Lesson 9: Strong 2 and slam bids (Chapters 10, 12 & 13 of Zia’s book) Surendra Mehta February 2007

Lesson 9: Strong 2 and slam bids(Chapters 10, 12 & 13 of Zia’s book)

Surendra MehtaFebruary 2007

Surendra Mehta, February 2007 2

RECAP

• Recap from previous lessons


Counting points(Suit ranking: , , , & NT)

High Card points

Length points

Support points

Ace - 4King – 3 Queen – 2 Jack – 1

5-card suit - 16-card suit - 27-card suit - 38-card suit - 4

Voids - 5 Singleton -2 Doubleton - 1(when responding)


Balanced hand

• A hand that has 3 or more cards in each suit, except it can have one doubleton.

• No void, no singleton, no more than one doubleton.

• The following combinations permitted:• 4-3-3-3• 4-4-3-2• 4-3-3-2


Unbalanced hand

• Could have a void• Could have a singleton• Could have more than one doubleton• Examples of unbalanced hands:

5-5-3-0; 5-4-2-2; 6-3-3-1


Opening bid one of a suit

Requires:• Unbalanced hand of > 12 points; or• Balanced hand of with > 14 points• BID LONGEST suit; • If two 4-carder, bid lower ranking;• If three 4-carder, bid middle ranking;• If two 5-carder or two 6-carder, bid

higher


Game zones

• In No trump 3 (9 tricks)• In major ( or ) 4 (10 tricks)

• In minors ( or ) 5 (11 tricks)+++++++++++++++++++++++++

+++++• Grand slam 37 points• Small slam 33 points• Game (in majors) 25 points• Game (in minors) 28 points• Part game < 25 points


Supporting partner’s major suit ( or )NEED 4 CARDS IN THAT SUIT

• 0-5 points• 6-9 points• 10-12 points• 13 or more points

PassRaise to the two levelRaise to the three

levelRaise to the four level


No interest partner’s major suit (Balanced hand)

• 0-5 points• 6-9 points• 10-12 points• 13 or more points

PassRespond 1 NTRespond 2 NTRespond 3 NT


Responding to partner’s major suit (in a new suit)

• 0-5 points• 6-9 points

• > 10 points

PassBid a new suit only if you can

bid at 1 level. Otherwise bid 1 NT

Bid a new suit (even if it is at the two level)


Penalty V/S Takeout doubles(How do you distinguish them?)

PENALTY if:• Your partner has already made a bid or• The opponents are in a game zone• Look to defeat the contract by at least

2 tricks

TAKEOUT if:• Double at 1 or 2 level; and• When your partner has not already

made a bid


Responses to takeout doubles

0 – 9 points

10 – 12 points

13 or more points

Bid your suit as inexpensively as possible

Bid your suit jumping 1 level

Bid to the game zone in your suit


Rebidding after a minimum response from your partner

12 – 15 points

16 – 19 points

19 or more points

Pass

Raise 1 level

Raise 2 level


OPENING BIDS OF TWO

• REFER TO ACOL BIDDING SUMMARY ALL THE TIME

• Now we move to strong two bids• Opening two of a suit or 2NT• Weak two/strong twos


Strong two bids - Requirements

• More than twenty points or 8 tricks

• 23 points or more or 10 tricks – open 2 whether balanced or unbalanced – artificial and need not have any clubs – forcing bid

• 20 – 22 points Balanced – open 2NT

Unbalanced – open 2, 2 or 2S; NOT 2Opening bid of 2, 2 or 2 is forcing for only one round


Opening 2 bid - examples

9

A K Q 9 4

A K Q J 4

A 3

A K 9

K Q 8

A Q J 9

A J 5

A K Q 10 9 8 7

A 8

A K 5 2

-

23 HCP; if bid 1 and partner passes (if no pts), you will miss the gameBid 2 (forcing)

24 HCP & bal; 2NT will indicate 20-22 pts Bid 2 (forcing), planning to rebid NT

20 HCP; lot of trick taking power (10); open 2 since you want to end up in Game zone


Opening ACOL two bid of , or - Requirements

• 20 -22 points; or• Expect to take at least 8 tricks• Powerful two suited hands (strong 5-

carders) • Unbalanced hand (bid 2NT if balanced)• Forcing for one round

• Natural not artificial (2 bid is artificial)

• If your suit is club; choice between 1 or

2 opening, planning to rebid 3


Opening ACOL two bids - examples

A K Q 10 9 8

A

A 7 3

J 6 3

A K 7

9 8

A Q J 10 8 6 2

3

9

A K Q 9 8

A K J 8 7

J 4

18 HCP; 8 tricks

Open 2

14 HCP; 8 tricks

Open 2

18 HCP; two strong five card

suits; Open 2 (higher ranking)


