What to open?

Playing matchpoints. Neither you nor the Opponents are vulnerable.

Here is your hand:
♠AQ94
♥5
♦8732
♣AQT9

You are Dealer. What is your call?

Show Answer

1♦.

With two four card minors open the bidding 1♦.

I know right now you are thinking -- why? Why open 1♦? My ♣ suit is sooo much better.

This is true. Your ♣ suit IS better. Much better.

However it is all about rebids -- not about how good your minor is.

Say you open 1♣. What would you do if Partner bid 1NT? Just play there?

If you open 1♦ and Partner bids 1NT. You can rebid 2♣. "Pick one of my minors to play in Partner!" You do rate to have a minor suit fit since Partner should not have a four card major.

Similarly if you open 1♦ and Partner bids 1♥. You can bid 1♠. If Partner then bids 1NT you can rebid 2♣. "Pick one of my suits to play in Partner!"

However if you open 1♣ and Partner bids 1♥ you could be in a little trouble. You can bid 1♠ but if Partner then bids 1NT you cannot rebid 2♦. If Partner likes your ♣ suit better they would have to bid 3♣. That might be too high. So you are stuck playing in 1NT.