With long, strong minors, think 3NT

Always remember, minor suit games need 11 tricks, while 3 NT needs only nine. Give yourself a minor suit such as ♣ AKQJ642, seven solid tricks, and you need just two outside tricks for 3 NT — yet four more for 5 ♣.

Naturally, 3 NT is vulnerable to the opponents running a long suit, so stoppers in the outside suits are important. But don’t go crazy about having to have stoppers in suits the opponents have not bid. This is because (i) the opponents may not lead the suit; (ii) the suit may be distributed in such a way that the opponents cannot win five tricks; (iii) you may have two half-stoppers between your hand and dummy, which combine to form a full stopper and (iv) if you have some length, then the lack of a stopper doesn’t matter:

Dummy
♥ 642
-------
Declarer
♥ 753

Clearly you do not have a stopper. Yet with three losers, you won’t make 5 /♣. 3 NT, on the other hand, will make, provided hearts split 4-3 (or 5-2 with the suit not led — the player with two hearts on lead).

In the modern game, both the opening bid of 3 NT and the opening bid of One-of-suit followed by the rebid of 3 NT, show long, solid minors. The opening bid of 3 NT shows no ace or king outside; the rebid of 3 NT shows much more outside (although the minor suit itself may not be completely solid).

Click to play this deal

West led ♥ 10 and declarer was not hard pressed to take nine tricks — although the spade blockage (and lack of dummy entry) prevented him from making ten. Trick one went ♥ 10, ♥ Q, ♥ K, ♥ A and declarer promptly cashed seven clubs plus ♠ K. Game made.

You’ll see that 5 ♣ stands no chance. Even if the defence fails to lead a diamond — and cash three quick tricks, declarer cannot come close. Indeed, the aforementioned spade blockage means the minor-suit game fails by two tricks.