikely to be enough know we have a fit AK J trump fit, a bid of 4NT asks how combined points for a grand slam. in spades and our hand is worth 22 many aces partner holds. Partner East settles for a small slam. East points in support: 19 high-card points responds as follows: plus 3 dummy points for the singleton could fish around for a while, making RESPONDING TO forcing bids to try to find out if diamond. Still, it wouldn’t be a good ♠ BLACKWOOD (4NT) West has exactly the right cards for idea to simply jump to 6 . These might be the combined hands: 5♣ 0 or 4 aces a grand slam, but the straightfor- ♦ ward approach—bid what you think WEST EAST 5 1 ace you can make—often works best. ♠ A J 10 8 6 3 ♠ K Q 7 5 5♥ 2 aces ♥ 3 ♥ KQJ 8 4 5♠ 3 aces 2. Trump Suit Agreement ♦ KQ J ♦ 5 We sometimes know we are in the ♣ Q 9 6 ♣ AKJ The 5♣ response serves a dual slam zone but don’t know WHERE West has a sound opening bid but role but, in practice, there should be the contract should be played. the opponents can take the first two no ambiguity. There is a 16 point Before launching into slam, we tricks with the ♥A and ♦A. difference between 0 and 4 aces. It must first find a suitable trump fit... Notice that we have the strength to leaves 5NT available to ask about or determine we belong in notrump. ♠ take twelve tricks. We have six sure kings if the partnership has all the aces Suppose our partner A Q 7 5 2 tricks in spades and three in clubs and and is interested in a grand slam. ♥ ♥ K3 opens 1 and we can promote at least three winners Let’s see how Blackwood can help hold this hand. We ♦ A J 6 4 in hearts and two in diamonds. It’s on the previous hands. have 19 high-card ♣ KQ just that the defenders get two tricks WEST EAST points plus 1 length point for the before we get twelve. ♠ A J 10 8 6 3 ♠ K Q 7 5 five-card suit, a total of 20. Since Let’s give West a weaker hand: ♥ 3 ♥ KQJ 8 4 partner has at least 13, we are likely ♦ KQ J ♦ 5 destined for at least a small slam. It WEST EAST ♣ ♣ ♠ A J 10 8 6 3 ♠ K Q 7 5 Q 9 6 AKJ would be premature, however, to use ♥ ♥ the Blackwood convention, asking for 3 KQJ 8 4 WEST NORTH EAST SOUTH ♦ A 9 3 ♦ 5 1♠ Pass 4NT Pass aces. Partner might show one or two, ♣ Q 9 6 ♣ AKJ ♦ ♠ but we wouldn’t know which slam to 5 Pass 5 All Pass bid. Also, the 1♥ bid covers a wide West has 2 fewer points, but 6♠ is East’s immediate jump to 4NT range of strength. We might belong an excellent contract. We will lose implies that spades are agreed as the in a small slam or a grand slam. only a heart trick. trump suit and asks about aces. West’s 5♦ response shows one and So, we start with a simple response So, we come to the third key to ♠ of 1♠. It is not a good idea to make slam bidding, controls. We use the East signs of in 5 knowing the a strong jump shift on a complex term “controls” rather than aces and partnership is missing two aces. hand like this. We want to leave lots kings because, in a suit contract, West respects East’s decision. of room to find a suitable fit. The voids and singletons can have the WEST EAST 1♠ response is forcing. same effect as aces and kings. An ace ♠ A J 10 8 6 3 ♠ K Q 7 5 ♠ ♥ 3 ♥ KQJ 8 4 Partner might raise to 2 . We’ve or a void is a first round control since ♦ ♦ found a fit and can now go into our it allows us to win the first round of A 9 3 5 ♣ Q 9 6 ♣ AKJ slam bidding conventions. Partner the suit. A king or a singleton is a second round control since it gives WEST NORTH EAST SOUTH has also limited the strength of the ♠ hand, so we have a better idea that us the opportunity to win the second 1 Pass 4NT Pass we belong in small slam rather than round of the suit. 5♥ Pass 6♠ All Pass grand slam. Alternatively, partner For a small slam, we need at least This time, West’s response of 5H might rebid 3♥, showing a six-card first round control in three suits and shows two aces. Missing only one suit and about 17-18 points. Now second round control in the fourth ace, East confidently bids the slam. we can go looking for a grand slam suit. For a grand slam, we must have In the next issue we’ll delve in hearts. So, it’s “fit first.” first round control of all four suits. further into slam bidding BETTER 15 BRIDGE VOL. 10, NO. 3 JAN./FEB. 2006