Grand Slam Force
Welcome to the Convention-of-the-Week Club (Thanks to
Matts @ BRIDGE TODAY.COM)
April 26, 2002
You pick up, both sides vul:
ªxx
¨ --
§AKxxxx
Partner opens 4S.
What is your call?
Convention of the Week: Grand Slam Force
>This name of this convention is a mistake, but the
name has stuck. Really it should be called "The Grand Slam
Invitation." Jumping to 5NT asks partner to bid seven with two of the top
three trump honors. This is the traditional meaning. Most partnerships also
agree on some meaning for a suit response at the six level below the trump
suit.
Opener Responder
1H 3H
(limit raise)
5NT ?
6C = ace or king
6D = queen or extra length
With Axxx or Kxxx, responder bids 6C.
With Qxxx or xxxxx, responder bids 6D.
With AKxx, AQxx, or KQxx, responder bids seven.
Over 6C, you can bid 6D to ask for extra length. For
example:
Opener
Responder
ª A K 4 3 ª 8 7 6
© K 8 7 5 4 © A 9 6 3 2
¨ A K Q J ¨ 6 4
§ —
§ K Q 8
1H
3H
5NT
6C (ace or king)
6D*
7H
*asks for extra length
When the trump suit is a minor
The 6C bid does not apply if the trump suit is clubs. And
the 6D bid does not apply if the trump suit is diamonds. When the trump suit is
clubs or diamonds, a jump to 5H or 5S can be used as the Grand Slam Force to
save room, but this requires some delicate understandings (we leave this to you
for now).
Using the Grand Slam Force opposite known strong suits
The Grand Slam Force can be used in a modified form when
partner shows a long and strong suit. Here, the Grand Slam Force does not ask
for two of the top three honors, but, rather, for solidity.
West dealer
East-West vul (note that this might not apply if E-W were
not vul)
4H
5NT
?
In general, a jump to seven shows a suit that will run even
opposite a void, like AKQJxxxx. But what about bids at the six-level? 6C and 6D
can be used to show hands that cannot play seven opposite a void, but can play
opposite a singleton, doubleton, or tripleton, i.e.:
West East or
West East
4H 5NT 4H 5NT
6C 6D
6C = solid suit opposite either a singleton or a
doubleton trump support; now the 5NT bidder bids 7H with a doubleton, or 6D
with a singleton; with a void he signs off in 6H.
West East
6C
6D = I have a singleton
?
With © AKxxxxxx, West signs off in six
hearts. With © AKQxxxx, he bids seven.
Example Hand:
West East
ª 9 ª A 6 5
© A
K 9 7 6 5 4 2 © 8
¨ J 8 7 ¨ A 4
§ J § A K Q 6 5 4 3
4H 5NT
6C 6D
6H pass
Here 6C said West has a good chance for no losers opposite
either a singleton or doubleton trump. With only a singleton heart, East bids
6D and West signs off.
6D = my suit is "solid" only opposite the queen
or three small trumps.
Example Hand:
West
East
ª J 8
ª
A 6
© A
K T 9 7 6 5 © 8 4 2
¨ J 8 7 2 ¨ A 4
§ —
§ A K Q J 5 4
4H 5NT
6D 7NT
pass
Returning to our preview problem:
You pick up, both sides vul:
ª xx
© AKQJx
¨ --
§ AKxxxx
Partner opens 4S.
What is your call?
You bid 5NT. You assume partner has a strong spade suit.
So 5NT asks partner to show exactly how strong. If partner bids 6C, showing a suit
that can play for no losers opposite either a singleton or doubleton, you bid
7S. Partner has eight spades to the ace-king.
Over any other bid by partner, you'll sign off in 6S.
Fishing for Another Suit
Some play the response of 7C to 5NT as showing two of the
top three trump honors. The idea here is that the player who bids 5NT may hold
a solid suit of his own and want to play in his own suit at the seven level if
partner's suit contains two of the top three honors:
West
East
ª A K 7 6 4 2
ª
Q 8
© J 3 © A 6
5
¨ 4 ¨ A K
Q J 8 7 6
§ K J 5 4
§
A 2
1S 2D
2S 5NT
7C 7D
pass
East locates two of the top three spade honors and signs
off in seven diamonds, which makes 13 tricks even when spades are 4-1. (This
idea is a good one, but if the
responder to 5NT holds the jack of his suit as well, he should bid 7 of his own
suit, since the 5NT bidder must hold the missing honor. So if West held the
AKJxxx of spades, he would bid 7S.)
What do you lose by playing the Grand Slam Force?
Not much. You might want to use 5NT to ask partner to
"Pick a slam." This is a popular alternative meaning. But if you have
a good set of rules, you might be able to use 5NT for both conventions,
depending on the auction. Stay tuned to the Convention-of-the-Week Club for
more details.
Check List: Grand Slam Force,
a jump to 5NT, asks partner to jump to seven when he holds two of the
top three trump honors.
The response of 6C means the ace or king, while 6D means the queen or
two extra length.
Also use the Grand Slam Force when partner has shown a strong suit
(asking in steps for exact
strength and length).
Respond 7C to the Grand Slam Force instead of 7 of your suit, in case
partner wants to play it
elsewhere.