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Gamma

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Gamma

Gamma is a trump asking bid in Responder's trump suit (unless that suit is known to be of exactly 4-card length, when a 4441-shape hand has been described, in which case the Eta Ask is used). There are effectively 3 different scales for Gamma depending on whether or not the length of Responder's suit is known or not, and, if it is not known, whether this may be a 3-card holding in a Minor suit (ie: Forcing No Trump and Opener rebids 2♣ or 2♦).

In practice, the "length known" scale is rare in this system, but is included for completeness. Gamma is normally used with 5-card or longer suits, but in the case of Forcing No Trump sequences where Responder is using Gamma in Opener's second suit they will sometimes be only of 4-card length. In this situations Responder should be aware that Opener might open a 5-card Major and rebid a 6-card Minor, so the responses to Gamma, which are open-ended, can become very expensive.

When is a Bid Gamma?

A bid is Gamma in the following situations:
  • After a 1♣ Opening and positive response in a suit, when another suit has not yet been agreed as trumps, a bid in Responder's suit is Gamma (eg: 1♣-1NT-2♠)
  • In any other sequence where Asking Bids have been established and no suit yet agreed as trumps, the first bid in Responder's suit below game level is Gamma (eg: 2♣-3♠(Alpha)-3NT-4♣)
  • In a Forcing No Trump sequence, a bid of the cheapest new suit over Opener's rebid is Gamma in Opener's Major.
  • In a Forcing No Trump sequence where Opener has shown a second suit, a bid of the 2nd-cheapest new suit over Opener's rebid is Gamma in Opener's 2nd suit.
  • There are a few other specific sequences (see the various Opening Bid pages) where a bid is Gamma (particularly over 1♦ and 2♣ Openings).

Responses to Gamma

There are effectively 3 different scales of responses to Gamma

"Length Known" Scale

This scale for Gamma is used when the length of partner's suit is exactly known and is longer than 4 cards. As stated above, this scale is generally not used in this system unless you are using non-standard 2 or 3-level Openings which account for more extreme distributions (eg: You might have specific Openings which show 11-15 strength with 5-5 and/or 6-5 in the Majors. Now in the sequence 1♠-1NT-2♥ the Heart suit is known to be of 4-card length.):
  1. : No Top Honours (No Repeat Gamma allowed)
  2. : One Top Honour
  3. : One Top Honour and the Jack
  4. : Two Top Honours
  5. : Two Top Honours and the Jack
  6. : Three Top Honours (No Repeat Gamma allowed)

"Length Unknown" Scale

This scale for Gamma is used when the length of partner's suit is not known but is known to be of at least 4-card length:
  1. : No Top Honours (any length)
  2. : One Top Honour (minimum length)
  3. : 2 or 3 Top Honours (minimum length)
  4. : One Top Honour (min length +1)
  5. : Two Top Honours (min length +1)
  6. : Three Top Honours (min length +1)
  7. : One Top Honour (min length +2)
  8. ...etc etc (open-ended)

Forcing No Trump Scale

This scale for Gamma is used in Forcing No Trump sequences when Opener has rebid what might be a 3-card Minor (eg: 1♠-1NT-2♣) and Responder is making a Gamma Ask in that Minor:
  1. : Any 3-card holding. (Suit is not agreed as trumps)
  2. : No Top Honours (any 4+-card length)
  3. : One Top Honour (4-card length)
  4. : 2 or 3 Top Honours (4-card length)
  5. : One Top Honour (5-card length)
  6. : Two Top Honours (5-card length)
  7. : Three Top Honours (5-card length)
  8. : One Top Honour (6-card length)
  9. ...etc etc (open-ended)

Repeat Gamma Asks

Unless Responder shows 3 Top Honours, or No Top Honours when his length is exactly known, Repeat Gamma Asks are permitted to clarify Responder's exact holding in the trump suit. These are allowed below game level only, unless slam values have definitely been established, in which case they are even allowed at game level. There are four scenarios, depending on the scale being used and what Responder has shown in response to the first Gamma Ask:
  • Responder has shown no Top Honour, but length not known. Steps are:
    1. : Minimum Length
    2. : Minimum Length + 1
    3. : Minimum Length + 2
    4. ...etc etc (open ended)
  • Responder has shown One Top Honour. Steps are:
    1. : Q or KJ
    2. : K or AJ
    3. : A or QJ
      If Responder has already promised or denied the Jack (ie: their length was known already) then they simply show which honour is held with the first of those alternatives.
  • Responder has shown Two Top Honours (or 2 or 3 Top Honours). Steps are:
    1. : KQ or AQJ
    2. : AQ or AKJ
    3. : AK or KQJ
    4. : AKQ
      If Responder has already promised or denied the Jack (ie: their length was known already) then they simply show which two honours are held with the first of those alternatives
  • The Forcing No Trump Scale was in use and Responder showed a 3-card holding. Steps are:
    1. : No Top Honours
    2. : One Top Honour
    3. : Two Top Honours
      This takes care of times when Responder has a 5 or 6-card suit in the Minor that Opener bid on the second round, and Responder wishes to agree it even though Opener only has a 3-card holding. A Repeat Ask in these circumstances agrees the suit as trumps, but otherwise the initial showing of a 3-card holding does not mean the suit is agreed.

Notes

  • Trump Agreement: The use of Gamma always agrees Responder's suit as trumps. This agreement is only withdrawn if Responder shows No Top Honour and Opener immediately bids No Trumps.
    (eg: 1♣-1♥-1NT(Beta)-2♣(0-2)-2♥(Gamma)-2♠-2NT is handing over the Captaincy and withdraws the agreement of Hearts as trumps). In these circumstances Responder is free to show additional length and perhaps a semi-solid holding such as J109xxx(x) by repeating the suit, but otherwise would normally show a second suit or bid game in No Trumps if semi-balanced.
  • Low-Level Betas: As a matter of tactics and probabilities, where Responder has shown a Major suit positive, it is almost always worth trying to fit in a low-level Beta before using Gamma (Unless Responder has 4+ controls, you will still be able to make the Gamma Ask at the 2-level. Where Responder has shown a Minor Suit positive, it is always worth making a low-level Beta first.
  • Minor Suits: Responder should be aware that Opener may bid No Trumps naturally at the 3-level even if Responder shows a fairly strong/long suit. If Opener has made a low-level Beta Ask, then this sign-off should not be disturbed. If Opener has not, made a low-level Beta, however, Opener is normally simply showing a relatively minimum balanced hand with this sign-off and Responder is free to continue over 3NT if holding an stronger-than normal hand where slam is a decent possibility.
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