Asking bid
Asking bid within Contract Bridge is an old slam seeking convention. Especially in combination with either Culbertson's 4 NT and 5 NT trump related questions - or the 5 NT Grand slam force convention, Grand Slams (any contract that prior to the play declares all 13 tricks to be taken) can be discovered with a good precision. However, in order to avoid confusion, one must keep the asking colour, the agreed trump and the two remaining so called side colours apart. And reply according to certain principles.
Asking Bids deals with first and second controls, rather than the numbers of Aces and Kings and always with the colour related to the Asking Bid in focus. Even with the trump Ace and the two remaining side colour Aces, but without having at least a second control in the Asking bid colour, the reply must be negative. As an Asking bid is forcing, instead of pass, trump at lowest possible level then is the correct reply.
Further, in addition to the "proper" Asking bids in colours, the Culbertson 4 NT -bid, possibly later followed by the Culbertson 5 NT -bid often were used in combination with the Asking bids, but not necessarily the other way around. As Culbertson's 4 NT-bid by nature must be preceded by an Asking bid (otherwise 4 NT would be Blackwood), the bidding level may not give "space" for it, when that happens, the 4 NT-bid (with some adjustments for its replies) replaces the 5 NT-bid preceded by an earlier 4 NT-bid. When so, then the Culbertson 5 NT bid equals the 5 NT Grand slam force.
After an Asking bid has been put forward, the one within in couple who has bid it, must from that point become "the Captain" of the two. The partner becomes like a "private soldier" that has to give his captain correct replies. Only bids in the already (explicit or implicit) agreed trump can be passed on.
What is and what isn't an Asking bid ? [1]
- First - there has to be an agreed trump colour. Example: after a 1 ♠ opening with a 3 ♠ reply, the trump has been agreed, hence any new bid in an other colour is an Asking bid. Further bids in trump are never Asking bids.
- No Trump or NT-bids are not "proper" Asking bids, but are still forcing bids that cannot be passed down. Both 4 NT and 5 NT can well be used within a series of "proper" Asking bids. Also, bids in NT are among the replies to Asking bids.
- Through implicit agreement, also the partner to the opener can use Asking bids. Example: after a 1 ♥ opening, any double jump in a new colour is an Asking bid, and ♥ agreed trump. After a 1♥ opening,
3 ♠, 4 ♣ and 4 ♦ are Asking bids. - Also after a couple of "normal" trump seeking bids, Asking bids can be used. In these cases bids in a new colour at the fourth level are Asking bids. Example: 1 ♥ - pass - 2♦ pass - ? Through implicit agreement, now 4♣ and 4 ♠ are Asking bids with ♦ as trump, although 4♣ just is a single jump. Whilst 3 ♠ isn't an Asking bid - as it's neither a double jump or a bid at the fourth level.
- Bids in No Trump that follows an Asking bid (and isn't a reply from the partner) also becomes like questions to the partner, but deals with trump issues (top quality and trump excess) and although such bids works fine in combination with the ordinary Asking bids, these kind of NT-bids are usually separated from Asking bids and considered a chapter of its own within Bridge bidding theory. The 5 NT Grand slam force is still in common use.
Defintition of first and second controls:
- A first control equals a void or an Ace, with exception of trump, in which only the Ace counts as a first control, naturally.
- A second control equals any singleton (including a King) or a two card or longer suit with a Queen-guarded King. For instance King-Jack high isn't a sufficient second control (unless in a suit of exceptional length), but King - Queen is a second control independent of the colour length.
What's the significance of an Asking Bid ? The first Asking Bid, equals the following question - "Do you have the first control in this colour ? Or if not, do you have the second control in this colour and one (or more) first control(s) in other colour(s) ?"
