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Vu-Bridge | Play like a Champion!

Blackwood or not? by Paul Bowyer

This quiz is all about using 4NT to ask for Aces. This bid (the Blackwood convention) is used when there is an agreed trump suit and when the number of Aces partner has will illuminate the level to which you should bid. In a previous quiz 4NT was used as a quantitative raise of No-trumps - partner was expected to advance to 6NT or to Pass depending on his hand. So how do you know if 4NT is Blackwood or not? Well, it's all down to knowing if you can get out of the auction at the five-level if there are insufficient Aces. If you haven't agreed a trump suit you can't put on the brakes...
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Question 1

  South
♠ K Q 7 6 4 2
♥ 5
♦ A K Q 8 2
♣ A 		 
Q: 1 -
SouthWestNorthEast
1♠Pass3♠Pass
?
What do you bid next after the following start to the auction?

 Your choice:
A: 4NT. The fate of this hand depends purely on the number of Aces that partner has. If he has none then he will respond 5♣ and we will bale out in 5♠. If he bids 5♦ - showing one Ace - we will try 6♠. If he owns up to two Aces by bidding 5♥ we will bid 7♠.

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Question 2

  South
♠ A
♥ K J 10 7 6 3
♦ 9
♣ A K Q J 2 		 
Q: 2 -
SouthWestNorthEast
1♥Pass
?
What do you respond to partner's opening bid?

 Your choice:
A: 4NT. Once again, the fate of this hand depends purely on the number of Aces that partner has. Although we haven't specifically agreed a trump suit this exuberant leap to 4NT agrees Hearts by inference. If North has no Aces (can he have none?) then he will respond 5♣ and we will bale out in 5♥. If he bids 5♦ - showing one Ace - we will try 6♥. If he owns up to two Aces by bidding 5♥ we will bid 7♥.

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Question 3

  South
♠ A K J 7 5
♥ 
♦ A Q J 7 6
♣ A 10 9 		 
Q: 3 -
SouthWestNorthEast
1♠Pass3♠Pass
?
What do you bid next after the following start to the auction?

 Your choice:
A: 6♠. Bidding Blackwood now is a complete waste of time. What use is the information that partner has (or doesn't have) the ♥A? Don't use Blackwood when you have a void - it's pointless. Here, you have enough to make the assumption that a slam should make and by simply bidding it you may deter a possible fatal lead, if there is one.

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Question 4

  South
♠ 7 6 5
♥ K Q 10 6 5
♦ 
♣ A K Q J 10 		 
Q: 4 -
SouthWestNorthEast
1♥Pass
?
What do you respond to partner's opening bid?

 Your choice:
A: 3♣. Well, this is a matter of style. Certainly we can rule out 3♥ (which isn't forcing) and 4NT. You mustn't use Blackwood when holding a void - what are you going to do if partner admits to one Ace? Or two Aces? You will be guessing. Best is to force to game with 3♣ and then take it from there - you can support Hearts in a moment.

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Question 5

  South
♠ K Q 10 8 7 6
♥ 5
♦ K Q 10 6
♣ A K 		 
Q: 5 -
SouthWestNorthEast
1NTPass
3♠Pass4♠Pass
?
What do you bid next?

 Your choice:
A: 4NT. Once more the fate of this hand depends purely on the number of Aces that partner has. 3♠ initially showed a five-card suit and was asking to see if partner wanted to play in 3NT or 4♠. However, the bid is also used on big slam hands as well (albeit rarely). If partner has no Aces then he will respond 5♣ and we will duck out in 5♠. If he bids 5♦ - showing one Ace - we will try 6♠. If he owns up to two Aces by bidding 5♥ we will try 7♠.

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Question 6

  South
♠ A J 9 6
♥ K Q 10
♦ A Q 5
♣ K Q 5 		 
Q: 6 -
SouthWestNorthEast
2NTPass4NTPass
?
What do you bid in response to partner's raise?

 Your choice:
A: Pass. This raise of No-trumps is not Blackwood. If there were insufficient Aces how could partner sign-off? partner wants you to bid 6NT with a maximum for a 2NT opener and - with this collection - you are refusing the request. This hand is an interloper from a previous quiz.

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Question 7

  South
♠ A 6
♥ K Q J 9 5
♦ A Q J 7 5
♣ K 		 
Q: 7 -
SouthWestNorthEast
1♥Pass
4NTPass5♥Pass
?
What do you bid next?

 Your choice:
A: 5NT. In classic style this asks for Kings and is looking for a grand slam. Partner shows his Kings on the same scale as before (6♣ = none, 6♦ = one etc). If partner shows two Kings we can bid 7♥ or even 7NT. If he admits to one or none we will be content with a small slam in Hearts. Note that you never bid 5NT unless all the Aces are present.

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Question 8

  South
♠ A 5 4
♥ 3
♦ A K 8 7 5 3
♣ K 7 3 		 
Q: 8 -
SouthWestNorthEast
1♠Pass
2♦Pass3♠Pass
4NTPass5♦Pass
?
What do you bid next?

 Your choice:
A: 6♠. You mustn't chicken out when you discover that there is an Ace missing; bidding 5♠ at this point would be a double-cross. The point of Blackwood is that you are checking to see that you are not missing two Aces - if there aren't then you are going to have a bash at slam. If you have cold feet at this point then it suggests that 4NT was the wrong bid earlier.

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Question 9

  South
♠ 
♥ A J 8 7
♦ K 4
♣ A K 8 7 5 3 2 		 
Q: 9 -
SouthWestNorthEast
3♥Pass
?
What do you respond to partner's pre-empt?

 Your choice:
A: 6♥. If there is a killing lead let them find it. 4NT is utterly pointless - what are you going to do if partner does or doesn't show an Ace? North is going to make a lot of tricks facing this dummy - unless the opponents cash the first two Diamonds. Well, nothing can help that - especially not Blackwood!

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Question 10

  South
♠ 2
♥ A K 7 6 5 4
♦ 4
♣ K Q J 6 5 		 
Q: 10 -
SouthWestNorthEast
1♠Pass
2♥Pass4NTPass
5♦Pass5NTPass
?
What do you bid next?

 Your choice:
A: 7♥. Partner's 5NT confirms that all the Aces are present - so how can you not make 13 tricks on this hand? Partner has agreed Hearts by inference and he is looking for a grand slam. You have a sixth trump and a hidden side-suit. Sure, you could answer the question but why bother? Bid 7♥ and rush to the bookmakers to put your mortgage on it being laydown.

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Overall Results

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What next? You may enjoy playing our prepared hands series.
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0 - 40% Maybe this quiz is on a lesson you didn't take yet!
41 - 50% If you have covered this in a lesson discuss the questions with your teacher.
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61 - 75% Well done: You have a good base, although not yet perfect.
Perhaps review the difficult questions with your teacher or fellow sudents.
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