Source: andrew-gumperz.blogspot.com.ar

Opening bids are the foundation on which subsequent bidding is laid. If the foundation is unstable, the rest of the auction may come tumbling down. I often see players lay an unsound foundation holding 4 diamonds and 5 clubs.

Responder
Spade Suit KQxxx
Heart Suit Axxx
 xx
 xx

Opener
Spade Suit x
Heart Suit Kxx
 Axxx
 KQTxx

Auction
1 — 1Spade Suit
2 — 2
P

How could this silly contract have been avoided?

Andrew Gumperz
Andrew Gumperz

Perhaps responder was wrong to correct 2 to 2. The result would have been better if responder had passed, but how can responder know? Opener would have bid the same if the minors had been reversed. For that matter, when opener bid 2, he might still hold 17 HCP. Passing then would miss an easy game. No, we can not blame responder for this debacle.

The culprit is a system which asked us to open in our second best suit. A better solution is to open 1 with 5-clubs and 4-diamonds and 11-14 HCP. 1 leaves you well placed over:

  • 1 or 1Heart Suit, you will raise
  • 1NT, you will takeout to 2
  • 2 (inverted raise), you will splinter to 3Spade Suit

However, partner is most likely to respond in our singleton. What happens then?
1 — 1Spade Suit
?

Opener must choose between 1NT or 2. Yes, either is a distortion, but they are distortions that cost less in the long run than the distortion of opening in your second best suit which frequently gets to the wrong strain. If opener rebids 1NT, a sensible contract is reached routinely.

Responder
Spade Suit KQxxx
Heart Suit Axxx
 xx
 xxOpener
Spade Suit x
Heart Suit Kxx
 Axxx
KQTxx 

Auction

1    —   1Spade Suit
1NT  —  2Heart Suit

P
Why did this auction work so much better? When opener rebid 2 in our first example, he precludes finding a fit in hearts (the fourth suit) unless responder is strong because a 2Heart Suit call becomes 4SF. But when he makes the limited 1NT response he shows his point range, allowing responder to recognize immediately that game is out of the question, and he causes responder’s 4th suit call to become natural and NF, giving the partnership an easy out into a fine contract.
Any time that you hold a singleton and a minimum opening bid, you must also consider what happens if the opponents are rude enough to enter your auction. WIll auction 1 or auction 2 get you to a better contract?

Responder
Spade Suit xxxx
Heart Suit Axx
 Kxx
 xxx

Opener
Spade Suit x
Heart Suit Kxx
 Axxx
 KQTxx

Auction 1
1 — (2Spade Suit) — P — ( P )
X  — ( P ) —  ?
Auction 2
1 — (2Spade Suit) — P — ( P )
X  — ( P ) —  ?
Auction 2 will find your 8-card club fit. Auction 1, your tenuous 7-card diamond fit.
Conclusion
When holding 5-clubs and 4-diamonds and a minimum opening hand (11-14 HCP) plan your auction before choosing an opening bid. 
  • With 2-2-4-5 shape, I normally open 1 planning to rebid 1NT when partner bids 1M.
  • With 3-1-4-5 shape, I normally open 1 planning to rebid:
    • 1NT if partner bids my singleton
    • 2M if partner bids my 3-card suit major
    • 2 if partner responds 1NT

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