1NT Opening With A Five-Card Major By Sally Brock

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1NT opening with a five-card majorby Sally Brock

Question
I have seen Andrew Robson recommending opening 1NT with a 5-3-3-2 distribution even when the five-card suit is a strong major.

We've got into real difficulties with this, often ending in a 3NT contract when everyone else ends up correctly in four-of-a-major. Please could you elaborate?

Answer
This is a difficult area of the game. Most people the world over play that a 1NT rebid shows the opposite range to an opening 1NT, so if you have a 5-3-3-2 distribution and a hand in the range for your opening 1NT, you cannot open one-of-a-suit and rebid in no-trumps: you have to find an alternative action.

Personally, I agree with Andrew Robson: I like to open 1NT even when I hold a five-card major. However, I like to play Five-Card Stayman in preference to ordinary Stayman, so I can find out about 5-3 major-suit fits.

If you play a weak no-trump, your alternative, with a 5-3-3-2 distribution, is to open in your five-card suit and rebid it on the next round. This risks partner leaving you in a 5-1 (or worse.) fit. If you play a strong no-trump, your rebid problems are even worse: you will have to invent a three-card minor at your second turn to bid.

To my way of thinking, opening 1NT in the first place is by far the better option - particularly if you then play five-card Stayman. You may lose out sometimes to those playing in four-of-a major, but you would be surprised at how often it is better to play the 5-3 fit in no-trumps, and then you will gain over the rest of the field.