Tuesday, September 23, 2003 5:22
PM
Hand Evaluation
– Serious 3NT ( Last Train )
PITBULLS:
Assuming a major suit fit , serious 3NT is
an integral part of the slam bidding
structure . There is also a Q bidding inference with the serious 3NT when hearts are the agreed trump
. Bidding 3NT denies
a spade control. Therefore,
partner still may have serious slam interest with a 3♠ Q
bid so she must Q bid on that basis.
There are some holes in this “serious 3NT” Q bidding structure that
must be filled with a Q bidding understanding .
This hole comes from the simple Bridge fact that the rank order
of Q bidding can result in higher ranking suits shutting out lower ranking
suits but you
have already reached game level.
Serious 3NT Q bidding was designed to
keep you below the game level. You do not want to go to the 5 level to Q bid
as in the American style of Q bidding but you are still interested in slam. So
now what ? Q bidding at the 5 level kills Blackwood
with the Italian style of Q bidding 2nd round controls first. You
need a way of telling partner you have that control but not go beyond game or
Blackwood. This understanding is called “Last Train to Clarksville” which
means a bid in a suit just below
your major suit game is a serious slam interest but shows the control in a lower ranking suit but not the suit
bid.
This understanding is a message to partner. Partner has two
inferences on what you did not do . You
did not sign off in your major suit game
but more importantly
you did not take further control by bidding
Blackwood . Therefore , you
obviously are lacking a key control to bid Blackwood but you making one last
attempt at slam in case partner has that control. Last Train is not that hard a
concept. Why is partner not bidding 4NT ? Review the Q bidding to arrive at your answer. What did partner
or yourself not Q bid ? Rank order
of Q bidding very important.
Some sample auctions to further describe the
concept:
1♠-P-2♦-P
2♠-P-3♠-P
3NT-P-4♦-P
4♥
You have serious slam interest via your 3NT
bid . Partner has denied a club control but you have
it or you would have signed off in 4♠ . You are
telling partner that you have a club control by still trying for slam . If you had both controls you would bid KCB yourself.
…
1♥-P-2♦-P
2♥-P-3♥-P
3NT-P-4♦-P
You have
denied a spade control by bidding 3NT . Responder has a spade control
but she cannot bid it below game . She does not have a club control or she
would have bid it so she is making a last train slam try at slam with the spade
control.
1♠-P-2♥-P
2♠-P-3♠-P
3NT-P-4♣-P
4♥
The 4 heart
bid is a last try for slam saying opener does not have
a diamond control but I am still interested via overall strength. Opener may
lack a heart control.
1♠-P-2♥-P
2♠-P-3♠-P
4♣-P-4♥-P
4♣
was a courtesy Q bid , so 4♥ is an “asking”
last slam try attempt. It says I do not have a diamond control but I am still
interested in slam when you do.
1♠-P-2♥-P
2♠-P-3♠-P
4♦-P-4♥-P
Since the 4♦ bidder denies a
club control , 4♥ must say I
still have interest and the club control but I still do not have enough to take
control by bidding 4NT. Over to you ..
1♥-P-2♦-P
2♥-P-3♥-P
4♦ This
is simply a diamond control showing no spade or club control
with no serious slam interest.
This “Last
Train” Q bidding style is a part of serious 3NT theory. Interestingly , Bridge World standard has adopted “Last
Train” Q bidding with any slam strain but not serious 3NT . Here is the
definition from Bridge World Standard .
“Last Train: Any time there is only one call that indicates slam
interest or further slam interest without raising
the partnership’s level of commitment, it is a Last Train slam-try,
unrelated to the strain named (unless followed by an uninvited further action).”