{"id":1814,"date":"2011-02-17T23:36:51","date_gmt":"2011-02-18T07:36:51","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.bridgehands.com\/bridgeblog\/?p=1814"},"modified":"2013-01-09T14:37:33","modified_gmt":"2013-01-09T22:37:33","slug":"polling-you-42-slam-bidding-controls-day-2-february-18-2011","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.bridgehands.com\/bridgeblog\/?p=1814","title":{"rendered":"Polling You #42: Slam Bidding &#8211; Controls, Day 2, February 18, 2011"},"content":{"rendered":"<p>Control Bidding and Slams: Contract Bridge Lesson<\/p>\n<p><noscript>JavaScript needs to be enabled for polling to work. <a href='http:\/\/www.constantcontact.com\/survey\/index.jsp?cc=ViraWidPOL'>Online Surveys<\/a> by Constant Contact.<\/noscript><a class=\"twitter-share-button\" href=\"http:\/\/twitter.com\/share\">Tweet<\/a><script type=\"text\/javascript\" src=\"http:\/\/connect.facebook.net\/en_US\/all.js#xfbml=1\"><\/script><\/p>\n<p><a href=\"http:\/\/bridgehands-videos.s3.amazonaws.com\/Polling_You_42_Part_1\/Polling_You_42_Part_1.html\"><strong>Click here to view Part 1 of the video commentary<\/strong><\/a><\/p>\n<p><strong><a href=\"http:\/\/bridgehands-videos.s3.amazonaws.com\/Polling_You_42_Part_2\/Polling_You_42_Part_2.html\"><strong>Free Membership &#8211; Click here to view Part 2 of the video commentary<\/strong><\/a><\/strong><\/p>\n<p><strong><a href=\"http:\/\/bridgehands-videos.s3.amazonaws.com\/Polling_You_42_Part_3\/Polling_You_42_Part_3.html\"><strong>Premium\/ULTRA &#8211; Click here to view Part 3 of the video commentary<\/strong><\/a><\/strong><\/p>\n<p><strong>Are you in control?\u00a0 How much control do you like?\u00a0 How about sharing control with your partner &#8211; is that important?<\/strong><\/p>\n<p><strong>Well, Bridge is a partnership game and controls are the foundation of sound slam contracts.\u00a0 So once we have found a trump fit with partner and are ready to explore slam, one way or the other prudent Bridge players will\u00a0double check their aggregate controls on the\u00a0road to slam nirvana.\u00a0\u00a0 In today&#8217;s poll and blog posting we develop a foundational to build our slam bidding framework.\u00a0 As you would suspect, while slam bidding controls do have their place it&#8217;s critical to know when and how to apply them.<\/strong><\/p>\n<p><strong>Slam Contracts &#8211;\u00a0The Three Way Triad:<\/strong><\/p>\n<p><strong>1. Classic Trump-oriented Slam &#8211; Major or minor suit slam<\/strong><\/p>\n<p><strong>2. Balanced Slam &#8211;\u00a0Notrump, typically with 33\/37 points to make slam\/grandslam<\/strong><\/p>\n<p><strong>3. Slam &#8220;Magic&#8221; &#8211; Major or minor slams with very distribution one or two suited hand<\/strong><\/p>\n<p><strong>Controls: Aces, Voids, King-Queen, Singletons, King + others<\/strong><\/p>\n<p><strong>Two Ways to Count Controls:<\/strong><\/p>\n<p><strong>1. Basic &#8211; Two Controls per suit<br \/>\nAce, King, Singleton = 1 control each<br \/>\nAce-King, Void = 2 controls each<\/strong><\/p>\n<p><strong>2. Advanced: Three Controls per suit<br \/>\nAce-King, Void = 3 controls<br \/>\nAce+ = 2 controls<br \/>\nKing, Singleton = 1 control<\/strong><\/p>\n<p><strong>Typical Usage of Controls &#8211; Suit Slams, where Voids and Singletons highlight extra value as controls<br \/>\nCaution &#8211; Suit shortage is a liability in a Notrump contract<!--more--><\/strong><\/p>\n<p><strong>Slam Control Bidding Prerequisites:<\/strong><\/p>\n<p><strong>1. Trump Suit Agreement<\/strong><\/p>\n<p><strong>2. Slam controls typically shown at the 4 and 5 level<br \/>\nPartnership Bids Suit<br \/>\n1S &#8211; 3S; 4D<br \/>\n1S &#8211; 2H; 3H &#8211; 4C<br \/>\n1H &#8211; 3H; 3S\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 An exception where a control cuebid is made at the 3 level<br \/>\nOne Player has Self-Sustaining Suit<br \/>\n1H &#8211; 1S; 3H &#8211; 4D<br \/>\n2C &#8211; 2D; 3H &#8211; 4C<\/strong><\/p>\n<p><strong>Slam\u00a0Control Bidding is &#8220;OFF&#8221; at Low-Level Contract (Conventional)<\/strong><\/p>\n<p><strong>1. 