ACBL39 – Notrump: Quantitative 4/5 Notrump   Ward Trumbull                                                                    

                                                                                                             Feb 6, 2011

                                                                                                             Page 1 of 3

What

 

      This is a slam bidding convention used when partner opens a notrump.

      The goal is to have enough HCP between the hands to warrant a slam

      contract.  The standard for notrump slams is:

 

             33+ HCP for a small slam (12 tricks)

                             With that count you could not be missing 2 aces.

 

             37+ HCP for a grand slam (13 tricks)

                            With that count you could not be missing any aces.

 

      Note that in suit slams distribution points may be included but not in a

      notrump slam.

 

Options

 

      1. In response to an opening notrump bid you can cheaply ask for aces

          by using the Gerber convention (a bid of 4 clubs).  This can be used

          directly or after a Stayman or Transfer bid.

 

      2. You could also use Blackwood (a bid of 4 notrump) in the same

          situations.

 

      3. The third option is to use a direct 4 notrump bid (not as Blackwood)

          but as a quantitative bid (HCP) to see if your pair has 33+ HCP for

          a notrump small slam.

 

      4. The fourth option is to use a direct 5 notrump bid as a quantitative

          bid to see if your team has 37+ HCP for a notrump grand slam.

 

      Remember that in all four cases the responder is in control, and the

      opener does what the responder asks or tells him/her to do.

 

 

 

 

      ACBL39 – Notrump: Quantitative 4/5 Notrump   Feb 6, 2011

                                                                                                             Page 2 of 3

 

Quantitative 4 Notrump (Notrump Small Slam Invitation)

 

  1. Our one notrump range is 15-18 HCP.  If the responder has 16-17 HCP

      he/she can invite a small notrump slam with this bid.  The opener’s

      options are:

 

          15 HCP - pass the 4 notrump bid

          16 HCP - gamble and bid 6 notrump, hoping responder has 17 HCP

          17-18 HCP - bid 6 notrump

 

  2. Our Trumbull 2 club notrump range is 19-21 HCP.  In this case the

      responder needs only 13 HCP for the invitational 4 notrump bid.

      The opener’s options are:

 

          19 HCP - pass the 4 notrump bid

          20-21 HCP - bid 6 notrump

 

      Note that with 14-15 HCP responder would have just bid 6 notrump.

 

 3. Our two notrump range is 22-24 HCP.  Now the responder needs only

     10 HCP to query.  The opener’s options are:

 

          22 HCP - pass

          23-24 HCP - bid 6 notrump

 

Quantitative 5 Notrump (Notrump Grand Slam Invitation)

 

     The logic for 5 NT is the same as it is for 4 NT, except the stakes are

     higher.      

 

 1. Over one notrump, a 5 notrump response indicates 19-20 HCP.  The

     opener’s options are:

 

          15-16 HCP - bid 6 notrump

          17 HCP - bid 6 notrump or gamble with 7 notrump

          18 HCP - bid 7 notrump

      ACBL39 – Notrump: Quantitative 4/5 Notrump   Feb 6, 2011

                                                                                                             Page 3 of 3

 

Quantitative 5 Notrump (continued)

 

 2.  Over the Trumbull 2 club notrump (19-21 HCP), the responder needs

     16-17 HCP for the 5 notrump query.  The opener’s options are:

 

          19 HCP - bid 6 notrump

          20 HCP - bid 6 notrump or gamble with 7 notrump

          21 HCP - bid 7 notrump

 

 3. Over two notrump (22-24 HCP) the responder needs 13-14 HCP for the

     5 notrump query.  The opener’s options are:

 

         22 HCP - bid 6 notrump

         23 HCP - bid 6 notrump or gamble with 7 notrump  

         24 HCP - bid 7 notrump