[SteveMoe]

jogs, on 2012-December-27, 14:15, said:

I don't agree that all SST=4 are equal.

5=4=2=2 facing 4=3=3=3

♦ xx ......... ♦ KQJ -----SST = 5
♣ xx ......... ♣ Axx

If they find a club lead, they can win one club and one diamond.

5=4=3=1 facing 4=3=3=3

♦ xxx ........ ♦ KQJ -----SST = 4
♣ x .......... ♣ Axx

We only expect to lose one diamond.

SST=4(3+1) is better than SST=4(2+2)

We must be aware of the exact hand pattern.

While your analysis is correct your application of SST is in error - must use shortest suit from each hand! So I stand by the underlying concept of Working Strength (or points).

[jogs]

SteveMoe, on 2012-December-30, 21:25, said:

While your analysis is correct your application of SST is in error - must use shortest suit from each hand! So I stand by the underlying concept of Working Strength (or points).

_____ S Q J 9 4 3
_____ H A 6 2
_____ D 8 7 6
_____ C A 2
S 6 ____________ S 7 5 2
H K Q J 8 ______ H 10 4 3
D Q J 2 ________ D K 10 9
C K Q 9 6 3 ____ C J 10 5 4
_____ S A K 10 8
_____ H 9 7 5
_____ D A 5 4 3
_____ C 8 7

http://www.newbridgelaw.com/

I can't find where Lawrence/Wirgren defines SST.
On this example L/W says the SST=5. By your
definition the SST would be 4.

5=4=2=2 facing 4=3=3=3
SST=4 because the shortest in diamonds and clubs
is both 2. I believe L/W meant for each suit
the shorter of the partnership holdings.

[CSGibson]

A few things:

Non-serious 3N, and its impact on an auction. I think serious/non-serious 3N is one of the most important slam bidding tools added to the bidding arsenal in the last 30 years, and using it has certainly improved my slam bidding immensely.

When to try for slam. Visualizing partner with a perfect minimum in context of the auction is a common technique. Also, try to learn about the slam potential of a hand before you get above game in your suit - five off one is a killer if bad splits are around.

Slam bidding after opening 1N or 2N, especially in minor suit sequences.

Pick-a-slam 5N.

I'm not saying do a topic on all of these, just that all of these might be valuable topics for your target audience.

[aguahombre]

CSGibson, on 2012-December-31, 14:45, said:

Non-serious 3N, and its impact on an auction. I think serious/non-serious 3N is one of the most important slam bidding tools added to the bidding arsenal in the last 30 years, and using it has certainly improved my slam bidding immensely.

In your capable hands it should be a fantastic tool. In the hands of many it is brutal.

[han]

Your audience is not going to learn how to bid slams by hearing you lecture about it for half an hour. The best you can do is hand them a few ideas on how to get better (see paulg's post) and more importantly, give them a good time.

Continuing along the lines of paulg's post, I would make it personal by telling about some of the things my partnership does to get better at slam bidding, for example, make good agreements and write them down, lots of partnership bidding, and analyzing hands. I would then give some examples from real play. Here is a hand from the last weekend of our league (I didn't see you this year so not sure if you were playing):

x
xx
AKJ10xxx
Kxx

1NT - 2NT (diamonds)
3D (positive) - 3S (short)
3NT - ??

Here is the full hand: hand 11

I don't think the auction is clearcut at all (from either side!). But that's ok, I wouldn't want to teach them anything specific. An open discussion about a bridge hand with a stronger player can be a very good learning experience.

[Zelandakh]

I think any discussion on slam bidding should start with the logic - strength->tricks->controls->key cards. Then you can go through the tools for each step starting with evaluation. That brings in the idea of low hcp slams, so the importance of trick-taking suits plus bidding tools such as splinters and fit jumps. Next come Serious/Frivolous and Last Train, which I think is a decent topic on its own for many decent but non-expert players.

If there were additional time, such as a full course of lectures, then you could move on to some more detailed ideas such as special bidding tools - jumps to 5 of the trump suit, 5NT or in a side suit for example. Then a chapter on getting the most out of RKCB dealing primarily with follow-up asks but also perhaps mentioning how using Kickback can make RKCB symmetric for every suit; and finally, the important topic of when not to use RKCB.

For a single lecture the logic and evaluation sections are the most important and (imho) the obvious choice unless the audience level is too high. If good players understand the logic of slam bidding then they will go and find out about the tools they need to use that logic (or come back to your follow-up lecture!). If they do not understand this then it does not matter what tools they have available, they will always struggle.

[PhilKing]

I've done a few of these over the years, and my favourite hand to give (I won't tell you why yet) is:

♠-
♥AKQ
♦A
♣JT9876543

Partner opens 5♠ and the next hand passes. WWYDAW?

[WellSpyder]

PhilKing, on 2013-February-21, 08:25, said:

I've done a few of these over the years, and my favourite hand to give (I won't tell you why yet) is:

♠-
♥AKQ
♦A
♣JT9876543

Partner opens 5♠ and the next hand passes. WWYDAW?

If partner's 5♠ opening means what it means for me, he is expecting me to pass without any of the top ♠ honours. However, as far as I can see the only possible hand he can have if he expects to make 5♠ opposite a bust and one more for each top ♠ is a hand with a void in each red suit plus the top ♣s. So I will bid 7♣ and rely on him not to go back to ♠s.

[lesh]

Trinidad, on 2012-December-26, 13:00, said:

I fully agree with this. I was planning to use about 1/2 to 2/3 of the lecture on how to gauge the trick potential.

Edit: On one of the slides I had already planned a STOP sign over Blackwood (of whatever form) with the text: "Do not use unless you think you have 12 tricks."


One of the auctions I had in mind was:

1♠-2m
2♥-3♠

where opener holds something like:

♠KQ743
♥A853
♦KQ3
♣5

depending on the minor partner bid, this is a great hand, or just a good opening. All this under the assumption that partner actually shows something when he bids 2m.

Rik

It might be a good idea to discuss when to jump to 3sp like here and when not to.

For me 3sp bid eats space so I would prefer partner to bid 2♠ as we are in GF after all and over 2♠ I can show my distribution - i.e. 2nt 5422, 3♥ 55, 3♦ 5431 etc.

[Zelandakh]

WellSpyder, on 2013-February-21, 08:39, said:

If partner's 5♠ opening means what it means for me, he is expecting me to pass without any of the top ♠ honours. However, as far as I can see the only possible hand he can have if he expects to make 5♠ opposite a bust and one more for each top ♠ is a hand with a void in each red suit plus the top ♣s. So I will bid 7♣ and rely on him not to go back to ♠s.

Good for the classical meaning but some enterprising players are happy to open such a 5M opening with a preemptive hand holding the ♠AK, knowing that their partner will pass this. So we need to know our full agreement before making the commitment.