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Bridge Basics 1U17 by Richard Pavlicek
Slam BiddingA slam* is a bid of six in any suit or notrump, which requires that you win 12 tricks. If your side can win 12 tricks, it is not sufficient to bid only game; you must bid six to receive the slam bonus.
A grand slam is a bid of seven in any suit or notrump, which requires that you win all 13 tricks. Bidding and making a grand slam earns an even greater bonus than for bidding six.
*The traditional term is “small slam” but this usage is obsolete — just say “slam” or you will be tagged as a novice. The word “slam” is also used to refer to either a six-bid or a seven-bid, as in the title of this lesson or the next heading.
| Contract | Points Required |
|---|---|
| Any 6 bid | 33 or more |
| Any 7 bid | 37 or more |
Notice that there is no difference between major suits and minor suits as to the number of tricks needed for slam. Either requires 12 tricks (or 13 for a grand slam) so the point-count requirements are the same.
| If partner’s last bid is 1, 2 or 3 NT, a bid of 4 NT asks partner to bid 6 NT with a maximum or to pass with a minimum. |
| If a trump suit is agreed, a bid four or five in an unbid suit is a slam try and forcing. |
This is called a “control-bid” because the standard practice is to bid a suit in which you hold the ace — a controlling card.
After the control-bid, partner must decide whether his hand is minimum or maximum for his previous bidding. Generally he should follow this strategy:
| If minimum, return to the trump suit at the cheapest level. If maximum, bid any other suit, which is also a control-bid. |
| If partner’s last bid is a suit, a bid of 4 NT asks for aces. |
This is the Blackwood convention. Partner must show the number of aces he has according to the steps listed below:
| Number of Aces | Blackwood Reply |
|---|---|
| 0 or 4* | 5 
|
| 1 | 5 
|
| 2 | 5 
|
| 3 | 5  |
After the Blackwood reply, the four-notrump bidder must place the final contract. Alternatively, if all four aces are held and a grand slam is possible, he may bid five notrump. This asks for kings and the replies are similar but one level higher.
| If partner’s last bid is 1 NT or 2 NT, a jump to 4 asks for aces. |
| Number of Aces | Gerber Reply |
|---|---|
| 0 or 4* | 4
|
| 1 | 4
|
| 2 | 4
|
| 3 | 4 NT |
*Making the same bid with 0 or 4 aces may seem unusual, but partner will always know which it is based on his own hand and the previous bidding.
Quiz 11
1. 
| A Q J 5 K J 6 10 8 3 K Q 7 |  |
| West _____ _____ | East 4 NT |
2.
| K Q 4 A Q J 9 2 K Q 10 4 5 | |
| West _____ _____ | East 3 |
3.
| A J 8 7 2 A Q 9 7 6 J 10 2 | |
| West _____ _____ | East 4 NT |
4.
| A K 9 7 5 3 K 4 10 2 A 9 5 | |
| West _____ _____ | East 3 |
5.
| K J 8 A K 10 2 K Q 9 A Q 3 | |
| West _____ _____ | East 4 NT |
6.
| A J 8 2 K J 9 2 A 2 A 8 4 | |
| West _____ _____ | East 4 |
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Main
Now assume your partner opens the bidding and makes the rebid shown. Fill in the response and the rebid you would make.
7.
| A 3 2 A Q 8 2 A 4 3 9 8 7 |
| West 1 2 NT | East _____ _____ |
8.
| 2 K Q 9 6 2 A K 2 K Q 8 2 |
| West 1 5 | East _____ _____ |
9.
| J 8 K Q 8 A Q 7 6 J 10 6 5 |
| West 1 4 NT | East _____ _____ |
10.
| Q 10 8 2 Q 7 3 A K 9 2 K 2 |
| West 1 4 | East _____ _____ |
11.
| Q 9 6 K J 8 6 A 8 2 J 10 2 |
| West 2 3 NT | East _____ _____ |
12.
| K Q 8 3 J 7 5 6 4 2 A K 5 |
| West 1 3 | East _____ _____ |
Answers| 1. | 1 NT |
| Pass |
| 2. | 1 |
| 4 NT |
| 3. | 1 |
| 5 |
| 4. | 1 |
| 4 |
| 5. | 2 NT |
| 6 NT |
| 6. | 1 NT |
| 4 NT |
| 7. | 1 |
| 6 NT |
| 8. | 4 NT |
| 5 |
| 9. | 2 NT |
| Pass |
| 10. | 3 |
| 4 |
| 11. | 2 NT |
| 6 NT |
| 12. | 1 |
| 4 |
© 2013 Richard Pavlicek