Let’s face it: the least desirable game contract is five of a minor. If you’re in 5♣️ or 5♦️, you need to make 11 tricks, each of which is worth only 20 points. Often you’re better off in 3NT.
To be sure, there are times when 5♣️ or 5♦️ looks like the right contract. Consider this partnership in a duplicate game:
NORTH
♠️ K 9
♥️ K 5 4
♦️ Q J 8 7 5 3
♣️ 4 3
SOUTH (D)
♠️ A 8
♥️ Q J 2
♦️ A K 10 9 6 4
♣️ A 5
The bidding might proceed as follows:
South North
1♦️ 3♦️
5♦️ Pass
The contract will make.
But how about:
South North
1♦️ 3♦️
3NT Pass
If clubs aren’t led, you can tap hearts for overtricks. If clubs are led, you get nine tricks for the same +400 or +600 score, depending on vulnerability, as you’d earn in 5♦️.
There are times to play in a minor-suit contract, especially in partials, and game contracts aren’t out of the question. Let’s change the South hand slightly:
NORTH
♠️ K 9
♥️ K 5 4
♦️ Q J 8 7 5 3
♣️ 4 3
SOUTH (D)
♠️ A 8
♥️ Q J 2
♦️ A K 10 9 6 4 2
♣️ 5
Now the original auction makes sense:
South North
1♦️ 3♦️
5♦️ Pass
The catch comes in knowing when to stop short of game. For a long time I considered a contract of 4♣️ or 4♦️ an insult and insisted, sometimes disastrously, on going to five. Here’s a hand from OK Bridge where the declarers came to their senses. East was dealing, with both sides vulnerable:
NORTH
♠️ K
♥️ J 10 9 5
♦️ K 9 4
♣️ K J 7 6 3
WEST EAST
♠️ A Q 10 9 6 5 2 ♠️ 8 4
♥️ Q 3 ♥️ K 8 6 4 2
♦️ Q ♦️ 8 7 2
♣️ 9 8 4 ♣️ Q 10 5
SOUTH
♠️ J 7 3
♥️ A 7
♦️ A J 10 6 5 3
♣️ A 2
The bidding proceeded as follows:
East South West North
Pass 1NT 2♠️ 3♠️•
Pass 4♦️ All Pass
• Western cuebid asking partner to bid 3NT with a spade stopper
Opening lead: ♠️A
A few words about the auction. It’s fine to open 1NT with a six-card minor suit. Adding two points for the fifth and sixth diamonds, the South hand fits into the requisite 15-17 high-card-point range. West should have overcalled 3♠️, which North probably would have doubled for penalties.
The real lesson is that North-South stopped short of bidding 5♦️, and 4♦️ just made.
So beware of making a major deal over a minor contract.
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