Bridge Bidding and Carding Strategies by John Loney The Best Slam System Opposite a 1NT Opening Last month, in addition to the ABC concept of ascertaining a fit in a major, opposite opener’s 1NT rebid, the “Loney slam force” was introduced, utilizing two bids for slam-oriented hands, one that affirms a fit (4♦) and one that inquires about a fit (4♣). Analogous to checking back after opener’s response to ABC, opposite a 1NT opening: • 4♣ inquires whether there is a fit in the other major after a positive 2♥ response to Stayman - or whether there is a 3-card holding for a major after use of a Jacoby Transfer • and 4♦ initiates RKC 1430, confirming that there is a fit for the suit opener bids. Opposite responder’s 4♣ inquiry, opener initiates 1430, affirming a fit in the questioned suit, bidding 4♦ – or he initiates “sliding Gerber” for a notrump contract, denying a fit, bidding 4♥. With sliding Gerber, no suit is in play – and therefore no king (key card) or queen is in play (if responder has two aces); 1430 responses are used to show aces and kings. After a 1NT-2♣, 2♥ sequence, 4♣ inquires whether there is a spade fit; opener bids 4♦ to affirm spades, initiating 1430 – or he bids 4♥ to initiate sliding Gerber for a notrump contract, denying a fit: 1NT-2♣, 2♥-4♣, 4♥-4N, 5♣; opener’s 4♥ denies a spade fit and initiates sliding Gerber to seek the balance of the 4 aces; and 5♣, the step above the 4N response, seeks the number of kings. In conjunction with a Jacoby auction, such as a 1NT-2♥, 2♠ sequence, responder uses 4♣ to inquire whether there is a 5-3 fit. Opener’s 4♦ initiates 1430, affirming the spade fit – or he bids 4♥ to initiate sliding Gerber, denying a fit. If responder has a 6-card major, he uses Jacoby and then initiates 1430 with 4♦: 1NT-2♥, 2♠-4♦; this process keeps the bidding more efficient than using a Texas transfer, followed by 4NT. Likewise, responder uses 4♦ to affirm a 4-4 fit after opener responds with 2♥ or 2♠ to Stayman: 1NT-2♣, 2♠-4♦. Were there no spade fit, responder would use 4♣ to initiate 1430 Gerber. As the initiation to seek aces is below the 4♥ level, standard 1430 Gerber responses are used; whenever opener has two aces, the 3rd and 4th steps are used to show minimum vs. maximum values of 15-16 vs. 17-18 HCP. When a 5-card minor is introduced after any response to Stayman, or a 4-card minor is introduced after a Jacoby sequence, opener should bid 3 of the major to confirm a fit for the questioned major – 3♠ if he had initially bid 2♥ in a Stayman auction, or 3-card support if a Jacoby auction. Given major-suit confirmation at the 3-level, responder would use 4♦ to initiate slam. If opener cue bids the unbid minor or 3♥ to confirm good minor-suit support, responder would use Redwood to pursue the slam, 4♦ for clubs or 4♥ for diamonds: 1NT-2♣, 2♥-3♦, 3♥4♥. Opener’s 3NT would deny a fit for either suit, and responder could bid 4♣ as 1430 Gerber. Given the low level of initiation, the king key card and queen of the indicated 5-card suit would be in play.
