Tuesday, February 11, 2003 3:53 PM
 
Hand Evaluation - 2NT ( Minor Slams )

 

PITBULLS:

 

Showing minors after a 2NT opener just involves have 3♠ as a relay to 3NT. Just found out that Kantar plays the same treatment as we do with minors over 2NT but he adds a transfer element . Is it worth taxing our memory to implement it ? I do not think so , therefore I took them out below.  Also see the 4NT bid by responder after the 3♠ relay to 3NT as minor suit Stayman . My partner came up with the concept of “picture bids” in these sequences to tell partner exactly how many controls are missing. This is a neat concept , you tell partner about the fit with the appropriate controls in one bid , by jumping to game or slam. Jumping to game tells responder we are missing 3 key cards , Jumping to slam says we are missing 2 key cards & 4NT says we are missing 4 or more or no fit. Tom came up with a 5♣ jump after the relay saying pass or correct to a minor.

 

RESPONDING TO 2NT WITH SLAM INVITATIONAL MINOR SUIT HANDS

It has always been a problem to show the minors in response to a 2NT opening bid.

 2nt Minor Suit Slam Tries

 

2nt      3♠       relay to 3NT

3nt      ?

 

4♣       Club slam try

                        4♦ Kickback RCB for clubs

                        4n to play , can have clubs but lacks controls

                       

4♦        Diamond slam try

                        4♥ Kickback RCB for diamonds

                        4n to play can have diamonds but lacks controls

                       

 

4♥        stiff with both minors

                        4nt to play

                        5♣ interested in slam. Missing 3 keycards (A♠, A♥, AK♦, AKQ♣)

                        5♦ interested in slam. Missing 3 keycards (A♠, A♥, AKQ♦, AK♣)

6♣ Missing 2 keycards (A♠, A♥, AK♦, AKQ♣)

                        6♦ Missing 2 keycards (A♠, A♥, AKQ♦, AK♣)

           

4♠        stiff with both minors

                        4n to play

                        5♣ interested in slam. Missing 3 keycards (A♠, A♥, AK♦, AKQ♣)

                        5♦ interested in slam. Missing 3 keycards (A♠, A♥, AKQ♦, AK♣)

6♣ Missing 2 keycards (A♠, A♥, AK♦, AKQ♣)

                        6♦ Missing 2 keycards (A♠, A♥, AKQ♦, AK♣)

 

4nt       both minors ( Minor Suit Stayman ), 5-4-2-2 & 5-4-3-1 hands included but  not forcing

                        5♣ interested in slam. Missing 3 keycards (A♠, A♥, AK♦, AKQ♣)

                        5♦ interested in slam. Missing 3 keycards (A♠, A♥, AKQ♦, AK♣)

6♣ Missing 2 keycards (A♠, A♥, AK♦, AKQ♣)

                        6♦ Missing 2 keycards (A♠, A♥, AKQ♦, AK♣)

 

            5♣       weak both minors ( taking a shot) pass or correct only options

                        x x J1098xx QJxxx

 

 

An example of a 3♠ bid followed by 4♦ might be:  S. xx  H. Jx   D. AQ9xxx  C. K10x

An example of a 3♠ bid followed by  4♥ might be:   S.  xx  H. x  D. AJxxx  C. KQJxx 

An example of a 3♠ bid followed by 4NT might be:   S. Kxx  H. xx  D. Axxx  C. AJxx

An example of a 3♠ bid followed by 5♣ might be S. x H. xx  D.  J109xx  C. QJ109x


            Lets try on auction with the “picture bid “ concept with a hand from Thurday nite. Partner opens 2NT , you have ♠KJ ♥AJx ♦Qx ♣J1098xx  so you bid 3♠ & partner takes the relay to 3NT. You bid 4♣ & partner with ♠Axx ♥Kxxx ♦Ax ♣AKQx leaps to 6♣ saying he is missing exactly two key cards from the pre-determined scheme.

If the 2NT bidder lacks controls say ♠Qxx ♥KQx  ♦KJx ♣AKQx , she can still bid 4NT with a 4 card club fit as she lacks the controls to bid 5♣ , 6♣ or take control with 4♦ Kickback. The other hand now knows that she is missing at least 4 key cards as defined in this scheme. Change partners hand by adding controls Ax Ax Axx J10xxx so would bid 5NT saying “pick a slam”.

When partner is showing a single suited hand it is probably 6 or 7 cards long. She is not interested in the length you have in the suit but your overall controls. Therefore , she is asking you to evaluate your slam potential with respect to controls vrs soft values. My partner opened 2NT with ♠Qxx ♥AKJx ♦Kx ♣AQJx , I bid 3♠ so he took the relay to 3NT . I bid 4♦ showing a single suited slam try in diamonds. Partner has enough controls to avoid bidding the death response of 4NT. He bids 4♥ KCB so we get to our baby +1370 in diamonds. I held ♠Ax ♥x ♦QJxxxx ♣Kxxx so his diamond control & the rest of the hand , made 6♦ easy. Should I bid 5♣ after the 4NT death response ?  No that is master minding as partner already has told you she does not have a suitable hand for any slam due to “soft values “.

 

Here is a hand from the Bermuda bowl ♠Axx ♥AKx ♦AKQx ♣K10x  opposite

♠Kx ♥Qxx ♦10x ♣AQ98xx   2♣-P-2♦-P                   (1) Kickback

                                                 2NT-P-3♠-P                 (2) 1 or 4

                                                3NT-P-4♣-P                 (3) Queen ask

                                                4♦(1)-P-4♥ (2)-P          (4)  yes with spade King

                                                4♠(3)-P-5♠(4)-P           (5)  Anything extra ?

                                                5NT(5)-P-6♥(6)-P       (6)  Heart queen

                                                7NT(7)                           (7) Count 13