Sunday, January 22, 2006 9:55 PM

Hand Evaluation – Misfits ( 4NT Contract )

PITBULLS:

Tom and Susan had an auction today where “all misfits belong in NT” but 4NT ! . Tom opens 1♠ , Susan bids 2♣ followed by Tom bidding 2♥. Susan bids 3♦ followed by 3♥ from Tom.. In the teeth of a misfit , Susan bids 4♦ which of course is a slam try. What is 4NT by Tom ? This says I have no interest in this misfit auction so I am aborting the slam try. What if Tom bids 4♥/♠ instead ? What would a 4NT bid by Susan mean ? This means I have made my slam try so responder is signing off in 4NT to play. Any further advancing must be done from your end. If you have not established a fit , 4NT is not Blackwood. Yes , in rare cases you might be in a slam off two Aces in these misfit auctions but it is so rare it should be discounted. Misfits by their very nature need more HCP to make a slam. Having an insurance policy like Blackwood is not needed because you better have upwards of 34 HCP between the two hands. You will need all of it in these quantitative misfit auctions.

My partner has come up with a good idea in these types of auctions. You bid 4NT to play if you lack controls so only support partner with controls. Say Tom had ♠KQJxx ♥KQxxx ♦x ♣Ax with Susan bidding the same way. This is still a 4NT bid even with the club fit as you lack Aces. Change the hand to ♠AJxxx ♥Axxxx ♦xx ♣Ax , you would bid 5♣ as a slam try or just leap to 6♣ with 3 Aces.

My partner devised an idea with our minor slam tries that 4NT should be bid unless you hold specifically controls in partners minor suit(s) or the major Aces. Even with a 3 card fit , we do not support partner without controls. ♠KQJxx ♥KQxxx ♦void ♣QJx is still a 4NT bid in this auction. What if partner pulls 4NT to 5♣ ? This bid should show controls also or partner should leave 4NT as the contract. Now you should bid 6♣ with this hand. When 4NT is no longer Blackwood in these auctions , you need some subtle slam bidding understandings. Aborting to 4NT with a hand that lacks controls is one of them. Who needs Blackwood anyway ? Slams are allowed to be bid without asking for Aces. Blackwood is for beginners.