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Some underlying principles

Note that the following is written in the context of the underlying approach to slam bidding discussed on the previous page.

What are the odds?

There is a slightly fuller analysis of this question in the section on theory.

Meanwhile suffice it to say that the optimum strategy will be affected by the form of the game (match-points or imps), sometimes to an extent by the calibre of the opposition - both your immediate opponents and also the rest of the room, and also on occasion (particularly when playing for imps) by the state of the match.

Having said that, in most contexts you will not come to too much harm if you bid the slam whenever the probability of its making is clearly in excess of 50%, and stop short of bidding the slam otherwise.

The 50% trap

However, beware of the 50% trap.

It is tempting to think that this translates as ‘it just needs a finesse’ when there is no information relating to which side the missing card is likely to be on.

It is not that simple.

For example, are you quite certain that you don’t require a 3-2 trump split in addition to that finesse, thereby moving the probability closer to 34%?

Indeed, if a slam contract appears superficially to depend on just a finesse it will be wrong to bid that slam more often than not.

On the other hand, if there are a number of ways in which the slam might make, and a finesse provides a further possibility when everything else fails then this is a real bonus and it may well be correct to make the bid.

To repeat the guideline given above, at the present level of analysis if the probability of the contract making is clearly in excess of 50% then it will usually be correct to bid the slam.

Form of scoring

Pairs scoring

Except in the very best of circles the nuances hinted at on this page will be of only limited relevance in the everyday world of pairs bridge.

If you bid and make a small slam each and every time a slam contract is available you will score well overall.

Don’t worry too much that you didn’t bid the grand slam - hardly anyone else did either;

don’t worry that 6♣ doesn’t score as well as 6♠ (so important at game level) - not everyone bid the slam anyway;

but it is always worth considering whether 6NT might be on rather than any suit slam.

imps scoring

But at the top level and in team’s scoring these differences can be all important - that 750 bonus for bidding the vulnerable grand slam is no longer just a top on the night on one board - it is 13 imps towards the team total.

Picking the strain

Sometimes you will have a choice between two suits, or between a suit and no trumps.

This is considered in just a little more depth in

picking the best strain

Technical slams

I should stress that in this area of bidding, possibly more than any other, there are bidding agreements in existence (not to mention levels of analysis and visualisation) which go far beyond my experience and expertise.

The methods, and in particular the approach, discussed in this section will help you to well beyond an intermediate level, but as you aspire to join the experts you may wish to extend beyond the present content, either by researching elsewhere or (better) by observing the methods, style, and practice of other advanced players, whilst discussing every detail of your methods with your equally serious-minded partner.

To link to several of the conventions which you might wish to incorporate return to the page Bidding in the slam zone, but never forget that frequently the critical information should have been gleaned at an earlier stage in the auction.

This page last updated 16th Jun 2020

Context  -  Acol bidding - the auction continues - in the slam zone.