What should I bid? - Best enquiry for May 2010

The best submission for May came from Brian Thorp.

 Hand:      Dealer East with EW vulnerable, I was West with this hand:

754  10876  964  KQJ

Bidding:	West	North	East	South
			1	Pass
	1NT	Pass	3NT	Pass
	Pass	Pass

Comments:     We play 5-card majors with a weak NT. East held AKQ93, Q5, KQ8, AT9.

I responded 1NT because I thought 1NT would be less attractive to partner and I had ten losers if we played in a spade contract. Would you have bid 1NT with my hand? If not, are there any hands with 6-9 hcp and 3-card support for partner's 5-card major where you would do? If I had responded 2, do you think partner should have then bid 3NT or 4?

On the actual deal, 4 couldn't make. 3NT could, but only if played by East.

Kieran's Reply:

Brian,

The 1NT response with three card support is OK with truly vile raises - those not really good enough for a raise to 2, particularly 4333 types and/or with scattered honours (say Jxx,Qxx,Qxx,Jxxx or worse). If your partner rebids in a suit, you give simple preference to spades, pretending temporarily to have only two spades but perhaps a slightly better hand. In terms of playability for spades, it all works out, and you hear fewer jumps to 4 when you were about to offer a vile dummy.

This hand has three positives for 1NT - mediocre six-count, 3433 shape and weak spades. Against bidding 1NT is the concentration of honours, which increases the chance that you belong in a suit. All things considered, I don't regard either 2 or 1NT as an error. With a bit more (another queen, say) you must raise spades.

(Strong notrumpers can also bid 1NT fairly safely with 10-11 balanced with three trumps - your partner either has a weak notrump or will rebid. Weak notrumpers can only do this if partner can be relied upon to systemically rebid (in a 3-card minor, say) with his balanced 15-16s. It's playable, but it's not common.)

Over 2 I...no, wait, I don't hold this hand. I already opened it 2NT, which should be raised to 3 (Stayman is inadvisable with 4333 types). If I did forget to open 2NT, I think that neither 3NT nor 4 from opener is an error.

3NT looks superior, regardless of siding - it's hard work for the opponents to untangle four heart tricks, so 3NT should make any time that the spades run and some other times besides. 4 needs probably the diamond ace onside to go with the spade break.

Kieran

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