1H &#8211; 2H; 3D\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 Help Suit Game Try<\/strong><\/p>\n<p><strong>2. 1H &#8211; 1S; 2C &#8211; 2D\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 Force Suit Forcing (responder rebids in new suit are forcing, artificial)<\/strong><\/p>\n<p><strong>3. 1S &#8211; 2C; 2H &#8211; 3D\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 Probably shows a &#8220;Half Stopper&#8221; (Qxx Qx, or Jxxx)<\/strong><\/p>\n<p><strong>4. 1N &#8211; 2N; 3H\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 Opener accepts game, showing a 5 card Heart suit (asking for 4H response with 3 Hearts)<\/strong><\/p>\n<p><strong>5. 1C &#8211; 1S; 1N &#8211; 2D\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 New Minor Forcing convention<\/strong><\/p>\n<p><strong>Partnership Agreements Required:<\/strong><\/p>\n<p><strong>1. Slow Shows (extras), Fast Denies (extras, i.e., a signoff bid)<br \/>\n2C &#8211; 2D; 2H &#8211; 4H\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0Advanced &#8211; &#8220;To Play&#8221;<br \/>\n2C &#8211; 2D; 2H &#8211; 3H\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0Advanced &#8211; Showing extras with interest in slam,\u00a0initiates cuebidding controls<\/strong><\/p>\n<p><strong>2. Shape Showing Quandary<br \/>\n1S &#8211; 2C; 3C &#8211; 3H\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 Seeking 3 Notrump?<br \/>\n1D &#8211; 3D; 3H\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 Seeking 3 Notrump?<br \/>\n1S &#8211; 2C; 2D &#8211; 3D\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0Seeking 3 Notrump?<br \/>\n1C &#8211; 2C; 2H &#8211; 2S\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 Playing Inverted Minors, do 2H and 2S show imbalances or controls?<\/strong><\/p>\n<p><strong>More Partnership Agreements Needed<\/strong><\/p>\n<p><strong>1. Controls After Strong Bids<br \/>\n1S &#8211; 2N; 3D &#8211; 3N\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 Playing Jacoby 2 Notrump, 3D rebids shows shortness but what is 3 Notrump?<br \/>\n1H &#8211; 2S; 3C\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 Responder&#8217;s Strong Jump Shift to 2 Spades shows 16+ and great Spades, but what is 3C?<br \/>\n1S &#8211; 4D; 4H\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 After responder&#8217;s &#8220;splinter&#8221; showing 4+ Spades and shortness in Diamonds, what is opener&#8217;s 4 Heart bid &#8211; shape or a control?<\/strong><\/p>\n<p><strong>2. Italian Cuebids<br \/>\nCan control show a King as well as an Ace?<br \/>\nCan a King control be shown at the 5 level?<br \/>\n1D &#8211; 1H; 4H &#8211; 4S\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 Does 4S guarantee an Ace?<\/strong><\/p>\n<p><strong>Free, Premium and ULTRA members &#8211; please login to view video of additional hand\/s<\/strong><\/p>\nPlease login or register to view this content.\n<p>Additional video hand commentary for Premium and ULTRA members<\/p>\nPlease login or register to view this content.\nPlease login or register to view this content.\n<p><strong>Warm Regards, <\/strong><\/p>\n<p><strong><em>BridgeHands<\/em><\/strong><strong><strong><br \/>\n<\/strong><\/strong><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Control Bidding and Slams: Contract Bridge Lesson JavaScript needs to be enabled for polling to work. 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