November 2014 - 56

Intermediate Players

Better	Bridge	with	Bergen	
BY MARTY BERGEN

 www.martybergen.com

Slam bidding in review - part 14
5NT pick-a-slam
5NT	pick-a-slam	gets	my	highest	rating.	Although	it	doesn't	occur	as	often	
as	other	slam	conventions,	I	regard	it	
as	indispensable.	When	no	trump	suit	
has	been	mutually	agreed,	or	when	
choosing	between	two	suits	or	a	suit	
and	6NT,	your	best	chance	to	find	the	
proper	contract	is	when	both	players	
are	involved	in	the	decision-making	
process.	Most	of	the	time:
●	 It	is	much	easier	to	take	12	tricks	in	
a	suit	contract	than	in	notrump.
●	 Hands	with	a	singleton	play	better	
in a suit contract.
●	 If	you	have	the	necessary	strength	
and	controls,	12	tricks	are	available	
in	at	least	one	of	the	suits	-	even	if	it	
is	only	a	seven-card	fit.
Some	partnerships	play	that	a	jump	
to	5NT	is	a	grand-slam	force	when	a	
trump	suit	has	been	agreed,	asking	
partner	to	bid	seven	with	two	of	the	top	
three	trump	honors.	This	convention,	
though	useful,	does	not	occur	with	the	
frequency	of	5NT	pick-a-slam.	
5NT	pick-a-slam	works	like	this:	
When	you	know	you	belong	in	a	small	
slam	but	you	don't	know	what	strain,	a	
jump	to	5NT	asks	for	partner's	input.	
In	response	to	the	5NT	pick-a-slam	
query,	partner	can:
●	 Suggest	a	new	suit.
●	 Show	delayed	support	for	a	suit	you	
bid.
●	 Rebid	one	of	his	suits	with	extra	
length or strength.

56 Bridge Bulletin November 2014

●	 Bid	6NT	with	nothing	else	worth	
mentioning	or	when	he's	positive	
that	the	hand	belongs	in	notrump.

When playing 5NT pick-a-slam,
remember:
(1) The 5NT bid is forcing.
(2) 5NT denies interest in a grand slam.
Here	are	two	examples	of	5NT	picka-slam	in	action.

1 West
♠A K 10 6 5 3
♥K
♦K	Q		 	
♣A	K	10	9		

East
♠4	
♥A	10	9	7	4	
♦A	J	6	
♣J	6	3	2	

and	that	suited	East	just	fine.
6♣	was	easy	-	making	six.

2

West
♠8
♥A K 8 6 3
♦K	Q	J	10		
♣K	Q	J		 	

East
♠A	Q	7	6	5	2	
♥7
♦A	9	2	
♣A	9	4	

1♥
3♦
3NT
6♦	

1♠
3♠
5NT
Pass

	

Once	West	promised	game-going	
values	with	his	jump	shift,	East	knew	
that the partnership had enough
strength	for	slam.	The	only	question	to	
resolve	was	which	strain.	The	first	five	
2♣
2♦
bids	were	easy.	After	3NT,	most	players	
2♠
3♥
would	have	jumped	to	6NT.	As	you	can	
3♠
5NT
see,	6NT	is	an	awful	contract.	Although	
6♣	
	
Pass
East-West	have	33	HCP,	West	needs	
the	spade	finesse	plus	a	3-3	spade	split	
East	was	delighted	to	hear	West	
-	an	18%	slam.	No	thanks.
open 2♣.	His	heart	suit	was	not	strong	
Fortunately,	this	East	was	made	of	
enough to respond 2♥,	so	he	contented	 sterner	stuff.	There	was	no	rush	to	bid	
himself	with	a	2♦	waiting	bid.	The	
6NT.	Instead,	he	made	the	careful	"let's	
auction proceeded naturally through
see	what	partner	has	to	say"	5NT	bid.	
3♠.	East	was	then	confronted	with	a	
West	knew	that	his	singleton	in	
crucial decision. Although his singleEast's	long	suit	would	be	a	liability	in	
ton	spade	was	a	liability,	he	loved	his	
notrump.	West	didn't	have	extra	length	
two	aces.	So,	instead	of	bidding	3NT,	he	 in	either	of	his	two	suits,	but	he	did	
decided	to	play	in	slam.
have	exquisite	diamonds.	Therefore	he	
Too	many	players	who	reach	the	
bid	6♦.		East's	singleton	heart	was	an	
same	conclusion	would	bid	an	inappro- asset in a suit contract. Whether West
priate	4NT	or	an	aimless	6NT.	Howhad	five	diamonds	or	a	quality	fourever,	East	chose	a	flexible	5NT,	which	
card	suit,	a	diamond	slam	sounded	
asked	for	partner's	input.	West	had	a	
good to East.
◾
second	suit	he	was	happy	to	mention,
http://www.martybergen.com
Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of November 2014
