Slam Bidding Overview --------------------- This lesson will cover 2 main topics regarding slam bidding: - When Slam is Possible - Bidding Guidelines - Modern Blackwood Techniques When Slam is Possible --------------------- To review the definition of a slam: - A small slam is when your side contracts for 12 tricks (six level) - A grand slam is when your side contracts for all 13 tricks (seven level) Small slam is possible when your side has a combined total of at least 32-33 points, including distribution. Grand slam is possible when your side has a combined total of at least 36-37 points, including distribution. As you know, I advocate bidding game if at all possible (even if it is a little less than 50%), because the scoring bonus for making game (300 for non-vulnerable games, 500 for vulnerable games) is so much higher than the score for making a partial (100 - 150). However, you should be more cautious about bidding slam; if you go down, you are losing the large game bonus. As a guideline, you should bid a small slam if the odds are significantly in your favor (67% or more, e.g., needing a 3-2 break or 1 of 2 finesses). You should bid a grand slam only if you are virtually certain you will make it (e.g., no worse than a 3-1 break), because you lose the small slam bonus if you go down. Obviously, it is difficult to determine what your odds are, but these principles should at least give you a sense of when to bid a slam. FYI, the small slam bonus is 500 non-vulnerable and 750 vulnerable; the grand slam bonus is 1000 non-vulnerable and 1500 vulnerable. Bidding Guidelines ------------------ Recall the 3 ranges for opening hands: - Minimum: 12-14 points - Medium: 15-17 points - Maximum: 18+ points As responder, you should think about bidding small slam using the following guidelines: 1) If you have a maximum opening count (18+), small slam is likely. 2) If you have a medium opening count (15-17) and opener has shown at least a medium hand (e.g., has opened 1NT or has reversed or made a second round jump). 3) If you have a minimum opening count (12-14) and opener has shown a maximum (e.g., has made a second round jump shift or jumped to game when you have made a response that can be as little as 6 points). As responder, you should only think about bidding grand slam if you have a maximum opening count and opener has shown a maximum as well. Occasionally, you can think about bidding a grand slam if one hand has a maximum opener and the other hand has a medium opener and your hands mesh well together (e.g., you have a double fit, 8 or more cards in 2 different suits). Almost always, responder is responsible for bidding slam (remember who is captain!). Only occasionally will opener bid slam, using the same guidelines as responder. Typically, this will happen when responder makes a bid which clearly defines his/her point range (e.g., a strong major suit raise (12-14) or 2NT (also 12-14) and opener has a maximum). Modern Blackwood Techniques --------------------------- Modern experts have extended Blackwood to find out about not only aces, but the king and queen of trump. The reason for this is that, for slam bidding, missing one of these honors (particularly the king) will likely mean a trump loser. Therefore, you shouldn't bid a slam if you are missing an ace and also have a possible trump loser. As with regular Blackwood, one partner (usually responder) initiates the asking sequence with a bid of 4NT. The Blackwood responses include the trump king as an ace (so there are 5 "key cards"). The responses are: - 5C: 0 or 3 key cards - 5D: 1 or 4 key cards - 5H: 2 or 5 key cards without the trump queen - 5S: 2 or 5 key cards with the trump queen You should only bid a small slam if you are missing no key cards, or you are missing one key card and you have no trump losers (e.g., you are not missing the queen or you have at least a 10 card fit). You may be wondering how you can determine if responder has the lower or higher number of key cards. If you think about it, it is almost impossible that you will be looking for slam without at least 3 key cards between the 2 hands. Therefore, if you have fewer than 3 key cards in your hand, you can assume that the Blackwoord responder has the higher number of key cards. The following rules establish the trump suit: - If a suit is bid and raised, that is assumed to be the trump suit - Otherwise, the last suit bid is assumed to be the trump suit FYI, the convention described above is known as Roman Keycard Blackwood. Quiz ---- The auction has proceeded 1D - 1S. Given you hold the following hands as responder, propose what bid(s) partner must make in order for you to consider: a) bidding small slam b) bidding grand slam 1) S AKxxx H KJxx D x C AQx a) You have a medium hand in light of partner's one diamond opening. Therefore partner needs at least a medium hand for you to bid small slam. If partner bids 2H or 3S, small slam is a good bet. If partner bids 3D, small slam is still possible, but I'd be worried. b) Partner needs a maximum for you to have grand slam, and even then, your singleton diamond is a liability. If partner bids 4S, grand slam is possible. If partner bids 2H, I would not consider grand slam even if partner has a maximum. 