What to Respond?

Playing matchpoints. You are vulnerable and the Opponents are not vulnerable.

Here is your hand:
♠K98
♥QJ4
♦Q8642
♣J2

Partner opens the bidding 1♦. Your RHO (Right Hand Opponent) bids 1♠. What is your call?

Show Answer

I think you have either two bids on this hand.

The bid I would choose is 1NT. That shows about 6 to 10 HCP with a stopper in the Opponent's suit (♠) and is NON-FORCING. (A stopper is a card that will win a trick and STOP the Opponents from winning the first five tricks in the suit!)

Another bid would be 2♦. This shows 6 to 10 points and promises ♦ support. You'd like to have five ♦ but will do it with four ♦ only if you are stuck because most of the time Partner will have four and you do want to bid when you can.

The reason why I don't like this bid as much is the fact that this is matchpoints and matchpoints is all about playing in NT if you can.

You are fairly balanced and have the Opponent's suit stopped. YOU are the one that must choose the NT. Partner will not be able to. Show them you have a stopper. Your ♦ tricks will take tricks in NT also.

Plus you have outside values in the ♥ suit also.

On this hand both 3NT and 5♦ will make -- however 3NT will make with an overtrick! That 630 points for playing in 3NT rather than 600 points for playing in 5♦.

Yes, one can argue that Partner should ask for a ♠ stopper to play in 3NT if that is a better place to play but Partner has a singleton ♦ and isn't thinking NT.