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BOLAND.NTA
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1995-08-30
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THE BOLAND CONVENTION
Opener Responder
1C 1S
2NT 4NT
These and a number of similar raises to 4NT have a range of about
two high card points (HCP). For instance, the 4NT bid above shows
13-14 HCP. The Boland convention is a useful tool in these
situations. It goes like this:
-- With a minimum, pass.
-- With a medium holding, bid five of your lowest ranking biddable
suit (Q10xx or better)--whether or not the suit has been bid
before. To bypass a previously bid suit (clubs, in the auction
above) shows that the suit was not "biddable." With no biddable
suit to show, bid 5NT. The reason for requiring a biddable suit is
to reduce the likelihood of playing a trump holding like A432
opposite J765 when more tricks could be scored at notrump.
-- With a maximum, bid six of your lowest ranking biddable suit.
With none, bid 6NT.
If the 4NT bidder wants to seek further for a suit fit, she also
shows biddable suits "up-the-line."
As soon as either partner can count 33 HCP between the two hands,
he/she bids six of something. Neither partner can go past 5NT until
the HCP total is known to be at least 33 (perhaps counting a point
for a ruffing value when a suit fit is found, or for good primary
cards/controls).
Opener Responder
1S 2NT
4NT 6H
Opener has 18 or 19 HCP and responder has 15 HCP, a maximum
(assuming a 13-15 HCP notrump hand). She would have passed with
13 HCP or less. Knowing that opener has at least 18 HCP (required
for the 4NT bid), she bids her lowest ranking biddable suit at the
six level. With only 14 HCP she would bid just 5H, which opener
could pass with a heart fit and only 18 HCP.
At match points the bidding cannot stop at five of a minor, so it
is not necessary to jump to 6C or 6D when holding a maximum hand.
Bidding 5C or 5D keeps the bidding lower and facilitates the
showing of suits. In this case, an unnecessary jump would show a
five-card suit:
Opener Responder
2NT 4NT
5C 6D
Responder has a five-card diamond suit in her maximum hand, since
she could have bid a forcing 5D with only four.
An unbiddable suit can be shown if the suit has been previously
bypassed:
Opener Responder
1S 2NT
4NT 5D
5NT 6C
Responder has an unbiddable club suit to go with her biddable
diamond suit. She would have bid clubs first, of course, if they
were biddable. However:
Opener Responder
1S 2NT
4NT 5C
5NT 6H
The 6H call shows a biddable suit, since hearts were never by-
passed. Boland shows biddable suits up-the-line.
At IMP scoring or in rubber bridge the bidding can stop at five of
a minor:
Opener Responder
1S 2NT
4NT 5C
Pass!
Opener has A10872 H-A2 D-AQ C-A873. Since responder showed 13-15
HCP, he knows that she has 14 exactly. Feeling that 5C might be
safer than 5NT, he passes. Responder could have S-J3 H-Q95 D-KJ64
C-KQJ4. Stopping at 3NT would have been best, but opener has a
little too much strength for that.
Boland does not apply when opener has shown a 28-29 HCP hand by
opening an artificial bid and then rebidding 4NT, e.g.:
Opener Responder
2C 2S
4NT
A five-level bid by responder at this point shows a six-card suit
with no ace, king, or queen, and is therefore not forcing.
When the conventional 4S notrump raise is applicable, with 4NT
being a weaker raise than 4S, the range for the slam try is usually
narrowed to one point:
Opener Responder
1NT 4S - inviting 6NT, 15 HCP
4NT - 16 HCP
Opener bids 4NT to sign off over 4S. Any five-level rebid accepts
the slam try and the partnership cannot stop at the five level.
When the 4S bidder has previously bid a suit, the 4S notrump slam
try implies that the suit needs a good fit to be useful for slam.
Typically partner must have two of the top four honors in the suit
to accept the slam try. Lacking that, a sign-off at 4NT is usual.
If the 4S slam try is accepted, bidding continues as usual:
Opener Responder
1C 1H
2NT 4S - slam try, hearts need a fit
4NT - poor heart fit
5D - good heart fit, biddable diamond suit
Opener's clubs are not "biddable," else he would have bid 5C
instead of 5D. A possible hand: S-AK H-QJ3 D-AK62 C-K874 Responder
now bids 6D (at IMP scoring) with S-875 H-K8642 D-QJ87 C-AQ