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Slam Bidding in Bridge – Gerber Convention Ace Asking

If you or your partner have bid notrump at any level in the auction, you should not use 4 NT to ask for the number of aces held. You must use a different asking bid to find out this information. Gerber Convention is an alternative which is very popular and it has the added benefit of starting at a much lower level.

This lesson is a brief extract from the interactive lessons and Bridge games available to members:

Asking for Partners Aces – Gerber

After you have discovered that your partnership has at least 33 combined points and the suit or lack of suit fit the Gerber is a bidding convention designed to describe the Aces held in partners hand to decide whether a grand slam or a small slam can be achieved. Gerber is usually invoked by one of the partners jumping to 4♣ where the club suit has not been bid by your side in the current auction.

Your partner’s responses to your jump bid to 4♣ Gerber Convention is as follows:

Partners Gerber Bid	Your Reply	What your response means	Bidding Sequence

4♣	4♦	0 or all of the Aces (its usually very easy to tell)	4♣ – 4♦
4♣	4♥	1 Ace	4♣ – 4♥
4♣	4♠	2 Aces	4♣ – 4♠
4♣	4 NT	3 Aces	4♣ – 4 NT

Table of responses to Partners Ace Ask

Practice your Gerber Ace Asking Responses

Hand 1. What is your response with this hand after partners 4♣ Ace asking bid ?
4♦ 4♥ 4♠ 4 NT

Hand 2. What is your response with this hand after partners 4♣ Ace asking bid ?
4♦ 4♥ 4♠ 4 NT

Hand 3. What is your response with this hand after partners 4♣ Ace asking bid ?
4♦ 4♥ 4♠ 4 NT

Hand 4. What is your response with this hand after partners 4♣ Ace asking bid ?
4♦ 4♥ 4♠ 4 NT

Hand 5. What is your response with this hand after partners 4♣ Ace asking bid ?
4♦ 4♥ 4♠ 4 NT