Tuesday, August 06, 2002 4:53 PM

Hand Evaluation – Serious 3NT ( Q Bids )

PITBULLS:

Subash was telling me that among world class players "serious 3NT" has replaced the principle of fast arrival in 2/1 auctions & Jacoby 2NT with major suit fits. I have leaned so heavily on that “fast arrival “ principle & that Q bids show extra for so many years it is a drastic change for me. The new way of thinking has the jump to game virtually extinct . Q bids no longer show extra in major fit auctions because the other hand is unlimited . The 3NT bid with a fit  has replaced the "slow arrival" trump raise to show the serious slam try . Advocates of this way of bidding says it drastically cuts down futile slam tries at the 5 level & partner does not pre-empt you out of slams by jumping to game . Experts who play this also play the Italian style of Q bidding where the Q bid can be 1st or second round control when initially bid . We have discussed this Serious 3NT style in many articles before but as a review let’s review the basics :

1. 3NT is never to play once a major fit has been established . It makes the raise below game now just a "noise" where before it showed extra. 3NT asks for a Q bid

2. The jump to game still exists but it is a real dog showing no outside controls. Fast arrival just to show minimums is virtually extinct.

3. Q bids do not show extra when the other hand is unlimited

4. 3NT in Jacoby or splinter auctions does not mean duplication of value – fast arrival does mean duplication of value

    Lets bid a few hands some the old way and some the new way with serious 3NT understandings .

OLD WAY NEW WAY

    1♠                 2♥ xx AKxxxx Ax KQx 1♠                             2♥

3♥ 3NT

     4♥ ( minimum old way)      ?                                                    4♦          4♥  ( did duty with 3NT )

4♠  ( good  min )   4NT   (0K )

AKxxx Jxxx Kx xx                                                                        5♦                            6♥

    1♠                        2♦ xx xxxx AKJxx Ax          1♠ 2♦

    2♥                        4♥ ( minimum old way )                                      2♥         3♥

     ?                                                                                                 3NT                        4♣

AKxxx AKxx Qx xx                                                                       4♥  ( did duty)     5♦  ( good minimum )

6♥  (OK ) 

On both these hands the minimum's took the push as the serious slam try was made with the 3NT bid by partner. These minimums could have been a lot worse so when the big hands were pushy at the 5 level ,disaster could have occurred . All the bids the new way were bid below game.

    One thing I was worried about is that these auctions give too much information to the opponents for opening lead purposes. However , you have an inference that partner did not bid a serious 3NT so you can leap to game or sign off in game with a minimum armed with that information.

1♠               2♦

2♠               3♠

4♣               4♠      ( partner did not bid 3NT and you are minimum ) 

    A Fred Gittleman innovation to this style of bidding . He is so sure that enough information has been given in these auctions that he forbids Q bidding at the 5 level ! . He prefers to use the 5 level Q bid as exclusion Blackwood in that suit . Comments ?