How to avoid 3NT

[francosca]

One of my recurring ZEROES comes from landing on an unmakeable 3NT after a minor suit opening and inverted raise or delayed raise by partner to 3 of the suit. Usually 2 balanced hands in the 24-26 point range.

Showing stoppers or asking for stoppers works most of the time, but way too often the stopper is too thin ... gets dislodged quickly.... and down we go.

 

I heard/read somewhere that an alternate method is to ask for shortness (or show shortness) to find the fly in the ointment and stay away from 3NT and maybe settle in 4 of a minor (YUCK! :) ).

 

Any ideas ?

[billw55]

Just because you go down, doesn't mean the bidding was wrong. Especially at matchpoints, which is what this sounds like.

 

OK, you got a few zeros going down in 3NT. But if you make a habit of playing in 4 or 5 of a minor instead, some of those will be zeros as well - for failing to be in 3NT when it makes. Probably more of them.

 

Several things have to happen to go down in 3NT (when you otherwise have the goods to make it). First, you have to have a weak suit; second, they have to lead it; third, they have to not block the suit, or otherwise misplay it to give you an extra stopper. Opponents are not infallible! On top of that, sometimes you will have 9 cashing tricks after your one lonely stopper is driven out, say if the finesse you need works. On the whole, bidding 3NT with shaky stoppers pays off in the long run at matchpoints.