Sunday,
October 15, 2006 5:12 AM
Minors - 4NT KCB
PITBULLS:
Kantars
KCB coupled with suit
asks is a very powerful slam
bidding combination. This way of reaching slams replaces Q bids and puts
partner into a “puppet” position to just answer questions. Some hands are
easier to bid by this “taking control” method. Here is a hand where the
decision rests between taking control via KCB or Q bidding to reach 7♣ . How about a combination of both
methods ?
You
open 1♣ with ♠Ax
♥AJx
♦Qx
♣AQJ10xx and
partner responds 2♣ limit raise or better with
♠xx ♥x ♦AKxx ♣Kxxxxx . You are just under a demand 2
bid in clubs yourself so once partner bids an inverted minor the question is 6♣
or 7♣. Therefore if you take control by bidding 4♣ and partner replies 2 with
the queen ( extra length ) 4NT you are up to the 5 level before you can ask
about suits. This clearly is not the
way to go.
You
take things slowly by bidding 2♥
and partner bids 3♦ .
Taking control by 4♣ is no better now than before so you continue Q bidding with
3♠.
Partner bids 4♦
so here is your last chance to take control via 4NT . Can you mix Q bidding
& KCB ? Of course you can. This 4NT can not be to play as the auction has
been nothing but positive thus
far. Controls in all 3 suits have been bid. 4NT is also a depending on context bid and this auction
dictates that 4NT is KCB . You have the information that partner is willing
& holds the AK of diamonds. Would Q bidding any further be beneficial ?
You
bid 4NT and partner confirms both missing controls and extra length by bidding
5♠.
You now bid 6♥
as you can count all winners outside the heart suit. Partner bids 7♣ with the
stiff heart and you reached the optimum spot.
Alternatively
if you go the Q bidding route playing Italian style Q bidding , there is a
danger that you & your partner were bidding 2Nd round controls.
This is why Q bidding beyond 4NT
is risky business. You need a bid like 5NT to say to partner , I have been
bidding 1st round controls all along
so do you want
to bid 7 ? I prefer to still
use 4NT as KCB with minors when
the context of the auction defines
it to be.