This is a particular problem for methods that freely open 4-card majors, such as ours.
We do this much more often that Goren, say, who had the concept of a biddable suit for a major opening – something like QTxx – plus of course no canape.
There are compensations for us. Opener is limited and responder can relay on good hands with 3-card support. Opening a 4-card suit rates to gain whenever responder has 4 or 5 trumps and can deliver a quick 1-2, 1-3 or 1-4. Also reaching a shaky 4-3 fit in 2M can work well if the opponents get active.
However, the 6-10 counts with three trumps can cause problems, particularly at matchpoints. When to raise, pass or bid 1NT.
I crudely generated some hands in Windows BGen, a cut down version of Paul Heitner’s 1980s DOS program. I gave opener a scamp 1H opening, responder 6-10 with three trumps, no singleton, then ran them through Deep Finesse.
4333s tend to do better to bid 1NT, though that is not clear. Certainly 4-3-3-3 (four spades) should bid 1NT.
| ♠T9 ♥K764 ♦AQ32 ♣K72 | ♠KQJ5 ♥Q98 ♦976 ♣983 | On the actual layout, 2H made +110, while 1NT is +120. Disaster at matchpoints, not to mention +90 vs -100. |
| 1H | 1NT | Three small in each minor makes 1NT a bit less than clear. |
Hands with a doubleton spade should raise, since the opponents have a fit there. (1H opening denies four spades)
| ♠QT ♥Q743 ♦AT76 ♣KT5 | ♠K6 ♥T86 ♦Q98 ♣A9762 | 2H is no fun but neither is 1NT. Okay because the opponents have 8+ spades. West should maybe pass that flawed 11-count.* |
| 1H | 2H |
* The problem with flat 11-counts is responder having the same hand.
1H – 1SR – 2C (bal) – 2NT, with 11 opposite 11.
These are the hands that Precision players will often play in 1NT after:
1D – 1H/S – 1NT (11-13)
On the actual, the raise to 2H doesn’t lock in hearts:
1H – (no) – 2H – (2S)
no – (no) – ?
East might consider 3C now, certainly if the SK were elsewhere.
| ♠ ♥ ♦ ♣ | ♠ ♥ ♦ ♣ | |
