Tuesday, August
06, 2002 4:53 PM
Hand Evaluation – Q bids ( Serious 3NT )
PITBULLS:
Subash was telling me that among world class players
"serious 3NT" has replaced the principle of fast arrival
in 2/1 auctions & Jacoby 2NT with major suit fits. I have leaned so heavily
on that “fast arrival “ principle & that Q bids
show extra for so many years it is a drastic change for me. The
new way of thinking has the jump to game virtually extinct .
Q bids no longer show
extra because the other hand is unlimited . The 3NT bid with a
fit has
replaced the "slow arrival" trump raise to show the serious slam try
. Advocates of this way of bidding says it drastically cuts down futile slam
tries at the 5 level &
partner does not pre-empt you out of slams by jumping to game . Experts who
play this also play the Italian style of Q bidding where the Q bid can be 1st
or second round control when initially bid . We have
discussed this Serious 3NT style in many articless
before but as a review let’s review the basics :
1.
3NT is never to play once a major fit has been established . It makes the raise below game now just a
"noise" where before it showed extra. 3NT asks for a Q bid
1.
The jump to game still exists but it is a real dog
showing no outside controls. Fast arrival is virtually extinct.
2.
Q bids do not show extra when the other hand is unlimited
3.
3NT in Jacoby or splinter auctions does not mean duplication of value – fast
arrival does mean duplication of value
Lets bid a few hands some the old
way and some the new way with serious 3NT understandings .
OLD WAY
NEW WAY
1♠
2♥ xx AKxxxx Ax
KQx 1♠
2♥
3♥ 3NT
4♥ ( minimum old
way) ? 4♦ 4♥ ( did duty with
3NT )
4♠ (
good min ) 4NT (0K )
AKxxx Jxxx Kx xx 5♦
6♥
1♠ 2♦ xx xxxx AKJxx
Ax 1♠
2♦
2♥
4♥ ( minimum
old way )
2♥
3♥
? 3NT 4♣
AKxxx AKxx Qx xx 4♥ ( did
duty) 5♦ ( good minimum )
6♥ (OK )
On
both these hands the minimum's took
the push as the serious slam try was made with the 3NT bid by
partner. These minimums could have been a lot worse so if the big hands
were pushy at the 5 level disaster could have occurred
. All the bids the new way were bid below game.
One thing I was worried about is
that these auctions give too much information to the opponents for opening lead
purposes. However , you have an inference that partner
did not bid a serious 3NT so you can leap to game or sign off in
game with a minimum armed with that information.
1♠
2♦
2♠ 3♠
4♣
4♠ ( partner did
not bid 3NT and you are minimum )
A Fred Gittleman
innovation to this style of bidding . He is so sure
that enough information has been given in these auctions that he forbids Q
bidding at the 5 level
! . He prefers to use the 5 level Q bid as exclusion
Blackwood in that suit . Comments
?