Matchpoints & 4-card majors

[pilun]

Playing 4-card majors with some canape and a strong club, we find ourselves missing some 8-card major fits and playing the wrong 7-card ones.

 

Take these two recent matchpoint examples:

Case 1

 

[hv=pc=n&s=sq76hj7d7654ca872&w=sat4hat85daq92cj3&n=skj82hq643dk83c95&e=s953hk92djtckqt64&d=s&v=n&b=15&a=p1h(4%2B!H%2C%20not%204!S%2C%2011-15)p2hppp]399|300[/hv]

 

 

Balanced 15-counts are dangerous for our 16+ 1♣ system. Most of the field made +150 or +400.

It's easy to say that East should bid 1NT but the hand looks suitable for 2♥. If partner has five ♥s, 2♥ rates to score better, or at least match the field.

If you play a method like ours, what are your guidelines for raising on three?

 

Case 2

 

[hv=pc=n&s=skt73hq5dkq982ct9&w=s8652hjt84da3ck52&n=sa9hk62dt7654cq73&e=sqj4ha973djcaj864&d=e&v=n&b=2&a=1h(4%2B!H%20no%204!Ss%2011-15)2d2h3dppp]399|300[/hv]

 

Forget the North-South bidding. Can't argue with their success!

Those who opened 1♣ had no problems scoring +140 in 3♥.

 

West might have bid 3♥ first time, or had 2nd thoughts when 3♦ came round.

Hard for East to act, though favourable vulnerability at MPs makes it tempting.

 

Perhaps East can double to say "We were making 2♥, let's bid to 3♥ unless you have raised on three." Or should that double be a game try based on a 5-card heart suit?

At IMPs too, don't want to bring back "-140" "-110, 6 out."

[hrothgar]

1. Playing MOSCITO, we pretty much raise any time that we have three pieces

 

Having (most) other bids explicitly deny three card support makes up for the occasional loss

 

In particular, if we have an auction like

 

1M - 1N

2m

 

where the major could a 4 card suit and the minor could be 5 pieces, its good to know that

 

1M - 1N

2m - 2M

 

shows a doubleton (and, by inference 3 card support for the minor)

 

2. I'd raise to 3 with the West hand

[etha]

We always shoe horn a 14-16 NT into our moscito. This takes some balanced hands out of 1C which is good and 1NT is always good. Hand 2 was fine,

[pilun]

We always shoe horn a 14-16 NT into our moscito. This takes some balanced hands out of 1C which is good and 1NT is always good. Hand 2 was fine,

 

That makes sense.

So how do you handle 12-13 balanced, no major?

[etha]

That makes sense.

So how do you handle 12-13 balanced, no major?

currently I advocate just passing with no 5 card major. Bidding 2c or 2d with 5.

We used to play transfers when they were allowed and so we could open 1!s with 4 diamonds no major with 1NT as nat and 2!c as the relay. With 4 clubs and balanced partner liked the pass I tried to add 3334 to 1!s.