Hand of the Week - August 17, 2020 - Glenna Shanahan - Bidding a Slam

 

Problem:  Both hands had declarer win 13 tricks but they were not bid as slams.  How do you recognize a slam?

Glenna:

  Board 10: Our opponents bid 6NT and made 7!!! Our bidding was 1 ♦️, 2 ♠️ (weak but 6 cards), your hand bid 2NT and your partner bid 3 ♦️ and your hand thought a very long time and finally bid 6NT.  Took them longer to bid it than to play it. I told him that it was a nice bid as it was!!!!! 

 The other slam: I opened a weak 2 ♠️ and my partner jumped to 6 ♠️. I promised 5-10 with GOOD ♠️ and he had controls in every suit and we had an 8-card fit so he correctly bid 6! 

 Slams can be tricky, but here are the ways to recognize that a slam might be possible:

•   2C  Opener shows 22+ points (high cards, not shape)
•   Either partner makes a strong jump shift—shows about 20+ pots
•   Jacoby 2NT
•   Splinter
•   Sheer Force—Partner opens 1NT and you have 18+ pts, just go
•   Partner opens and jumps to 2NT—shows 18 or 19 and you have opening hand—just go

Hope this helps!