Non-Serious 3NT Slam Try

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A Non-Serious 3NT slam try is an artificial 3NT bid used in game forcing auctions after finding an 8+ card major suit fit when both partners are unlimited.  It shows the willingness to cooperate with a slam try.  I denies serious slam interest.  A Control Bid at the 4-level which bypasses the artificial 3NT bid shows serious slam interest.  

In the 2/1 Game Force auction shown below, South’s 3♠ bid isn’t a slow arrival bid showing a spade fit and slam interest. Fast Arrival is a useful principle opposite a partner who has limited their hand. When your partner has not limited their hand, a Fast Arrival jump to game can give you partner a nasty guess. If they guess wrong, you may miss a cold slam or may go down at the 5-level. Using the bidding space available at the 4-level is crucial to good slam bidding.

When a partnership finds an 8+ card major suit fit in a game forcing auction where both partners are unlimited, it is important to describe your level of slam interest.  Control showing bids (aka cue bids) are one of the best ways to show slam interest and position the partnership to confirm they don't have 2 quick losers in a side suit.  We recommend a space efficient style of showing your 1st and 2nd round controls up the line.  A 1st round control is an Ace or a void.  A 2nd round control is a King or a singleton.  With this style, skipping a suit to show a control in a higher ranking suit denies a 1st or 2nd round control in the skipped suit.  If both partners have 2 quick losers in a suit, you know a slam isn't available.

When both partners are unlimited, it can be difficult to determine how much slam interest a control bid shows.  In the above auction, which hand does North’s 4♣ control bid show?

1. ♠KQ872 ♥K5 ♦A7 ♣AQ63
2. ♠KQ872 ♥85 ♦K7 ♣AQ63

With hand 1, North wants to make a serious slam try. With hand 2, North wants to show willingness to cooperate with a slam try. Without a firm agreement, it is easy to get too high or miss a cold slam. Since you typically don’t want to play 3NT after finding an 8-card or longer major suit fit, you can use an artificial 3NT bid to show your level of slam interest.

When both partners are unlimited and a major suit fit has been found, we recommend playing Non-Serious 3NT. With that agreement, a 3NT bid by either partner is artificial, showing the willingness to cooperate with a slam try. Bypassing 3NT to make a control bid at the 4-level shows serious slam interest.

Playing Non-Serious 3NT, North would use the auction shown above with hand 1, ♠KQ872 ♥K5 ♦A7 ♣AQ63. to show a club control and strong slam interest.

With hand 2, ♠KQ872 ♥85 ♦K7 ♣AQ63, North doesn’t have strong slam interest. North would bid an artificial 3NT (Non-Serious 3NT) to show the willingness to cooperate with a slam try. Now South could signoff at 4♠ if they need North to have strong slam interest for a slam to be available. If a slam is possible opposite a hand that isn’t making a strong slam try, but is showing the willingness to cooperate with a slam try, South can cooperate with the slam try by showing a control or by using Roman Key Card Blackwood.

If North has a terrible opening hand and isn't willing to cooperate with a slam try, North can bid 4♠,  With a hand like ♠A8762 ♥KQ ♦74 ♣QJ63, North isn't eager to cooperate with a slam try.  North bids 4♠,  Because North didn't make a control bid to show strong slam interest, and didn't use Non-Serious 3NT to show the willingness to cooperate with a slam try, North's 4♠ shows a minimal opening hand that will not cooperate with a slam try.