Weekly Hand Analysis - Vic Johnson - December 19, 2022 - Slam

 

Question:  What is the proper way to bid a slam when you know it is a slam?  North opened in NT and South had more than enough points for a slam.

Vic:

RULE: The stronger the hand, the slower the bidding, until you know & then you go.  

South is holding 21 HCPs. The standard for a small slam in NT is 33 HCPs. The standard for a grand slam in NT is 37 HCPs. As soon as North Opens 1NT (15-17), South knows they should be in slam. Lacking a bid of some sort that the partners have agreed is forcing over 1NT, South should consequently just bid slam. 

The unanswered question here for South is whether to bid 6NT (the appropriate bid if North is at the bottom of their point count range) or 7NT (if North is NOT at the bottom of their point count range). I am unaware of how South could go about finding the answer to that question. If I were South, I would probably just bid 6NT, rather than take a chance at going down in 7NT. 

I would interpret the 4NT bid that South made as a Quantitative try for slam, asking North to bid 6NT if they are at the top of their point count range, otherwise Pass. Holding the North hand, I would have Passed just as they did.

 

Distributional quirks in both clubs & diamonds allow declarer to count 16 tricks off the top.