Thursday, August 05, 2004 12:35 AM

Serious 3NT in Competition

PITBULLS:

The “serious 3NT” inference is everywhere in your Q bidding style. If the opponents interfere with your auction , your Q bidding style does not change. As long as you remain under game , Q bidding does not show any extra and a 3NT bid after a known 5-4 major suit fit is still the serious 3NT . A hand came up tonight that shows this in action. My partner held Kxx xxxx AQxx Jx and my hand was void AKQ10x J10x K109xx . The auction went 1♥-1♠-2♠-3♠ 4♣-P-? . A 4♦ bid here is not obligatory as partner did not bid 3NT . A 4♦ bid can be made though as it does not show extra but whats the point ?. Partner is just Q bidding and bypassed the serious 3NT Q bid . You do not what to encourage him with your minimum and wastage in spades. Assume partner did bid 4♦ and we bid 4♥ . This should end the auction as partner has not made a “serious” slam try. He was bidding 4♣ in case your hand was unlimited. My partner did bid 4♦ so I though he had a better hand & bid 6♥ which was a lucky make . Change the spade king to the club Ace and a grand slam is possible.

Tom & Klimo had an auction where they did not get to slam due to a “serious 3NT” inference missed in competition. 1♥ by Klimo with A J10xxx AQJxx Qx and LHO doubles . Tom bids 3♦ with Jxx AKxxxx x Kxx and Klimo bids 3♠ . Tom dutiful bids his club control and Klimo bids 4♥ . This ends the auction from Tom’s perspective as he did not hear an obligatory 4♦ Q bid from his perspective. 6♥ is lay down but the partnership missed a chance to use the “serious 3NT” bid properly. Tom , in my opinion anyway , should Q bid 3NT over Klimos 3♠ saying I have a serious slam try here. Once he did not make that “Q” bid , Klimo is off the hook for not Q bidding the diamond Ace . If partner is not making a serious slam try , Klimo is under no obligation to show the diamond Ace. With no serious 3NT bid by partner his 4♦ bid should show a better hand then he had. Obligatory Q bids only occur as a courtesy in case partner has an unlimited hand. When Tom bypassed the “serious 3NT” he limits his hand so further Q bidding by the opener is based on a good hand. Q bidding does show extra when partner has limited his hand .

At our table , Kiz and Terplawy held these cards and they had a rougher ride. Maurice doubled a heart and Kiz bid 3♦ but I crawled in 3♠ . This took Allans Q bid away so he should pass as he has a lot of defense in diamonds and if partner can double 3♠ they will get massacred Is a double of 3♠ D.S.I.P. and committing the partnership to game ? Again in a competitive auction the serious 3NT is a fine tool . Kiz bids 3NT as a serious slam try . Allan can now bid 4♦ and Kiz can bid 4♥ as she did her duty with the 3NT bid. Allan can now bid 4♠ as another try and its all over as Kiz will bid 6♥ after Blackwood

Their auction brings up another point worth mentioning. What is 3NT after a splinter ? This does not show duplication of value in diamonds but a serious slam try so lets get Q bidding. The “serious 3NT” is a Q bid in itself saying I am serious over here and not just Q bidding because we under game level . By getting the serious 3NT off your chest you can calmly retreat to game and the ball is in partners court. The “serious 3NT” is a new Q bidding tool introduced by Meckwell so it will take time to get used to it . The serious 3NT is part of your “Q bidding” repertoire so do not forget to use it !! There are many inference taken if you do not bid the serious 3NT .