Monday, October 23, 2006 9:47 PM

Hand Evaluation – Tactics ( 4NT )

PITBULLS:

4NT is just too handy a bid just to be reserved for Ace asking. In the context of the appropriate bidding , 4NT is indeed Blackwood but do not be afraid to use this bid as natural & descriptive or other uses. Sometimes the auction gets up to the 4 level pretty fast with the annoyance of the opponents pre-empting in your auction. 4NT is the only bid to describe your hand so is far more helpful to partner than an ambiguous Q bid. Also the rank of suits & a misfit auction means that 4NT is a natural bid. Here is a Susan & Tom auction which shows 4NT as natural in a misfit auction.

1♠-P-2♣-P

2♥-P-3♦-P

3♥-P-4♦-P

4NT This bid is to play showing soft values. With controls , Tom would have chosen a different bid.

Tom Gandolfo had this difficult hand to bid vul vrs NV opponents. ♠x ♥AKxxxx ♦KQ10x ♣Kx . I opened 1♠ , the nv opponent pre-empted 3♦. Tom bid 3♥ so I bid 4♣ . This has now become a misfit auction as I possibly show 10 to 11 black cards & Tom has only 3 black cards. After a minor bid at the 4 level with horrible duplication of value , you want to slow the auction down & describe your hand. 4NT by you will get passed so you make +660 or +690 depending on the diamond play.

A player had this hand where 4NT shines as a bid to show extra. ♠x ♥AJx ♦A1098x ♣AQ10x . Partner opened 1♦ , I responded 1♥. Partner bid 2♣ so I bid 2NT as a “new suit” which could be unlimited in HCP’s. This 4^th suit forcing understanding , gave partner the opportunity to “pattern out” & show his stiff spade by bidding 3♥. This shows his pattern but it does not show all the extra HCP’s & nice controls. Over 3♥ , I bid 3NT which shows spades well stopped. You now bid 4NT to show your extra as a mild slam try. If you make another bid other than 4NT , you imply you do not like the NT contract possibly because you are void in spades or a 6-4 or similar hand. Partner has a bad 14 HCP with too many points in spades , so 4NT is the resting spot which makes easily.

In your Bridge “puppyhood” , 4NT is Ace asking. As you grow in this game , 4NT has many , many other uses . My default understanding is that 4NT is never Blackwood unless the auction makes it very clear that it is. A jump to 4NT with a major opener or implied is always KCB for the major. What is 4NT after a 4 level Q bid ? The auction goes 3♦-4♦-4NT & partner shows a huge hand with a two suiter. 4NT by responder should be natural warning partner of the duplication of value & lack of fit. The default of 4NT as Blackwood is for beginners in the game of Bridge. Minorwood & Kickback were invented to rid Bridge of “4NT always Blackwood” nonsense.

When the opponents pre-empt , they are trying to disturb your auction. One of their main goals is to get you out of 3NT. Ok , they do their dirty work but at least we can play 4NT as a contract. If the opponents open 3♦ . 3♥ , 3♠ & partner overcalls 4 of a minor , 4NT by responder is to play. We will repeat that , 4NT is to play. What is KCB then ? Q bidding their suit at the 4 level is KCB for partners minor.

3♦-4♣-P-4♦ KCB

3♥-4♦-P-4♥ KCB

3♠-4♣-P-4♠ KCB

When partner leaps to 4NT after a minor opener , it means only one thing. I was too strong to bid 3NT. 1♦-3♠-4NT-P means I am too strong to bid 3NT. 4♠ is KCB for diamonds. 3♠-X-P-4NT does not mean pick a minor . We hate that bid. 4NT means I am too strong to bid 3NT. I Q bid with a two suiter & both minors are two suiters. I will bid 4♠ saying I have two suits so bid one of them. You do not need 4NT for the minors. That is archaic & very bad bidding in my opinion. 4NT is too useful as natural.

When you play a 2NT rebid in a 2/1 or inverted auction as an either/or bid with a dual range of 12-14 or 18-19 , 4NT later in the auction quantitatively describes the upper range.

1♠-P-2♣-P

1♥-P-2♦-P

2NT-P-4NT or 2♥-P-2NT-P

4NT

For those paranoid about leaping to 6NT off two Aces can automatically answer Aces if they accept the 4NT invite . 5NT will be the final resting spot if off two Aces.

Another handy use of 4NT is defining the bid as a spade Q bid when the opponents are making your life miserable with the bully suit spades. A tormentee had this hand ♠void ♥KQ10xx ♦Axxx ♣Q10xx with everybody vul . Partner bid 1♣ , the tormentee responded 1♥ with LHO bidding 2♠. Partner doubled which was alerted as “cards” . The $%%^&# RHO ( moi ) bid 4♠ . What now ? . There is no agreed fit , partner has shown a good hand & the opponents are bidding your void at the 4 level. Surely 5♣ does not do justice with this particular hand. 4NT is KCB only by a beginner. Partner should be able to interpret 4NT as a spade Q bid in this auction which should imply a club fit. +1370 results if you try this bid , +620 when you do not.