1A. Serious Three No Trump


As always, responder should only cuebid an Ace, not a King, in any suit his partner could be short in (see the general discussion of cuebids at page V-25, below). If responder uses Jacoby he will not be short anywhere, so opener may freely cuebid a King.


A prerequisite for Serious is having a known eight card fit.


For simplicity, whenever 3N could conceivably be Serious it is, even when another treatment (usually that it’s an offer) would be better. Thus, 1Ê-1Ì-3Ë-3N is Serious, even though you would almost never bid it (you would usually bid 3Í to find out what hand partner held), as is 1M-2Ê-3m/Ì (after a 1Í opening)-3N.


If there is no way to bid Serious–and the fact that there is a way to make a slammish raise does not equal Serious being available–there are no help suit slam tries. However, Serious need not be 3N in order for there to be help suits. For example:

  1. 1N-2Ê-2Ë-3Ì-3Í is Serious-like, so 4m/Ì is a help suit slam try.

  2. 1N-3Í-4Ê/Ë-4Ë/Ì-4N is Serious, so 4Ê-4Í/5m is a help suit slam try, as is 4Ë-5m/Ì.

  3. 1M-2Ê-2N-3M is the equivalent of Serious.


If partner bids a new suit below 3N and the enemy doubles:

  1. Pass: At least willing to play here.

  2. Redouble: No help in the suit the enemy doubled with extras (else you’d jump to 4M).

  3. 3/4X: If partner’s bid was:

    1. A help suit slam try: Answering as always (obviously with help in the suit the enemy doubled).

    2. A help/long suit game try: Counter game try.


Above 3N Redouble shows at least second round control and Pass shows interest but denies second round control. If you Pass partner’s Redouble tells you to go on anyway.


A hand is limited when it could have made a game forcing bid at its second turn but didn’t; thus, opener’s hand is not limited just because he didn’t open 2Ê. However, responder is unlimited if he bids the third suit at his second turn and then makes a game forcing bid.


Once you bid Serious you have committed us to a cuebidding auction. Thus, if partner responds to Serious:

  1. By signing off in 4M: A new suit bid by the Serious bidder is a cuebid, looking for the cuebid of a King and 4N is the specific King ask.

  2. By cuebidding an Ace: A new suit bid is a return cuebid, looking for another cuebid.


1. If Both Hands Are Unlimited


3N by either partner shows serious slam interest and requires partner to cuebid. The prototypical auction is responder making a 2/1 and then raising opener’s suit. Cuebids below 3N are ambiguous–they could be courtesy or show real slam interest); cuebids above 3N are courtesy (you have to start with 3N if you’re serious about slam)–since both partners are limited there are no help suit slam tries.


If you bid 3N, partner cuebids, and you bid four of our major, you’re showing extras (that’s why you bid 3N) but also saying that you need help from partner to go further–i.e., his next cuebid shows interest, it’s not mandatory. In contrast, an auction such as 1Í-2Ë-2Í-3Í-4Ë-4Ì-5Ê doesn’t show that opener has become interested; all he’s doing is showing the King of Clubs (having denied the Ace by bidding 4Ë), and that his hand isn’t horrible. Because responder didn’t sign off in 4M after opener’s courtesy cuebid he (responder) has shown that he’s serious about slam; since Serious wasn’t available to responder his 4Ì was a cuebid, not a help suit slam try.


If partner cuebids the enemy suit to show a limit or better both hands are unlimited. Since partner could have only a limit you bid:

  1. Three of our suit: Minimum.

  2. Three of a suit below ours: Transfer game try.

  3. Three of a suit above ours or four of a suit below ours: Courtesy cuebid.

  4. 3N: Serious.


2. If Partner Is Unlimited and You Are Limited


You usually can’t bid Serious. However, a limited hand with an unlimited partner may bid something like Serious when his partner invites game–e.g., if after 1m-1M-2M responder makes a transfer help/long suit game try, opener, limited by his bid of 2M, may now bid 3N to accept and show willingness to cuebid if responder wants him to.


3. If Partner Is Limited and You Are Unlimited


Bidding a new suit is a help suit slam try. If you’re interested only in cuebidding you must bid 3N first. One important place where this applies is by the partner of a No Trump opener–his cuebid is a help suit slam try, not courtesy, even after a transfer break.


4. If Both Hands Are Limited


Serious is usually unavailable. For example, after 1Ì-1Í-2m-3Ì, both hands are limited (opener by his failure to jump shift, responder by his failure to bid Fourth Suit Forcing) and 3N is only a suggested place to play. The only way we even have a chance to make slam after such an auction is if we have a perfect double fit.


5. When Three No Trump Is not Serious


A jump to 3N is never Serious.


When 3N is not Serious it may be:

  1. A suggested place to play–e.g., 1Í-2Ë-3Í-3N (no guaranteed eight card fit) or 1Ë-1Ì-1Í-3Í-3N (both hands limited; opener must have 17-18 HCP to offer 3N as a place to play).

  2. Patterning out–e.g., 1Í-1N-3Ê-3Í-3N shows a 5=2=2=4 with stoppers in the unbid suits. Furthermore, since responder may have taken a false preference, we’re not known to have an eight card fit.

  3. Natural. For example:

    1. 1m-1M-2M-3N should be 4-3-3-3. There’s no guaranteed eight card fit. Responder must bid 2N to find out about the fit; thereafter, if opener shows four card support, 3N is Serious. Also, 3N is a jump.

    2. 1M-1/2X-3M-3N. We have not yet agreed on a suit.