Duplicate players prefer to be in 3NT rather than game in a minor – except if 3NT is slated for defeat. Consider these hands:
WEST EAST
S 82 S 43
H AK6 H QJ5
D AK642 D T9753
C AJ4 C KQ3
West opens 1D and East raises to 2D; so far so good. Now West, who has been told to avoid game in a minor, bids 3NT instead.
Spades are led and declarer sees immediately that the contract will be defeated when 5D was cold on a normal diamond break. So would that have been a better bid?
WEST EAST
S 82 S QJ5
H AK6 H 43
D AK642 D T9753
C AJ4 C KQ3
With East’s major suit holdings swapped, 3NT will outscore 5D. But is there a way to know which contract is best?
After a minor suit fit has been agreed, the bid of another suit indicates a stopper in that suit, and game interest.
In the given example, West would bid 2H to show a stopper in hearts. East with the other unbid suits covered would bid notrumps, probably a direct 3NT as West has already revealed a goodish hand.
Dealer North, EW vul.
NORTH
S 75
H AKJ3
D AK652
C QT
WEST EAST
S AQ3 S JT862
H T987 H 642
D QJ8 D —
C J65 C K9742
SOUTH
S K94
H Q5
D T9743
C A83
WEST NORTH EAST SOUTH
1D Pass 2D
Pass 2H Pass 3NT
All pass
After the minor suit fit was found, North bid 2H to show the stopper and invite game. South had the other suits covered and was maximum, so bid 3NT.
Although North has shown heart cover, West still leads the H10, which has the double merit of being top of a sequence and being from the long suit.
After winning the heart lead with the HQ, declarer plays diamonds. The 3-0 break means a trick must be lost but at least it is to West, the “safe” hand who cannot lead spades through declarer’s king.
Instead, West persists with hearts because even if no extra trick can be set up there, at least no extra tricks are donated to the other side. This leaves declarer with no safe way to make more than nine tricks.