Wednesday, May 05, 2004 3:07 PM

Hand Evaluation - Serious 3NT Theory

PITBULLS:

One of the worst bidding crimes is showing your values to partner but essentially “bidding them again”. The “serious 3NT” is a tool to get to slams from both sides of the table by showing your intentions. The rule for “serious 3NT” theory is that either side Q bids as a courtesy in case the other side in unlimited & might have slam aspirations. If one side does not bid 3NT when they have the chance , there is no “serious” slam aspirations. That should be a signal to stay in game unless exceptional distributional hands exist. Q bidding , of course , does not show any extra values with “serious 3NT” theory. Serious 3NT only applies with a major suit fit & at least a 4-4 fit in trump.

Once you do make a “serious 3NT” bid , you have shown your intentions that you want to go to slam. Once you have got that bid off your chest but do not have any extra , you can bid game with impunity knowing that you have “done your duty” . If partner does not carry on , there must be a reason so the hand probably belong in game .

A partner & I had a “serious 3NT auction” where the principle of “ bidding your hand the 2^nd time” came up. Partner opened 1♠ , I bid 2♥ which brought 3♦ from partner . I bid 3♠ so partner made a serious slam try with 3NT . I had ♠xxx ♥AK10xxx ♦x ♣AQx so as ordered I bid 4♣ , partner bid 4♦ . I complied with 4♥ so partner bid Blackwood. With all the aces, we contracted for 6♠ which was a hopeless slam & went down one. Why was the slam so bad ? The main reason was that it was bid from only one side of the table. Partner had a nice hand for his serious 3NT bid but nothing really extra for the serious slam try bid that he already showed. He was “all in” ( to borrow a poker expression) with his 3NT bid so he can bid 4♠ over my 4♥ with impunity. Now my judgment comes into play . I have exactly zero HCP’s in his two suits. I have nice controls outside which I have showed him . I will drag my feet & pass 4♠ so that’s the limit of this hand . Both sides contributed to the final game contract thus avoiding the bad slam.

There is no such thing about being embarrassed about your opener & not show controls when asked by the “serious 3NT “ bidder . An unlimited hand demands a Q bid just as much as a “serious 3NT” bid. Say you open 1♠ with this bow wow ♠A109xxx ♥xx ♦Qx ♣KQ10 , partner bids 2♥ . You choose 2♠ ( maybe 2NT would be better ) , partner bids 3♠ . This shows that partner is unlimited so demands a Q bid. You cannot refuse to do so because your hand is bad . The reason will become obvious later in this auction. You bid 4♣ , partner bids 4♦ so you retreat to 4♠ . Partner holds ♠xxx ♥KQJ1098 ♦AKJ10 ♣void , gives up as you have shown duplication of value in clubs with a failure to make any serious slam try yourself . You win 12 IMPs as the spades do not behave so 5♠ does not make ! The opponents were in 5♠ down one on an aborted slam try !

OK. See what happens when if you do not Q bid 4♣ as asked by the unlimited hand but bid 4♠ . Partner now knows that there is no duplication of value in clubs ! In order to have an opener , your points must be in spades & possibly the heart Ace . Knowing that you do not have the ♣ Ace or King partner now bids 4NT but you are too high . The “serious 3NT” philosophy is supposed to allow the partnership to explore slam below game level. If you break the rules , you end up like the “standard” bidders with the ignominy of a 5 level contract going one down.

There are a number of unique & useful inferences playing “serious 3NT” theory . The jump to game is a picture bid showing no outside controls. This means that partner has good trump or an opener does not exist. ♠AKQxx ♥Qx ♦QJxx ♣xx

1♠-p-2♣-p

2♦-p-2♠-p

4♠ . Partner has ♠109x ♥Kx ♦AK ♣AKxxx , so knows that you do not have the heart Ace. You points must all be in spades for your opener . He bids 6♠ after your 5♠ Blackwood response because the slam is better than 50-50 with the known AKQ of trump over there. The heart Ace can be onside or partner can hold the heart queen which makes the slam very very good..