Bridge for Beginners

CHAPTER 12

Slam Bidding

If the partnership has 33 or more combined points, it wants to reach the slam zone and pick up one of the large bonuses for bidding and making a slam contract. With 37 or more points, the partnership wants to find a grand slam contract, if possible. The partnership will often be considering the slam zone after a strong opening bid at the two level but there is also the possibility of a slam after an opening bid at the one level.

Considering slam after a strong opening two bid

An opening bid of 2 shows a hand of about 23 or more points and, if a responder makes a positive response, showing about 8 or more points, the combined partnership strength is at least 31 points. If either partner has anything extra, he will want to move the partnership into the slam zone.

The first priority, of course, is to find the denomination in which the partnership belongs. Once that has been decided, the partner with the extra strength can simply bid a slam contract. If he is uncertain about whether or not the partnership belongs in the slam zone, he can invite a slam by bidding a new suit or raising beyond the game zone. In the next chapter, we will discuss the Blackwood Convention which can be useful when exploring for a slam, but here we will keep things simple.

For example, suppose you are South and the auction starts off this way:

North	East	South	West
(Partner)		(You)
2	Pass	2	Pass
3	Pass	?

Let’s look at what you would do with each of the following hands:

With 7 HCPs and 1 point for the five-card heart suit, you have just enough for your positive response of 2. When your partner raises to 3, settling the denomination, you have nothing extra and can simply bid 4. If your partner is still interested in a slam, he can bid again.

On the second hand, you have 10 HCPs plus a point for the five-card suit. Since your partner should have 23 or more points, there is enough combined strength for a slam and you can jump to 6.

On the last hand, you have only 7 HCPs but 2 more points for the six-card suit. This is not quite enough to be in the slam zone if your partner has only 23 points, but you would like to be there if he has anything extra. You can invite slam by bidding 5, going one level beyond the game zone but leaving room to stop below the slam zone if your partner has nothing extra.

Considering a slam after an opening bid at the one level

Even after an opening bid at the one level, there are times when one partner may discover that there is enough combined strength to be in the slam zone. For example, suppose the bidding has progressed this way:

North (Partner)	East	South (You)	West
1	Pass	1	Pass
2NT	Pass	?

Your partner’s jump rebid to 2NT describes a balanced hand with about 17 or 18 points. Suppose this is your hand:

Since you have 16 HCPs, the partnership’s combined total is at least 33 points and you should be headed into the slam zone. Your partner has shown a balanced hand without four-card support for your spade suit, so the best denomination is no trumps. Make sure the partnership arrives in the slam zone by bidding 6NT.

Let’s look at another example. You start the bidding 1 and your partner jumps to 4, showing a hand worth at least 13 points. This is your hand:

With 18 HCPs (and, assuming you are counting length, 2 points for the six-card suit), the partnership should have the required 33 combined points needed for the slam zone. Rebid 6. With slightly less strength, you could invite your partner to bid a slam by bidding 5.

When you are considering the slam zone, you work with your partner to find out if the combined strength is 33 or more points. The idea is the same as considering whether or not there are enough points for the game zone. In both cases, it is basically a matter of addition.

Over Zia’s shoulder

Audrey:	Tell us about a hand where you and your partner arrived at a slam contract.
Zia:	I opened 1 with a hand that didn’t, at first, seem to me to have much slam potential.

	When my partner responded 1, however, my ears pricked up. This was a lot better than hearing 1. I gave myself 5 support points for the void in hearts and my hand was now worth 17 points in total. This was enough to rebid 3, rather than 2. This encouraged my partner who now bid 5, inviting me to a slam. I had promised about 16–18 points, so I was not at the bottom of my range and, never one to be shy, I accepted the invitation and bid 6. Although the opponents had the A and the K they didn’t take a trick and we made the slam.

Commonly asked questions

When I opened the bidding 1NT, my partner raised to 4NT. What should I have done?

Partner’s raise beyond the game zone, without bidding a slam, is an invitational, or quantitative, raise inviting you to bid a slam. Since you have promised 12–14 points with your opening bid of 1NT, you should decline the invitation, by passing, if you only have 12 points. With 14 points, you should accept and bid 6NT. With 13 points, your guess is as good as mine! It is similar to the situation when partner raises to 2NT, inviting you to bid a game.