5NT Pick a Slam

5NT Pick a Slam can be used when you want to play in a small slam, but need partner to help choose the best strain. Any 5NT bid asks partner to P.A.S.S. (ha ha) - "Pick A Small Slam".

Partner is expected to use his best judgement based on the bidding up to that point. He can bid any suit naturally, or simply bid 6NT if he is certain about no-trumps.

Examples

The following examples are from Marty Bergen's book "Slam Bidding Made Easier".

		Opener			Responder
		AT9			KQ74
		K4			AQJ9
		KQJ9852			T
		9			A642
		Opener 1 3 6 (2)			Responder 1 5NT (1) Pass

1. 5NT Pick a Slam
2. Affirming a self-sufficient trump suit

		Opener			Responder
		A4			K953
		KQ3			A85
		K642			A5
		QJT8			AK72
		Opener 1NT 2 (2) 6 (4)			Responder 2 (1) 5NT (3) Pass

1. Stayman
2. No 4-card major
3. 5NT Pick a Slam
4. Suggesting the cheapest 4-card suit

Compare the above auction to normal methods. Bergen suggests that responder might blast 6NT over 2, which would fail by a trick.

		Opener			Responder
		AQJ9			KT4
		AKJ			Q85
		7			AJ8653
		KJ742			A
		Opener 1 2 3NT 6 (2)			Responder 1 3 5NT (1) Pass

1. 5NT Pick a Slam
2. Showing a very good 4-card suit

The 6 bid that Bergen suggests is cleverly nuanced. First, opener's failure to bid 6 indicates a lack of diamond tolerance. Second, opener's previous 3NT bid implied 4-5 shape in the black suits. So the 6 bid cannot be some kind of 5-6 monster. It suggests an imbalanced hand that's willing to play in a Moysian fit (given that responder failed to raise spades earlier).

		Opener			Responder
		J96432			A
		75			AK84
		AK			QJT96
		KT9			AQ4
		Opener 1 2 3NT 6 (2)			Responder 2 3 5NT (1) Pass

1. 5NT Pick a Slam
2. Showing diamond tolerance

Opener's 6 shows diamond tolerance given his prior inability to raise the suit.

All in all Bergen states that 5NT Pick a Slam is his favorite slam convention "because both players are involved in the decision-making process. The partnership will arrive at the contract only after mutual agreement."

The 5NT Bidder's Rebids

After hearing partner's response, the 5NT bidder can simply pass, bid another suit naturally, or bid 6NT.

Other Considerations

• When using 5NT Pick a Slam, you must be confident that your side can make a small slam. However, you must also be certain that you don't belong in a grand slam. (Otherwise, you should use bidding methods for exploring a grand.)
• The only exception to the 5NT Pick a Slam convention is a 5NT Blackwood rebid which asks for kings.
• 5NT Pick a Slam conflicts with the Grand Slam Force convention, which asks partner to bid a grand slam with 2 of the top 3 honors in the agreed trump suit. The loss of GSF can be negated by employing Roman Key Card Blackwood for inquiring about top honors.
  Larry Cohen (of the Law of Total Tricks) has gone so far as to say that 5NT Pick a Slam has made GSF "obsolete".

Unusual vs Unusual

unusual vs. Unusual is a defense against the Unusual Notrump.. It is used after partner opens the bidding and the opponents overcall 2NT to show the lowest two unbid suits. For simplicity, the following description uses examples when partner opens 1 or 1 and the opponents overcall 2NT. However, Unusual vs. Unusual should also be used when partner opens 1 or 1.

Conventional responses after 1/ (2NT) :

Double.   Natural with interest in penalizing the opponents in one of their suits.

3,           A limit raise or better in partner's suit. Forcing.

3,          A game-forcing hand in the unbid major. Forcing.

3,          A constructive raise (7-10 points) opposite a 1 opening. 

                 A natural non-forcing bid opposite a 1 opening. 

3,          A constructive raise (7-10 points) opposite a 1 opening.

                 A natural non-forcing bid opposite a 1 opening. 

The Kokish Relay

How to bid 6S with following hand?  ♠ AKJ2 ♥ A105 ♦AKQ2    ♣AK with pardner hand ♠ Q876 ♥ Q2 ♦3 ♣ 1096432

	Open 3NT with a big hand? – don't be silly.
	What is 3NT in the sequence 2♣ - 2♦ - 3NT? Answer – a very silly bid!
	You hold one of these hands and partner opens 3NT (25+) . Or else it goes 2♣ - 2♦ - 3NT to show 25+.
	Hand A Hand B Should you pass or bid Stayman with Hand A? Should you pass or transfer with Hand B? ♠ 8632 ♠ 86532 Obviously it's a complete lottery and most players past the beginner's stage play have some way to show the big balanced hand below the level of 3NT (Benjamin twos, Multi 2♦ or Kokish). ♥ 4 ♥ 74 ♦ J872 ♦ J872 ♣ 843 ♣ 843
	Traditionally 3NT here (and/or an opening of 3NT) are used to show very big balanced hands, 25+ points. But there is absolutely no doubt that this is very silly as it inhibits the use of transfers/Stayman/Baron whatever by a very weak responder. One solution is to also play 2♦ as also a strong bid (or else Multi with a strong balanced hand included) so that the sequence 2♦ - 2♥ - 2NT shows 25+. However, many players, especially from America , are not enlightened enough to play two strong artificial bids. But if you play 2♣ as your only strong bid then one North American player has actually come up with a scheme to solve the problem: –
	The Kokish relay : -
	After a strong 2♣ and 2♦ response (negative or waiting – however you play it) Then 2♥ = either natural with a ♥ suit or 25+ balanced. Responder then always bids 2♠ (the Kokish relay which says nothing at all) and – Opener then defines his hand: 2NT = 25+ balanced Any other bid = strong ♥ opener.
	Note that the Kokish relay works fine with 2♦ waiting/2♥ negative when responder bids 2♦ but when responder bids 2♥ (totally bust) then there is a problem. But at least the Kokish relay solves the problem most of the time. If you want to solve it completely then play Benjamin twos or the Multi 2♦ or play 2♦ negative to 2♣.
	For details of Benjamin twos or the Multi 2♦, refer to the link.
	And what should a 3NT opening mean? Have a look at the Gambling 3NT.