Grand Slam Force

This is an easy form of Grand Slam Force. Experts have a different way of bidding Grand Slam Force. They have ways to show exactly what honour they hold if they only have one. They have ways to play in any suit at the 7 level -- even if it is not the suit they originally agreed upon. This is a bit too complicated to play for most people. But if you and your Partner have zero memory issues please investigate further. Not on this blog though. Expert Grand Slam Force is too advanced for this blog.

In fact this bid is pretty advanced for most novices. If you are new or fairly new to bridge you can just ignore this post. If you have more experience or are a little more daring continue on reading.

Here's an easier version of Grand Slam Force.

Once a Partnership has agreed on a trump suit, a bid of 5NT (that has no other meaning) asks Partner to bid a grand slam (7 level) with two of the top three honours (Ace, King or Queen) in the agreed upon trump suit. If the Partner does NOT have two of the top three honours then they bid the suit at the 6 level only. The 5NT bid is called "Grand Slam Force". The FORCE part means that you CANNOT PASS the 5NT bid. It is FORCING. You are going to be in either a small slam or a grand slam. You are NOT going to play in 5NT.

This bid asks about the QUALITY of the TRUMP suit ONLY. Nothing else matters.

This bid CANNOT be bid after the Partnership bids 4NT asking for Aces. A bid of 5NT in that case has another meaning. 5NT is then asking for Kings. That does NOT change.

But if the Partnership has bid 5NT voluntarily after agreeing upon a trump suit and has not been pushed there in any way by the Opponents or tried to bid Blackwood, then the 5NT is considered to be GRAND SLAM FORCE.

It asks Partner to look at their trump holding. If they have TWO of the TOP THREE honours (Ace, King, Queen) they bid 7 of the agreed upon suit. Otherwise they bid 6 of the agreed upon suit.

Question: Does this bid work with ALL the suits?
Answer: YES! If you have agreed upon ANY suit a bid of 5NT should ask Partner to bid 7 of the suit with 2 of the top 3 honours but otherwise just bid 6 of the suit.

Question: What about if I opened 1 of a suit but Partner bid 3NT? Does 5NT then ask about my original suit?
Answer: NO! That asks about the value of the NT range. For more information check out this post:
Bidding 4NT or 5NT over a Natural NT Bid

Let's practice. We are going to start off pretty easy. On each of the following hand Partner opens the bidding 1♠. I am going to force a 3♠ bid by you on each of the following hands. This shows 11 or 12 points PLUS four trump. That should describe each of the hands. Now Partner bids 5NT. This bid can only be Grand Slam Force. If Partner wanted to ask for Kings they MUST go through 4NT asking for Aces first. Therefore the 5NT bid must be asking about the trump suit. What will you respond with each of the hands below and what are you telling Partner with your bid?

Opener	Responder
1♠	3♠
5NT	???

Hand 1

♠QJ32
♥Q86
♦K2
♣QJT5



Hand 2

♠KT43
♥7543
♦T
♣AJT8



Hand 3

♠AQ64
♥984
♦AT93
♣64



Hand 4

♠A962
♥AT8
♦K84
♣T74



Hand 5

♠J432
♥KT
♦Q95
♣AJT6



Hand 6

♠KT95
♥9653
♦4
♣AQ95



Hand 7

♠KQ75
♥K6
♦K832
♣862



Hand 8

♠Q986
♥85
♦AKT64
♣84



Hand 9

♠AQ85
♥Q8743
♦T65
♣5



Hand 10

♠AQT3
♥J96
♦Q98
♣QJ8



Hand 11

♠KQ97
♥J75
♦J9
♣AJ93



Hand 12

♠KJ62
♥84
♦QJ5
♣AT65



Hand 13

♠AT85
♥Q52
♦J7
♣A843



Hand 14

♠J976
♥5
♦K95
♣AT864



Hand 15

♠K873
♥KT2
♦96
♣AT86



Hand 16

♠K953
♥3
♦T9652
♣AJT



Hand 17

♠AK65
♥8
♦T952
♣Q762



Hand 18

♠Q743
♥KQT
♦T873
♣A5



Hand 19

♠KQ97
♥92
♦KT5
♣QT65



Hand 20

♠K654
♥A76
♦Q6
♣K542