Wednesday, April
20, 2005 4:59 AM
Hand Evaluation -
Serious 3NT ( 5-3 Fits )
PITBULLS:
In order to get
maximum effectiveness from the serious 3NT in 2/1 auctions ,
you need some partnership understandings. A common 2/1 auction involving
serious 3NT after a 2/1 is finding your 4-4 major suit fit. There is an
understanding that why play 3NT as natural if you went to the trouble of
finding your 4-4 fit so 3NT is a serious slam try Q bid. What
about 5-3 major suit fits where a 3NT bid could be a suggestion that 3NT is a
better natural contract. ? My opinion is that 3NT as a Q bid is too valuable a tool to not use it as a
“serious slam” try even in these auctions. A leap to 3NT is never
a serious 3NT Q bid so that jump suggests an alternative contract.
1♠-P-2♣-P
2♦-P-2♠-P
2NT/3NT.
What
about if NT rears its head in these 5-3 major fit hands ?
I believe that you should not be able to suggest a NT contract twice in the same auction with 8 card fit
major hands ( 5-3 or otherwise ). If you or partner
have suggested NT as a contract but it has been rejected by finding a 5-3 fit ,
3NT is now a Q bid. Klimo and Tom had an auction that
demonstrates this nicely.
Tom ♠ 10xx ♥ x ♦
AJxxx ♣ AQJx
Klimo ♠ AQxxx ♥ AKQ ♦ Qx ♣
xxx
The auction goes 1♠-P-2♦-P
2NT-P-3♠-P ? Klimo bid 2NT
as an either or bid . A hand that evaluates to 18 + or
a minimum . Tom rejected a NT contract by finding a
5-3 spade fit. 3NT now must be
a Q bid in support of spades so shows serious slam interest with the higher NT
range. Tom now dutifully bids 4♣ , Klimo bids 4♥ denying a diamond
control. Tom now knows the partnership is off the diamond King and
his spades are not good. Tom accordingly signs off in 4♠ .
Klimo is “all in” with his serious slam try so they
avoid the 5 level which is precarious to say the least.
Say you bid the hand
the so called standard
way. Klimo
bids 4♥ suggesting a slam try but Tom signs off. Klimo bids 5♥ but that does not help Tom’s hand since he had a
stiff and duplication of value is present . Therefore , Tom shows good hand evaluation by signing off again. However it is too late as we have
reached the 5 level .
5♠ ended up
with a 4-1 break and two spade losers so it’s a terrible contract
. 12 IMPS thrown away for not using the “serious 3NT” tool
. The 5 level is for the opponents
for slam tries also J