What’s your call?
| 3♠ | 3NT | |||
| 4♣ | 4♦ | 4♥ | 4♠ | 4NT |
| 5♣ | 5♦ | 5♥ | 5♠ | 5NT |
| 6♣ | 6♦ | 6♥ | 6♠ | 6NT |
| 7♣ | 7♦ | 7♥ | 7♠ | 7NT |
| Pass | Dbl |
“4NT, showing the minors,” Stack says. “We actually have an excellent hand if we have a decent minor-suit fit. There are two ways to win with this bid. We could make our game. Or, if we cannot, it is possible the opponents may sacrifice, in which case we will double to convey our excellent defensive prospects.”
“4NT, not happily,” grumbles Weinstein. “If they had raised to 4♥, I would feel like 4NT was automatic. In this auction, I am less certain, but I don’t want to be minus 140 when we’re cold for a slam.”
“Ugh!” belches Falk. “4NT is a pretty sizable overbid, but the alternatives — pass, 4♦ and 4♣ — are worse.”
Hampson “overbids” 4NT, too, “in an effort to find our best fit.”
Lee agrees 4NT is a bit of an overbid, “but everything else is worse.”
Kennedy, too: “I wish I had a better hand for the five level, but I’m too strong to pass.”
“Assuming 3NT is natural,” says Lawrence, “I am obliged to bid 4NT for the minors. It is useful to use 4♥ and 4NT here to show different grades of unusual notrump, but I will assume 4NT is the only one I have.”
Colchamiro simply ignores the whole minor-suited thing and bids what he hopes he can make: “3NT. Might as well guess for a top.”
Cohen agrees. He wishes 3NT showed the minors, “but it doesn’t,” and he bids 3NT anyway. “Hopefully partner won’t get us to spades (he should have at least six if he does). Good partners will have enough for me to run one of the minors. Great partners will have enough for me to make nine or more tricks.”
The Sutherlins go for the gusto, too. “3NT. Too much to pass, not enough spades to double, not a good enough suit to overcall at the four level. So we take a shot.”
Meyers, deeming her hand insufficient for the minor-suit-oriented 4NT, bids 4♣. “I will bid my better minor at the four level and hope for the best.”
4♣ from Sanborn, who would also like to bid an unusual 4NT. “But the five level is too high — too many losers. 3NT could work, but it is ‘out there,’ and I don’t have so many tricks.”
Boehm settles on 4♦ . “3NT must be to play, and we’re not good enough for 4NT.”