Example and replies
Example:[1]
Auction:
1♥ - pass - 3♥- pass
4♣ ? - pass - Reply in table below
| Asking colour ( ♣ ) | Trump colour ( ♥ ) | Side colours ( ♦ & ♠ ) | Reply | in this example |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| not even 2nd control | insignificant | insignificant | Trump, lowest | 4♥ |
| With second control in asking colour | ||||
| 2nd without any other 1st | not the Ace | no Ace(s)/void | Trump, lowest | 4♥ |
| Construtive replies | ||||
| 2nd | Ace | no Ace(s)/void | Trump jump | 5♥ |
| 2nd | not the Ace | one void | void colour | 4♦ / 4♠ |
| 2nd | not the Ace | one Ace | Ace colour | 4♦ / 4♠ |
| 2nd | Ace | a void | side colour void | 4♦ / 4♠ |
| 2nd | Ace | one Ace | 4NT = 2 Aces, always | 4 NT |
| 2nd | not the Ace | one Ace + a void | colour of the Ace | 4♦ / 4♠ |
| 2nd | not the Ace | both Aces | 4NT = 2 Aces, always | 4 NT |
| 2nd | Ace | one Ace + a void | 4NT = 2 Aces, always | 4 NT |
| 2nd | Ace | both Aces | 5NT = at least 3 Aces, always | 5 NT |
| With first control in asking colour | ||||
| void | not the Ace | no Ace(s) | raise asking colour | 5♣ |
| void | not the Ace | one Ace | side colour Ace | 4♦ / 4♠ |
| void | Ace | no Ace(s) | Trump jump | 5♥ |
| void | Ace | one Ace | 4NT = 2 Aces, always | 4 NT |
| void | not the Ace | both Aces | 4NT = 2 Aces, always | 4 NT |
| void | Ace | both Aces | 5NT = at least 3 Aces, always | 5 NT |
| Ace | not the Ace | no Ace(s)/void | raise asking colour | 5♣ |
| Ace | not the Ace | one Ace | 4NT = 2 Aces, always | 4 NT |
| Ace | not the Ace | a void | side colour void | 4♦ / 4♠ |
| Ace | not the Ace | one Ace + void | 4NT = 2 Aces, always | 4 NT |
| Ace | not the Ace | both Aces | 5NT = at least 3 Aces, always | 5 NT |
| Ace | Ace | no Ace(s)/void | 4NT = 2 Aces, always | 4 NT |
| Ace | Ace | a void | 4NT = 2 Aces, always | 4 NT |
| Ace | Ace | one Ace | 5NT = at least 3 Aces, always | 5 NT |
| Ace | Ace | one Ace + void | 5NT = at least 3 Aces, always | 5 NT |
| Ace | Ace | both Aces | 5NT = at least 3 Aces, always | 5 NT |
Hands with two voids are not taken in consideration. Presumably not by Culbertson, certainly not in the source.
The basic principles are -
- Without even the second control in the asking colour, reply negatively - logically trump at lowest level. This applies completely to the situation in the trump and side colors.
- Also with a second control in the asking colour, but no other first control, reply negatively - logically trump at lowest level.
- If the requirements of either a first control in the asking colour - or at least a second control in the asking colour combined with one or more first controls in Trump and the side colours are met, then reply constructively.
The constructive replies:
- With just one first control, this should be shown. Question colour raise, trump raise or a bid in the side colours. (Do not forget to have at least the second control in the asking colour - without a such, constructive bids are not permitted.)
- With more than one first control, the side colours comes first. Unless there totally are two Aces (or more) on the replier's hand.
- 4 NT always means exactly two Aces (with or without a void)
- 5 NT always means at least three Aces (with or without a void)
It's usually possible to make a second asking bid in another colour. The reply is then to be given exactly as for the first asking bid. Whilst a repeated asking bid, or a second asking bid in the same colour has to take the first one in consideration. As (largely) the first controls have been dealt with once, a repeated asking bid deals with second and third controls (similar to how first and second controls are dealt with in the initial asking bid), but a void that hasn't been possible to show, can then be.
Applicability
Asking bids, although developed for the Culbertson bidding system, which today largely has become obsolete, can be used in combination with most natural bidding system, such as Acol, Five Card Major and others. Like Blackwood and Cue bids, Asking bids are Slam-seeking.
It is indeed possible to use Asking bids together with (most variants of) Blackwood, even in one and the same deal.[2] But Asking bids can never be used in combination with Cue bids, as they can't be distinguished from each other.
The advantages of Asking bids increase especially if used together with Culbertson's 4 and 5 NT conventions. Here the rules are very clear:
"If a series of questions begin with 4 NT, then that specific bid is Blackwood. But if the first question has been a bid in a new colour (not earlier bid by the couple), then the 4 NT instead asks for the partner's trump top quality." [3] The 4 NT bid is then asking for the number of top three trumps (Ace, King and Queen), then a later 5 NT bid, asks for additional trump length. Whilst a 5 NT bid not preceded by any 4 NT bid, equals the Grand slam force convention.
