Why play in 3NT when you have a minor suit fit?

To understand why you want to play in 3NT rather than 5 of a minor you have to first understand SCORING at matchpoints.

Click HERE to see the post on scoring at matchpoints.

If you play in 5 of a minor you have to take at least 11 tricks.

If you play in 3NT you only have to take 9 tricks.

So if you can take 10 tricks on the hand in 3NT you've just scored an overtrick! :)

In 5 of a minor you've just gone down. :(

If you take overtricks in 3NT they are worth 30 points each.

If you take overtricks in 5 of a minor they are only worth 20 points each.

So let's look at this table:

N/S Pair	E/W Pair	Contract	By	Result	N/S Score	E/W Score	N/S Matchpoints	E/W Matchpoints
1	1	3NT	N	+2	460
2	3	3NT	N	+1	430
3	5	3NT	N	+3	490
4	7	3NT	N	+1	430
5	9	3NT	N	+2	460
6	2	5♦	N	+1	420
7	4	3NT	S	+3	490
8	6	6♦	N	M	920
9	8	3NT	N	+2	460
10
11
12

Here we have our heros N/S Pair #6 playing in 5♦. They had a ♦ fit so they wanted to play in that suit but were too scared to go to the 6 level. However they did make an overtrick so they that thought that should be good for scoring.



They were wrong.

One pair bid (and made!) the 6♦ slam.

Everyone else bid 3NT and made at least one overtrick.

So remember at matchpoints it is ALL about how many other pairs you beat on your score.

For bidding 5♦ and taking 12 tricks N/S scored 420 points.

They were not vulnerable so they got 400 points for bidding (and making!) the game and 20 points for the overtrick.

For bidding (and making) 3NT everyone else got 400 points -- same as bidding and making 5♦. But what everyone else cashed in on were their overtricks. Each overtrick was worth 30 points.

The one pair that bid the slam got 400 points for bidding the game, 20 points for the overtrick and because they bid the small slam they got a 500 point BONUS. So they ended up with 920 points.

So putting in the matchpoints (which is all you really are concerned about at matchpoints) the pair that bid the slam beat everyone. There were 8 others playing so N/S Pair #8 picked up 8 matchpoints for the board. That's 100%!

N/S Pair #6 picked up 0 matchpoints for the board. That's 0%. They did not score more points than anyone. Not one single pair.

So let's look at this table completed with the matchpoints:

N/S Pair	E/W Pair	Contract	By	Result	N/S Score	E/W Score	N/S Matchpoints	E/W Matchpoints
1	1	3NT	N	+2	460		4
2	3	3NT	N	+1	430		1.5
3	5	3NT	N	+3	490		6.5
4	7	3NT	N	+1	430		1.5
5	9	3NT	N	+2	460		4
6	2	5♦	N	+1	420		0
7	4	3NT	S	+3	490		6.5
8	6	6♦	N	M	920		8
9	8	3NT	N	+2	460		4
10
11
12

So you can see the two pairs that were playing in 3NT and only made 1 overtrick still beat N/S Pair #6. So they get 1 point for beating N/S #6 and a half a point for tying each other.

So when playing matchpoints the moral of the story is to either be in 3NT OR 6 of the minor.

If you play in 5 of the minor you'll get a big fat zero.

Follow Up

Is this ALWAYS true? Can one NEVER play in 5 of a minor at matchpoints?

No. Sometimes you just can't play in 3NT. Sometimes you KNOW the opponents are going to lead a suit you don't have stopped. If you have shortness in that suit you can sometimes make a game but not a slam. That would be a reason to play in 5 of the minor.

Perhaps the Opponents bid up to 4 of a major. You can no longer play in 3NT. You don't think you'll get enough tricks by doubling them. Now you might want to play in 5 of the minor.

You want to play in 5 of the minor as a sacrifice.

But unless there is a GOOD reason to not play in 3NT -- choose to play in 3NT at matchpoints. It's well worth it.