Thursday, August 05, 2004 12:35 AM

Hand Evaluation - Serious 3NT (Competition)

PITBULLS:

The “serious 3NT” inference is everywhere in your Q bidding style when you have found a major fit. Courtesy Q bids come into the fray opposite unlimited hands & 3NT is a Q bid in itself. When the opponents interfere with your major auction , your Q bidding style does not change. As long as you remain under game opposite an unlimited hand, Q bidding does not show any extra . A 3NT bid after a known 5-4 major suit fit ( Jacoby 2NT or otherwise) is still the serious 3NT . A hand came up tonight that shows this in action. My partner held ♠Kxx ♥xxxx ♦AQxx ♣Jx , my hand was ♠void ♥AKQ10x ♦J10x ♣K109xx . The auction went 1♥-1♠-2♠-3♠ 4♣-P-? . The Q bid says we have a major fit & is unlimited so 3NT is no longer natural. 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 what’s the point ?. Partner is just Q bidding & bypassed the serious 3NT Q bid . You do not what to encourage him with your minimum with wastage in spades. Assume partner did bid 4♦ & 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 thought 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 ( unlimited splinters with 4 card support bring in serious 3NT ). 1♥ by Klimo with ♠A ♥J10xxx ♦AQJxx ♣Qx , LHO doubles . Tom bids 3♦ with ♠Jxx ♥AKxxxx ♦x ♣Kxx so Klimo bids 3♠ as a courtesy . Tom dutiful bids his club control , Klimo bids 4♥ . This ends the auction from Tom’s perspective as he did not hear an obligatory 4♦ Q bid from his partner. 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 . When 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 . ( serious 3NT negative inference)

At our table , Kiz and Terplawy held these cards but they had a rougher ride. Maurice doubled a heart , Kiz bid 3♦ but I crawled in 3♠ . This took Allan’s Q bid away so he should pass as he has a lot of defense in diamonds so if partner can double 3♠ they will get massacred Is a double of 3♠ by partner 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♦ so Kiz can bid 4♥ as she did her duty with the 3NT bid. Allan can now bid 4♠ as another try so it’s 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 like in the early splinter days but a serious slam try , so let’s 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 inferences taken if you do not bid the serious 3NT . The serious 3NT should be a part of all sequences involving a major suit fit of 4-4 or better when you are serious about slam. The opponents bidding in your forcing auctions should be of no consequence.