2) S AKxxx H x D KJxx C AQx a) You have a maximum hand in light of partner's opener. The only question is which suit is best. If partner bids 2S, look for a small slam in spades. If partner rebids 2D, look for a slam in diamonds. If partner bids 2H, also look for a diamond slam (partner has 5+ diamonds and 4 hearts). If partner bids 1NT, bid 2C (forcing, new suit) to see if partner raises spades or rebids diamonds; otherwise you may end up in NT. If partner bids 2C, partner has at least 4 diamonds (likely 5). b) If partner shows a medium (or, even better, maximum), grand slam is possible, if you have a good fit. A 3S bid should get you very excited (double fit in spades and diamonds). A 3D bid should also have you thinking about grand slam. A 3C bid is also good (partner is showing a max with at least 5 diamonds). A 2H bid should still have you thinking about a small slam, but I would be cautious about bidding a grand slam. 3) S AKxxx H KQxx D x C Kxx a) You barely have a medium hand, with the singleton diamond a negative feature. Therefore, unless partner shows a medium or better hand with a fit (e.g. bids 3S or 2H), small slam is unlikely. b) Grand slam is very unlikely. If partner bids 4S, it's possible, but even then I probably would not bid it. 4) S AKxxx H KQxx D QJx C x a) You have a good medium hand in light of partners opening bid (you could almost consider it a maximum if partner has a good diamond suit). Therefore, if partner shows any medium or better hand with a fit for you, small slam is very possible. Therefore, if partner bids 2H, I would look for a heart slam; if partner bids 3D, I would look for a diamond slam; if partner bids 3S, I would look for a spade slam. If partner bids 2D, I would bid 2H (forcing - new suit); if partner bids 2S or 3H, I would consider a small slam, although it might be marginal. I would not consider slam if partner bids 1NT or 2C. b) Partner needs to show a maximum hand in order for you to consider a grand slam. If partner bids 4S, I would consider bidding a grand slam. If partner bids 3C, I would probably settle for a small slam in diamonds. 5) S AKxxx H KQxx D x C QJx a) You have a medium hand with the singleton diamond as a negative feature. Therefore, the only bid that really has me excited is 3S. If partner bids 2H, I might also consider a small slam, but the QJ of clubs may not be worth their full value. b) If partner bids 4S, I might consider a grand slam, but would probably settle for a small slam. 6) S AKxxx H Kxxx D x C Kxx a) You have a minimum opener with the singleton diamond as a negative feature. Therefore, unless partner has a maximum with a fit, I would not consider small slam. If partner bids 4S, I would look for slam. If partner bids 2H, small slam is possible (partner is showing at least a medium, and possibly a maximum, hand), but I would probably settle for 4H. b) Grand slam is very unlikely. 7) S AKxxx H Kxxx D x C xxx a) You don't even have an opening bid and you have a singleton diamond. Therefore, small slam is very unlikely, and I would be happy if we get to a makeable game. b) Grand slam should not even cross your mind. 8) S AKxxxx H xx D Kxxx C x a) You have a very minimum opening bid (using the rule of 20, you have 10 points plus 10 cards in your 2 longest suits for a total of 20). Therefore, if partner shows a maximum with a spade fit (e.g. bids 4S), I would consider slam. There are hands partner can have where you can make 6 diamonds, but bidding such a slam requires very sophisticated bidding agreements, so most partnerships would not reach such a slam. b) Grand slam is unlikely (possible if partner has 4 spades, five diamonds to the AQ, and both the heart and club ace), but I would be happy bidding a makeable small slam. You, as opener, hold the following hand: S AJxxx H KQxx D Kxx C x For each of the auctions below, what is your Roman Keycard Blackwood response? 1) 1S-P-2H-P 4H-P-4NT-P 5S - hearts is trump, you have one ace and the KQ of trump. 2) 1S-P-3NT-P (3NT is spade raise with opening hand) 4S-P-4NT-P 5D - you have one ace and not the K of trump 3) 1S-P-2D-P 2H-P-3C-P 3D-P-4NT-P 5H - diamonds is trump, and you have one ace and the king of diamonds. 4) 1S-P-2C-P 2H-P-3D-P 3NT-P-4NT-P 5H - same as above. Diamonds is trump because it is the last suit bid.