Monday, March 12, 2007 9:55 PM

5NT – GSF

PITBULLS:

A leap to 5NT as the grand slam force is an old convention. The convention pre-dates KCB & exclusion KCB both of which do the same job. 5NT as a GSF is virtually extinct. If you had a chance to use KCB & did not , 5 NT can not be the GSF. We repeat , if 4NT was available , 5NT means something else. The most common modern meaning of 5NT is “pick a slam” . The auction usually dictates the suits & if NT was bid previously bid , 6NT may be one of the choices for slam.

Here is an expert auction in a Bermuda Bowl utilizing the modern meaning of 5NT as “pick a slam” . They open 3♦ and partner overcalls 3♠ and you hold ♠x ♥AKQxxx ♦A ♣KJxxx. 4♦ would imply a spade fit & 4NT KCB is not the bid you want to make. 4♥ is not forcing as we are in game so is this hand unbidable ? No , leap to 5NT saying partner pick a slam from the two unbid suits. 5NT can not be the GSF as you had 4NT available. Partner had ♠AJ1098x ♥x ♦xx ♣AQxx and 7♣ makes.

Partner pre-empts 4 of a major . What is 5NT ? You still have room for 4NT KCB so 5NT is not the GSF. 5NT asks for solidarity of your trump suit with these responses:

· 7 of the major means I can make it opposite a void

· 6 of the major means we could be too high already

· 6♦ is the queen ask – Partner bid 7 with Qx or xxx as I will now have a solid suit

· 6♣ asks for your length 2,1,or 0

o With 2 small bid 7

o With a singleton bid 6♦ & I will decide

o With a void return to the trump suit

What if you are interested in a Grand Slam after partner pre-empts at the 4 level in a major ? We do not need 5NT as a Grand Slam Force in the traditional sense as KCB is sophisticated enough for the old purpose. We need to re-define 5NT to ask the question is your suit “solid” ? If you have a solid suit that can play opposite a void , leap to 7 of your major. We further define the pre-empters “solid suit” the following way – solid with help from your partner. Solid opposite xxx or Qx from partner & next a solid suit opposite 2 small or singleton from partner. A return to the trump suit means no solid suit , period (KQJ10xxx(x) or AQJ10xxx(x) ) . This scheme allows hand evaluation by the pre-empter with regards to the length of her suit ( 7, 8 , 9 card suits) also.

If the pre-empters suit is “solid” with help from partner consisting of 3 small or the Qx , this means AKxxxxx or AKJ10xxx , she bids 6♦ after the 5NT question. Partner will take it from there and place the contract. If the pre-empters suit is “solid” opposite xx or a stiff , the pre-empter bids 6♣. Here is where partner gets into the act & returns information to the pre-empter. If partner has a void in the trump suit, she signs off in 6 of the major. If partner has xx of the suit , she bids the grand slam as partner has announced an 8 card suit to the AKJxxxxx or the like. If partner has a singleton , she bids 6♦ after the 6♣ response & in this one case only , the pre-empter places the final contract. AKxxxxxx is not good enough opposite a stiff but AKQxxxx is good enough for the grand. I guess , even 9 card suits can be evaluated in accordance with these solidarity rules.

Partner opens 4♠ and you hold ♠x ♥AKxx ♦Axxx ♣AKQx so you bid 5NT . If partner bids 6♦ , you sign off because she needs help from you that you do not have. If partner bids 7♠ , you correct to 7NT in case of a ruff. If partner bids 6♣ , you toss the ball back to her court with a 6♦ bid. She bids 7 or 6 depending on whether your singleton will make her suit solid. If partner bids 6♠ , hope that she holds her trump losers to one J.

Established partnerships should have this “solid suit” check back in their system. The death response after 5NT , is returning to the trump suit as you probably have a trump loser. 4 of a major varies so much in trump quality , you need a bid like this for correct slam bidding. In my opinion , anyway.