12-1-2026

Opening 1NT with a 5 card major.

There are several schools of thought on this ranging from,

always open a balanced 12-14 with 1NT even with a 5 card major,

always open a balanced hand with a 5 card major with 1 of the major,

and finally only open such hands with 1 of a major if the major is rebiddable,

 (some play that a 5 card major worse than J high is not rebiddable).

Over the next few weeks we will look at some hands and see the outcomes with different methods. To start we will look at board 12 from Mondays session.

West is the opener and has a balanced hand with 13 points and a 5 card major.

The weak diamond doubleton may put some pairs off opening 1NT

but if you open a spade then after a 2 level suit bid by partner you have to rebid 2S.

This could be very ugly if partner has 2 small spades.

I guess the danger of opening 1NT on this hand is that you might miss a 5-3 spade fit.

In this case your partner had 5 spades and so one way or another E/W should end up in 4S,

a contract found by everyone except the unlucky pair who bid a good 6S

which, as we will see, failed to make.

W was declarer at every table because after a 1NT bid E should transfer to spades

and then bid hearts so W will still be declarer.

The lead was usually a diamond (risky as declarer could hold A Q

or a club (safer).

Left to their own devices once delarer gets the lead

they will probably draw trumps and finesse the heart which loses to the stiff K.

Interstingly the only person in 6S was given a chance to make the contract when N led the 9H.

If W thinks about this card he should conclude that it is probably top of nothing (would you lead the 9H agaisnt a slam holding the K.?)

which means that S holds the KH.

If you play a small heart from dummy S will win and surelycash the AD to defeat 6S.

The only chance then (if S has the KH) is that its a singleton. Declarer must pop up with the AH ,cross every appendage

and when their good logic sees the KH fall they can draw trumps and then throw their losing club

on the fourth heart conceding only the AD (E can ruff the other diamond). 1

2 tricks bid and made. It looks however as if declarer put in a lower heart and ended up one down.

Tip of the week
Discuss with your partner what approach you want to take when holding a balanced hand in your opening NT range with a 5 card major.

The analysis is my own opinion and you may well disagree. Always make sure you know your own system before you play.

Mark Rixon