Bridge
16 July, 2026
Asking for a stopper
At matchpoint pairs, the most popular game contract is 3NT, which is as it should be.
At matchpoint pairs, the most popular game contract is 3NT, which is as it should be. If exactly 10 tricks are available, 3NT outscores a major suit contract, while if 11 tricks are available it outscores any suit contract.
Of course the argument is even stronger if the partnership's fit is in a minor suit and only 10 tricks are available. For that matter, 10 tricks in notrumps outscores 11 tricks in a minor suit game. So after learning that partner has a long minor suit, you should always consider playing in 3NT if you have a fit and suitable holdings in the other suits. Despite that, few pairs reached 3NT on this board which was played at the club a little while ago:
That might be in part because bidding to the contract is not straightforward. West will of course open 1♣️ and if you believe in bidding 4-card suits up the line, East will respond 1♦️. West will rebid 2♣️ and, with a fit and 11 high card points including two aces, East will raise to 3♣️. What should West do now?
Clearly clubs will be a source of tricks in a notrump contract and West has both of the red suit aces, so the issue is the spade suit. At this point, what would a bid of 3♠️ by West mean?
The sensible agreement is that as 3♠️ at this point cannot be natural, it should be treated as asking for a stopper. Holding ♠️AJxx, East should have no hesitation in bidding 3NT.
What about if East initially responds 1♠️, showing a major suit in preference to a minor suit with 6-11(12) points? Now after a 2♣️ rebid and a raise to 3♣️, West can either dare to bid 3NT herself or can bid 3♦️ to ask for a stopper – after all, it would be nice to have something other than the singleton ace between the two hands. Again, East can happily bid 3NT over the stopper ask.
After minor suit agreement, a bid of a new suit should be treated as asking for a stopper for 3NT.
Rakesh Kumar
The Southern Highlands Bridge Club runs three duplicate sessions every week (Mon 1:00 pm, Wed 6:30 pm, Sat 1:00 pm) at the East Bowral Community Centre. Highlands players and visitors welcome!
For more information: https://shbc.bridgeaustralia.org
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