Because of the undesirability of declaring the 5 ♣/♦ games (too many tricks to win) the 3 ♣/♦ response to 1 NT is normally pretty pointless. ‘I was hoping you’d bid 3 NT, partner’, is the plaintive cry of the 3 ♣/♦ bidder who has seen partner support his minor, leading to a failing 5 ♣/♦.

Rather than bid and hope partner will bid 3 NT, why not bid 3 NT yourself.

Exercise: What would you respond to 1 NT with these hands?

Answer: 3 NT with them all!

Apart from slammy hands, you would need a void or a seven-card suit with a side small singleton to bid 3 ♣/♦. Note that it is entirely different with major suits, where even flattish game-going hands with a four-card major should look for a fit (via Stayman).

Contrast:

Responding to partner’s 1 NT, holding (a) you would bid 3 NT, holding (b) you would bid 4 ♥. There’s a huge difference in practice between trying to make one more trick than the 3 NT game (ie 4 ♥/♠) and two more tricks (5 ♣/♦).

Click to play this deal