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April 15, 2000
Making a Defensive Plan and Slam Bidding - Ace Asking

Making a Defensive Plan

As East, your hand:

East

A62

98753

A973

The auction:

West	North	East	South
			1
1	3	Pass	4
Pass	Pass	Pass

The opening lead is the K.

	North
	AQJ
	J1075
	QJ10
West	854	East (you)
???		9
???		A62
???		98753
???	South	A973
	???
	???
	???
	???

What is your defensive plan? You know everything you need to know in order to defeat the opponents.

Overtake partner’s lead with the A and lead a spade! Declarer is headed for a sure defeat is he started life with at least two clubs. Win the A and put partner back on lead with the Q.

Your action and the dummy’s spade holding should make things absolutely clear to partner. She should quickly lead a second spade for you to trump.

The complete hand:

	North
	AQJ
	J1075
	QJ10
West	854	East (you)
K107642		9
4		A62
64		98753
KQ102	South	A973
	853
	KQ983
	AK2
	J6

If you do not make a plan, then opportunities will slip from your grasp. Think about what you know and how it might help your efforts.

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Slam Bidding - Ace Asking

This brief is an excerpt from an article that first appeared in Issue #8 (Sep/Oct 1995) of The Bridge Companion.

The ace asking conventions are valuable tools to use in determining if the partnership has enough controls to bid a slam. Ace asking bids are designed to do one of two things:

Verify that you are not missing two aces on a hand that you have already decided is within the slam zone.
Verify that you possess all the aces before bidding a grand slam.

I recommend that you read the above two points again, as they are very important. Too many players misunderstand the use of ace asking conventions. The basic facts about ace asking:

They should generally be used only if you have a hand without 2 quick losers in all unbid suits.
Using an ace asking convention while holding a void is rarely the proper thing to do. The answer probably will not tell you what you need to know.
Asking about kings after asking about aces guarantees possession of all the aces and is a GRAND slam try. Partner is entitled to leap to the grand slam with an appropriate hand.

Responses to 4NT, Blackwood:

5 - 0 or 4 aces (partner should know the difference)
5 - 1 ace
5 - 2 aces
5 - 3 aces
5NT - 2 aces plus useful void
6 level - 1 ace plus a void in the suit bid, unless the suit bid is the trump suit in which case the void is located in a suit above the trump suit.

After the 4NT question, a bid of 5NT is a try to get to a grand slam. It guarantees possession of all four aces.

Responses to 4, Gerber:

4 - 0 or 4 aces (partner should know the difference)
4 - 1 ace
4 - 2 aces
4NT - 3 aces

When is 4NT Blackwood and when is 4 Gerber?

4 is Gerber in no trump auctions. Responder can bid 4 Gerber to ask for aces in any auction where the opening bid was 1NT or 2NT or in any auction where opener’s rebid was in no trump. Opener can bid 4 Gerber to ask for aces in any auction where responder made a limited no trump response of 1NT, 2NT, or 3NT. 4 is used for Gerber ace asking in no trump auctions because 4NT is needed for another purpose. It is needed as a Quantitative bid (partner bid slam if you are on the maximum and pass if you are on the minimum).

4NT is used as Blackwood on suit auctions. All auctions except those detailed above for 4 Gerber use 4NT Blackwood as ace asking.

Exercise

What is the last bid?

No. 1
Partner		You
1		4NT

No. 2
Partner		You
1NT		4NT

No. 3
Partner		You
1		1
2		4NT

No. 4
Partner		You
1		1
1NT		4

No. 5
Partner		You
1		1
1NT		4NT

No. 6
Partner		You
1		2NT
4

No. 7
Partner		You
1		3NT
4NT

No. 8
Partner		You
1		3NT
4

No. 9
Partner		You
1		2
2NT		4NT

No. 10
Partner		You
1NT		2
2		4NT

Answers:

1. The opening bid was in a suit and neither partner bid no trump naturally. 4NT is Blackwood.
2. Partner opened with 1NT. Whenever partner has limited the hand by a no trump bid, 4NT is Quantitative. 4 would be Gerber.
3. Partner has not made a limited no trump bid. 4NT is Blackwood.
4. Opener’s rebid was 1NT. 4 is therefore Gerber. 4NT would have been Quantitative.
5. Opener’s rebid was 1NT (13-15 balanced). 4 is used for Gerber. 4NT is Quantitative.
6. You have limited your hand by the 2NT bid (13-15 balanced). If partner knows we are in slam zone he may check for aces by using 4 Gerber. 4NT is Quantitative, used to ask size (minimum or maximum?).
7. You have limited your hand by the 3NT bid (16-18 balanced). If partner knows we are in slam zone she may check for aces by using 4 Gerber. 4NT is Quantitative, used to ask size (minimum or maximum?).
8. You have limited your hand by the 3NT bid (16-18 balanced). If partner knows we are in slam zone she may check for aces by using 4 Gerber. 4NT is Quantitative, used to ask size (minimum or maximum?).
9. Opener’s rebid was 2NT (13-15 balanced). 4 is used for Gerber. 4NT is Quantitative.
10. 4NT is Quantitative. 4 would have been Gerber. You are allowed to stop and use Stayman first before bidding either 4 Gerber or 4NT Quantitative.

Thanks!
Gary King

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