1NT-4NT

 

After a 1NT opening, a jump to 4NT is generally played as "quantitative", or invitational to slam.  33 combined HCP's is general considered to be the threshold for 6NT with two balanced hands, so, opposite a 15-17 1NT opening, Responder needs a good 16 or 17 for the bid.  With less he will need a 5-card suit (or longer) to entertain slam, with more he will bid the slam unilaterally.

 

 

17th May, 2006                 Board 7       Dealer South        Both Vul

 

 

Here, of course, 4NT is invitational to 6NT, it’s not Ace-asking (for that use Gerber).  Should South accept the invitation to 6NT?  We’d say that it was marginal at best … 16 HCP's, but that J♠ may well be worthless, and the hand has no Tens.  Looking at the South hand, bidding 6NT seems a bit of a stretch.

 

But, there is an alternative!  Partner is unlikely to have a 4-card major on this auction, otherwise he would probably have used Stayman.  This gives him 7 cards (or more) in the minors.  If Partner did not see fit to seek a major fit, perhaps we, with our marginal hand, should try for a minor fit.  There is a gadget in these 1NT-4NT auctions that would work well on this particular deal.  After 1NT-4NT, if Opener has an accepting hand (especially if it’s marginal, as here), the players can bid 4-card suits at the 5-level, and 5-card suits at the 6-level, in an attempt to seek out an 8-card fit.  With that agreement, on the actual deal, the auction would be:

            Opener     Responder

            1NT         4NT

            5♣            6♦

            Pass

 

Opener’s 5♣ bid says “I accept and I have a 4-card Club suit”.  Responder’s 6♦ says “I have 5 Diamonds”.  A nice auction to what turns out to be the right spot, it's the Spade ruff in South's hand which makes it a good slam.

 

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