After a first Asking bid (with reply from partner), then the 4 NT bid asks for "trump top quality". (Replies from partner - 5♣ = not any of the Ace, King or Queen in the agreed trump. 5♦ = one of the three top trump cards, and 5♥ = two of them. The one who bids 4 NT must have at least one of top three trumps on his own hand). If 4 NT (at once or a round later) is followed by 5 NT, then that bid asks for "trump length". Here the replies are based on what's the minimum number of cards for a usual trump agreement length. (Replies - 6 ♣ = no extra trump card; 6 ♦ = one more; 6 ♥ = two more.
When preceded by the "non-Blackwood" 4 NT trump top quality bid, any thereafter following 5 NT bid must be understood as "Any additional, not yet shown trump cards ?", which isn't equal to the 5 NT Grand slam force.
If using Asking bids, the player who first put an Asking bid forward, must thereafter be "the Captain" of the couple for the remaining part of the auction. The partner has to rather take on the role of a private soldier, and stick to giving correct answers to what very well may become a series of questions. This isn't limited to always be the opener (or the first overcaller), but is often the case. Cue bids are from that perspective different.
And it has to be added that Cue bids today more or less has put the Asking bids to history. But Culbertson's 5 NT Grand slam force is still in use.
Full auction example
Here West has 13 HCP and East only 5 HCP, a total of just 18 (and thereby 22 HCP to North/South). If adding distribution points to both hands, West and East would according to most such calculations still be a little short of the required points for a game even (25-26 Distribution and HCP is normally needed for a 4 ♠ contract)! But not everything can be measured in numbers - and a Grand slam in ♠ really is the correct contract below - and must be considered to be safe regardless of the remaining distribution and the opponents' first play.
Both North and South are silent during the auction. Provided West begins to speak in the auction, only a wrench distribution in North's favor would disturb this bidding. A doubling of the opening bid could be disregarded from by East. It is however a constructed example, made in order to show the benefits of Asking bids in combination with Culbertson's 4-5 NT combination. [4]
| ♠ | A K Q 8 6 2 | W E |
♠ | 10 9 7 4 3 |
| ♥ | 6 4 2 | ♥ | ||
| ♦ | A 8 7 4 | ♦ | K Q | |
| ♣ | ♣ | 10 7 5 4 3 2 |
| West | East |
|---|---|
| 1 ♠ | 3 ♠ |
| 4 ♦ | 4 ♥ |
| 4 NT | 5 ♣ |
| 5 ♦ | 5 ♥ |
| 5 NT | 6 ♥ |
| 7 ♠ | (pass) |
After West's opening, East confirms ♠ as trump. As West has ♦A , the 4 ♦ Asking bid is looking for second control and any possible first control(s). East now can show his void in ♥, as he has the second control in ♦. Now West wishes to know weather East has any of the three top trump cards, which may seem a bit awkward given all three top trumps are on West's hand, but this bid later enables the 5 NT-bid to be a trump length issue (compare with the significance of 5 NT as Grand slam force). Hence East's reply 5 ♣ is no surprise to West, who now with 5 ♦(a repeated Asking bid) wonder if East also has the third control in ♦. And the King - Queen is indeed both a second and a third control (but not a first) - and as East's void in ♥ is "covered" with five trumps, East can now declare also his third control in ♥. Now West finally wishes to be certain of a really good trump support - 5 NT. And (in this example) East's 6 ♥ shows two more trump cards than his/her 3 ♠ reply to West's opening earlier has shown. And it's now easy for West to determine the final bid, a 7 ♠ Grand slam contract.
The example is a splendid illustration the significance of distribution combined with the difficulty to find Grand slams especially, even when they are easy to see - on 26 cards. As well of how Asking bids combined with not just trump top, but trump length, can be of great help.
History
The Asking bids were invented by one this card game's true pioneers, Ely Culbertson[1][5] , but was later removed from Culbertson's system in favor of Cue bids and other slam seeking conventions. But they can co-exist with some other slam seeking conventions, such as most variants of Blackwood, in the sense that both can exist - but only one of them at a time. Culbertson's Asking Bids can be combined with other bidding system, like Acol and Five-card majors, although originally designed for Culbertson's own one.
References
- 1 2 3 Werner, Einar; Sandgren, Tore (1983). Kortoxen (in Swedish) (2nd ed.). pp. 209–211. ISBN 9789137082660.
- ↑ Hermansson, Hasse; Stenberg, Alvar (1960). Bridge (in Swedish) (1st ed.). Malmö: Svensk Bridgelitteratur. p. 450.
- ↑ "Bridge", p. 133-135
- ↑ Example and comments are taken from "Bridge", p.134 (author on these pages: Frithiof von Barth)
- ↑ "Bridge" p133-135