McCallum/Sanborn April 16, 2000 GRANDS.

279

279 GRAND-SLAM BIDDING

Most of this section is undiscussed and will not apply with

Lynn.

5NT IS USED PRIMARILY AS CHOICE OF SLAMS (COS). (See below) When

it's not COS it's usually Grand-Try of some sort.

5NT by the 4NT/RKC bidder guarantees possession of all the

KeyCds, and invites responder to bid a Grand. (If the Ace Ask
was other than 4NT, the Grand-Try is the 1st undefined step
after the Queen Ask, and after COS if needed.)
A Queen Ask above 5T guarantees possession of all KeyCds, as
above. Responder is invited to bid a Grand. (We don't use
Queen Ask for COS if we're missing a KeyCd.) A Queen Ask be-
low 5T does not promise all the KeyCds - could be looking for
the Queen for slam purposes.
After 5NT Grand-Try, or any other any Grand-Try, respond useful
values – this usually means that we show a specific King, al-
though a useful Queen is possible in certain circumstances.
6T is always used to show no Grand interest - any other call
shows some interest. If trumps are unknown (rare), 6♣ is no
Grand interest.
Hand with AKQ of trumps cannot make a Grand-Try. Partner won't
bid it.
Hand with undisclosed AK of trumps must bid a grand if partner
invites.

WHEN WE ARE (OR MIGHT BE) HAVING A MISUNDERSTANDING,

WE DON'T BID A GRAND!

Grand Slam Force

Rarely used, since RKC solves most trump honor problems. Comes
up occasionally when 4NT is defined as natural or takeout,
and there is no Ace Ask.
Responding to GSF: “The more you bid, the more you have” – as
always. See Section 275 for specific steps. No steps with
Lynn.

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Choice of Slams Vs Grand-Try

5NT, whether or not it's a jump, is usually COS.
If we have one and only one clearly AGREED a suit (so that 5NT
COS makes no sense) a non-jump 5NT (or 6Q) is a Grand-Try.
If both 5NT and 6Q are available below 6T, in a constructive and
relatively unimpeded auction, then 5NT is COS if needed and
6Q is the Grand-Try (promising 1st round control).
If both 5NT and 6Q are available below 6T, in a competitive auc-
tion, and we have only one possible trump suit, 5NT is a
Grand Try without control, while 6Q is a try with control.
Whenever 5NT is defined as a GRAND-TRY, 6♣ offers a CHOICE OF
SLAMS.
EXCEPTION: When ♣’s are a possible trump suit, 6♣ is natural. If
RKC Ask was other than 4NT, 2nd undefined step is COS if
logical (1st step is Grand-Try.)
Frequently, when the Ace Ask is 5♣, there is not room for both
COS and Grand-Try. In this case there is no Grand-Try. The
available step is used for COS as long as that is logical. If
COS not needed, the available step can be used as a Grand-
Try.
In general, if we have had a lengthy auction or complicated auc-
tion, then 5NT is COS.
If they've jammed us at the 5-level we usually don't make a
Grand-Try. 5NT is a flexible COS, and 6Q is control, but not
really a Grand-Try. 6Q is informative, and suggests no diffi-
culty in handling the auction. 6Q bidder knows what to do.
5NT does not deny control. Flexibility is more important than
control, or Grand-Try. 3♣-(X)-5♣: Important to have 5NT as
COS, so that if the doubler has no preference he can Q-bid 6♣
over 5NT, asking responder to choose. Avoids playing 4/3 fits
at the 6-level. Here, responder's direct 6♣ should suggest ♣
control, with no preference (certainly no preference between
the majors).
It's possible to force a sign-off (e.g. in 5NT) or choice of
slams, then bid on over the sign-off or choice. This consti-
tutes a Grand-Try, and tells responder that we have all the
controls.

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McCallum/Sanborn April 16, 2000 GRANDS.279

Accepting a Grand Try

Whenever there is more than one possible place to play, the nor-
mal acceptance is 7♣ allowing partner to place the contract.
When acceptor knows (or believes) that we have one and only one
place to play, or when he has a strong opinion about where we
belong, he bids that suit, NOT 7♣.
Any bid other than 7♣ is a strong statement that this suit is
TRUMPS!
7♣ is not intended as a passable bid unless ♣’s have been previ-
ously suggested. It may be used to offer a choice, or more
likely to allow the hand which made the try (and therefore
knows where he's going) to name the trump suit.
If ♣’s have been previously suggested, we will often have no way
to insist upon ♣’s with 7♣, nor to offer a choice. Logic,
based on the prior auction, will dictate. (For example, we
may be able to maneuver with some sort of relay to 6NT or COS
at the 6-level, then follow with 7♣ offering a choice. In
such a situation, a direct 7♣ would be a fairly emphatic
statement about ♣’s as a trump suit.)

Priority
Occasionally, a later call by the RKC bidder may be ambiguous.
Should this occur, the following order of priority is em-
ployed (NQCGG):
1) NATURAL (sign-off)
2) QUEEN ASK
3) COS (most frequent interpretation)
4) GRAND-TRY
5) GSF

NOTE: I think it is perhaps possible for a weird 5NT to be a

natural (sign-off), but it violates our basic principle that
5NT is always forcing. If it occurs, we will restore it to
it’s former position as the number one priority for an am-
biguous 5NT, but right now I can’t think of why we had agreed
upon this in the past.