Blum on Bridge Which Game to Bid (part 2)
	The dilemma of whether to bid game in a major suit or no-trump is not only limited to 4-4 eight card fits, as discussed last week, but 5-3 fits as well. Kit Woolsey, in his book "Matchpoints," clearly sets a standard that makes the choice easier for the declarer. The same considerations employed to decide whether to bypass a 4-4 fit and play in a no-trump contract are equally useful in 5-3 decisions. The big difference is that ruffing can gain tricks in either hand holding 4-4 fits, but only in the hand short in trumps holding three cards in 5-3 fits. Another factor is if the hand short in trumps also has a five-card suit such as AK543, that can be established by the ruff of spot cards. The hand that is short in trump almost always determines the final decision. For example, holding 4-3-3-3 there may be no advantage to play in a suit contract, as no ruffs are available. Notice I said "may be," for the combined hands should have extra strength plus adequate stoppers in all suits. It should be obvious that holding a doubleton in one of the three-card suits makes it more feasible to play in the major rather than no-trump. That ruff in the short hand will give you an extra trick. Suppose you hold K5-A7632-Q73-J84 and partner opens 1NT. With 10 points you most definitely want to be in game. The only question is should game be in hearts or no-trump. Who should decide where game is to be played, you or partner? Partner is short in the potential trump suit and should be the one to place the contract. As a result you should transfer to hearts (or show your five-card suit by whatever methods your partnership uses) and then bid 3NT. Partner will bid four-hearts holding three hearts and a doubleton. Partner opens 1 spade and you hold A93-KQ5-AJ7-J1075. You should be willing to bypass the 5-3 spade fit and bid game in no-trump as your hand is balanced with extra strength and no ruffing possibilities. Once again pard opens 1 spade. This time you hold Q63-J4-AKJ-KJ1062 and respond 2 clubs. Pard now bids 2 hearts. That 2-heart bid by partner makes it reasonable to assume as many tricks can be made in no-trump as in spades. Therefore bypass the 5-3 spade fit and play in no-trump. Had partner not bid hearts, you most assuredly would want to play in the spade contract because of your combined weakness in the heart suit. The no-trump suit dilemma occurs frequently when you are holding a long solid or semi-solid suit. Partner will have few trumps therefore dummy will have no ruffs. Thus, timing becomes all-important. With the 4-4 and 5-3 splits having aces at suit play will allow you to keep control while trumping spot cards. It's the opposite when holding a long suit. At no-trump the combined hands must have aces in order to establish enough tricks to fulfill the contract. Your hand is AKQJ842-97-7-A76 opposite 3-A64-AJ852-J953. The bidding proceeds 1 spade-2 diamonds-3 spades-3NT. Woolsey says this is a reasonable gamble because your side suit aces should allow the contract to be made. Actually both 3NT and 4 spades take 10 tricks. Change your clubs to KQ6. Without an ace, four-spades is the more prudent contract. There are certain 4-3 major suit fits that will make the extra trick by playing in the major. First, it is critical that all of the conditions regarding 4-4 and 5-3 fits discussed last week are met. A suit such as AKJx opposite Qxx with a singleton or doubleton in the hand with three trumps could play well at a suit contract because the high honors in the four-card suit can pull the outstanding trump. If the singleton is in the four-card suit beware, as the defenders will force you to ruff causing you to lose control of trump. The only makeable contract holding AQ85-106-AJ98-Q52 opposite KJ9-94-KQ532-KJ9 is four-spades. Change the hand to AQ85-10-AJ982-Q52 opposite KJ9-964-KQ53-KJ9 and though four-spades isn't the worst contract in the world, five-diamonds is ice cold. With weak holdings like Q10xx opposite Jxx the suit contract must be avoided, as the defenders will draw your trump. This type hand plays much better somewhere else.