Grand Slam Force

(Courtesy of Bob Crosby)

An interesting hand came up tonight playing with Maurice in our Thursday night IMPS. You hold AKQx AQJ10 KQJxx void and were thinking of opening 2 when Maurice opened 1. I responded 1 and Maurice bid 2. I bid 2 and Maurice gave me diamond preference. The hand is now simple since KCB with a void in partner's suit is silly. You go back to the Culbertson days and bid 5NT. If partner has the diamond Ace you bid 7 otherwise you stay in a bland 6 contract. With the majors, the return to the trump suit is the death response showing no honors period. Bidding 7 of course shows 2 of the top 3 unless you are Susan playing in the CWTC finals. With spades you have an extra step which you can define as something useful with your partners.

With hearts agreed

• 6 shows the Ace or King
• 6 shows the Queen. You do it this way so you can have 6 as an asking bid for extra length.

With spades agreed you can have a field day.

• 6 is the death response
• 6 that you can define for something
• 6 is the Ace or King
• 6 is the queen
• 6 is the queen with extra length.

With clubs agreed it is just a yes no response.

• 7 says you have both
• 6 says you do not.

With diamonds agreed, to be consistent with the majors:

• returning to the trump suit 6 should be the death response.
• 6 is saying I do have the Ace or King of diamonds.

This should be discussed as bidding a grand off the Ace of trump hurts in the IMP department.

The Grand Slam Force can be used in a modified form when partner shows a long and strong suit. Here, the Grand Slam Force does not ask for two of the top three honors, but, rather, for solidity.

Note: This might not apply if you were not vulnerable.

4 - 5NT? In general, a jump to seven shows a suit that will run even opposite a void, like AKQJxxxx. But what about bids at the six-level? 6 and 6 can be used to show hands that cannot play seven opposite a void, but can play opposite a singleton, doubleton, or tripleton.

4	Pass	5NT	Pass
6*

* 6 is a solid suit opposite either a singleton or a doubleton trump support; now the 5NT bidder bids 7 with a doubleton, or 6 with a singleton; with a void he signs off in 6.

4	Pass	5NT	Pass
6	Pass	6*

* I have a singleton. With AKxxxxxx, West signs off in six hearts. With AKQxxxx, he bids seven.

Example Hand:

9 AK976542 J87 J

A65 x A4 AKQ6543

4	Pass	5NT	Pass
6	Pass	6	Pass
6

Here 6 said opener has a good chance for no losers opposite either a singleton or doubleton trump. With only a singleton heart, responder bids 6 and opener signs off.

Example Hand:

J8 AKT9765 J872 void

A6 842 A4 AKQJ54

4	Pass	5NT	Pass
6*	Pass	7NT

* 6 says my suit is "solid" only opposite the queen or three small trumps.

Returning to our preview problem:

You pick up, both sides vulnerable: xx AKQJx void AKxxxx

Partner opens 4. What is your call? You bid 5NT. You assume partner has a strong spade suit. So 5NT asks partner to show exactly how strong. If partner bids 6, showing a suit that can play for no losers opposite either a singleton or doubleton, you bid 7. Partner has eight spades to the ace-king.