|
Deal of the Week
by John Dickenson
Baze Convention
After partner opens 1N and responder uses Stayman, finding a 4-4 major fit, how can one make a slam try in that major? We all know that after 1N-2C-2H, 4N is a quantitative raise with 4 spades, denying a heart fit. The solution is a device invented by the late, great Grant Baze of California. I present below two versions of the convention, Baby Baze which everyone should play, and Full Baze for those willing to tackle a bit more.
Baby Baze
After 1N-2C-2M, 3oM (three of the other major) sets trump and shows SI (slam interest). Now opener can sign off in 4M, or show SI by bidding a control below game. Conversely, 1N-2C-2M-4M denies SI. Since after 1N-2C-2M 3oM is an otherwise unused (idle) bid, this convention gives up nothing.
Full Baze
Same structure except 3oM promises shortness somewhere, singleton or void.
Most partnerships that play Full Baze play that 1N-2C-2M-4D shows a balanced slam try with at least an 8 card fit
1N-2C-2H-3S shows 4+ hearts, forcing raise, slam interest with shortness
3N asks:
4C=club singleton/void
4D=diamond singleton/void
4H=spade singleton/void (we don’t want to go past 4H)
Now it gets really granular when the suit is spades, as we have more room over the 3H Baze bid:
1N-2C-2S-3H shows 4+ spades, forcing raise, slam interest with shortness
3S=(is it a void or singleton?)
3N=(void somewhere)
4C=club singleton
4D=diamond singleton
4H=heart singleton
After the 3N response showing a void somewhere, 4C asks where:
4D=club void
4H=diamond void
4S=heart void
It should be obvious that after these sequences, opener will be in a good position to assess slam potential. A minimum 15 point NT with two small in a suit responder is short in will have more slam potential than a maximum 17 point NT with KQx in responder’s short suit.
Those who are brave enough to tackle the robots on BBO should know that the bots play a form of Baby Baze, and do so over 2N as well (the bots do not play Puppet Stayman over 2N). Here are two back to back hands I played where Baby Baze came up.
https://tinyurl.com/25esnzz8
Note that I missed a grand and although trumps were set it would be foolish to bid RKCB with two small diamonds
and
https://tinyurl.com/2yssotaq
Here the robot was able to trot out RKCB once I showed D control. But he dozed off and did not bid a grand despite knowing we had all 5 keys, the diamond king and the trump queen. With his huge source of tricks in clubs he should bid 7N over my 6D bid. He can count 13 tricks, a spade, 4 hearts, 2 diamonds and 6 clubs.
| 