Opening Bids for Balanced hands

• 12-14 1NT• 15-16 1 of suit, planning to rebid

1NT• 17-19 1 of suit, planning to jump in

NT• 20-22 2NT

• 23-24 2, planning to rebid 2NT

• 25-27 2, planning to rebid 3NT


Responding to 2

9 7

8 6 3 2

8 4 3

J 9 4 2

• Only 1 HCP• Would like to pass but

cannot pass as 2 is an artificial and a forcing bid

• Artificial response of 2 denotes a weak hand (0-7 pts)

The auction might go:

North (partner) 2 2East Pass

Pass

South (You) 2 ??West Pass• Partnership must be in

the game zone• Bid 2NT to keep going

• If partner bids 3 to

your 2NT, you reply 4


Responding to an opening bid of 2

K Q 10 8 5

K 9 2

7 5

10 8 5

Q 9 7

Q 10 4

K 8 5

Q 10 6 3

8 2

10 4

A Q J 8 4 2

9 4 3

8 HCP; a good 5-card spade suit;

Bid 2

9 HCP & bal; Bid 2NT; if opener replies 3, bid 4

7 HCP + 2 but cannot bid 2 as it indicates a weak response; bid 3 instead


Responding to 2, 2 or 2 (2NT reply is a weak response 0-7 pts)

Partner opens 2

J 7 5

8 6

J 8 7 4 2

10 8 5

8 5 3

Q 7 2

A 9 5 2

Q 6 2

K J 10 8 5 2

3

K Q 8 2

7 3

2 HCP; MAKE A NEGATIVE RESPONSE OF 2NT; IF HE BIDS 3, YOU PASS

8 HCP; make a +ive response; if partner bidding with a 5-carder, you only need 3 to support; bid 3

9 HCP; make a positive response;

Bid 2S


Responding to 2NT

• Weak response is pass (0-3 pts)• For 4 or more HCP, bid as follows:• Balanced – reply 3NT

• Unbalanced – Bid 4 or 4, if you have 6-carder major;

• Or bid 3 or 3 with a 5-card major suit


Responding to 2NT

10 8 5

J 7 3

10 6 4 2

J 6 2

Q J 8 7 4 2

8

Q 9 3

6 4 2

7 5

K J 6 4 2

8 5

Q 6 4 2

2 HCP;

YOU PASS

5 HCP; 6 card major; total at least 8 in that major;

Jump bid to 4

6 HCP; 5 card major;

Bid 3


Bidding slams

• Combined strength of 33 or 37 points• Look to bid a SLAM• Rare chance and large bonuses• First priority is to find denomination• Invite slam by bidding new suits or

bidding beyond the game zone• Blackwood (or Gerber) Conventions to

ask for Aces and Kings


Blackwood – asking for Aces – Bid 4NT

5 No Aces (or all 4 Aces)5 1 Ace5 2 Aces5 3 AcesASKING FOR KINGS – BID 5NT6 No Kings (or all 4 Kings)6 1 Kings 6 2 Kings 6 3 Kings


Gerber – asking for Aces – Bid 4

4 No Aces (or all 4 Aces)4 1 Ace4 2 Aces4NT 3 AcesASKING FOR KINGS – BID 55 No Kings (or all 4 Kings)5 1 Kings 5 2 Kings 5NT 3 Kings (ONLY USE GERBER IF CLUB NOT BID)


Slam bidding – partner opens 2, you reply

2, partner rebids 3, what do you bid?

7 4

K J 6 4 2

Q 9 8 2

J 5

7 4

K Q 6 4 2

K 9 8 2

Q 5

7 4

K Q J 6 4 2

10 8 2

J 6

7 HCP+1; positive resp of 2; ptnr resp of 3 sets denmn; bid 4

10 HCP+1; since partner has 23+ pts, slam zone; ptnr resp of 3 sets denmn; bid 4

Gerber

7 HCP+2; bid 5 in case he is much stronger than 23; avoid 4


Slam bidding – partner opens 1

A Q 9 8

K 10 3

A Q 10

J 8 7

• partner opens 1

• 16 HCP; you reply 1

• partner jumps to 2NT – bal hand of 17 or 18 pts

• Combined total of 33 pts – slam zone

• Best denomination is NT

• Bid 4 NT Blackwood


Slam bidding – you open 1

A J 9

A Q 10 8 6 2

A J 4

Q

• With 18 HCP, you open 1

• partner jumps to 2NT – bal hand of 17 or 18 pts

• Combined tot 35+ pts – slam zone

• Best denomination is NT

• Bid 4 Gerber


OTHER CONVENTIONS FOR SLAM BIDDING

• Cue bidding


Next Lesson

• Pre-emptive bidding• (Chapters 11 of Zia’s book)

Documents

Lesson 9: Strong 2 and slam bids (Chapters 10, 12 & 13 of Zia’s book) Surendra Mehta February 2007