[jillybean]

Hi, for those who use a 4N opening ace ask, how does this work?

If you use specific ace ask, how do you show zero aces
If you reply number of Aces, can you then ask specific ace

[mtvesuvius]

I used to play it as a specific ace ask, but now use it as some giant minor hand -- Never comes up, and I wouldn't try it undiscussed, anyway, the way I used to play it was:

4N - ?
5♣ - No Aces
5♦/♥/♠ - That Ace and no others
5N - Any 2 Aces
6♣ - ♣A

After any response, all bids are signoffs including 5N.

[ggwhiz]

mtvesuvius, on 2011-March-02, 11:20, said:

I used to play it as a specific ace ask, but now use it as some giant minor hand -- Never comes up, and I wouldn't try it undiscussed, anyway, the way I used to play it was:

4N - ?
5♣ - No Aces
5♦/♥/♠ - That Ace and no others
5N - Any 2 Aces
6♣ - ♣A

After any response, all bids are signoffs including 5N.

That's the way I used to play it but we reversed the last 2 bids, 5NT = the ♣A and 6♣ = any 2.

Didn't happen in 25 years. Switched to a big minor hand 10 years ago and it hasn't happened either.

[mtvesuvius]

I had it come up legitimately twice in the 5 years I played it -- I used it one other time as a psych, holding 10 clubs to the King and nothing else.

[TWO4BRIDGE]

mtvesuvius, on 2011-March-02, 11:20, said:

I used to play it as a specific ace ask, but now use it as some giant minor hand -- Never comes up, and I wouldn't try it undiscussed, anyway, the way I used to play it was:

4N - ?
5♣ - No Aces
5♦/♥/♠ - That Ace and no others
5N - Any 2 Aces
6♣ - ♣A

After any response, all bids are signoffs including 5N.

Here's one ( by Ira Ewen and Steve Conrad ) similar to the Volcano's :

5C = no aces
5D/H/S = one ace, the ace of D/H/S
5NT = the ace of clubs
6 C/D/H = two aces, and this is the lower-ranking one.

[Gerben42]

I think some play it as 5NT for ♣A, 6♣ for two aces of same color, 6♦ for rank, 6♥ for shape.

For the record, I do not recommend this opening bid.

[Free]

ggwhiz, on 2011-March-02, 11:28, said:

Didn't happen in 25 years. Switched to a big minor hand 10 years ago and it hasn't happened either.

Weird, me and my partner had 3 minor suit 4NT openings in the last year, and 0 specific Ace asks (we open 2♣ and rebid 4NT for specific Ace ask when responder showed positive, otherwise 4NT is specific Queen ask).

Our responses to specific Ace ask:
5♣ = none
5♦/♥/♠ = that Ace or the 3 others
5NT = ♣A or the 3 others
6♣ = 2 Aces: reds or blacks
6♦ = 2 Aces: minors or Majors
6♥ = 2 Aces: ♠+♦ or ♥+♣
6♠ = 4 Aces (won't ever come up, but we like to be complete )
Note that we are certainly not psyching the specific Ace ask since we opened 2♣ first. If you plan on psyching, I'd suggest to put all 2-Ace-responses in 6♣.

[jillybean]

Thanks all. I am not in any hurry to add it to my card, just interested in how it works.