♠ AQJ62
♥ 7
♦ 4
♣ AQJ743

If I hold 6 clubs, 5 spades, 1 diamond and 1 club and 14 points should I open the major suit or the longer minor suit?
We are in HOT debate and would really appreciate the advice of an expert!

Thanks Susan

Hi Susan,

Holding five spades and six clubs, I would prefer to open 1♣, planning to rebid 1♠, followed by 2♠ to emphasise the additional spade (thus implying longer clubs). The auction that I’m thinking it might go, is something like 1♣ – 1♥; 1♠-1NT; 2♠ where my 2♠ rebid implies five spades hence I must have six clubs (with 5♠ 5♣ I would open 1♠).

Since my five-card major is spades, I am in a comfortable situation to rebid 1♠ over whichever red suit partner responds with, without implying reversing values. If however, my five-card major suit is hearts, now there’s a case for opening 1♥ instead of the minor because say I had 5♥ 6♦, if I open 1♦ and my partner responds with 1♠, if I only have 12 HCP I will not be strong enough to rebid 2♥ as that would promise reversing values of 16+ HCP. As a result, a 2♦ rebid may lose a potential heart fit.

Having said that, if I had strong suits, say ♠x ♥AKxxx ♦AKxxxx ♣x, then with this hand I am certainly not embarrassed to open 1♦ planning to rebid 2♥ to show reversing values as this hand is quite strong (in contrast to say, ♠A ♥AKTxx ♦Qxxxxx ♣x where 1♥ planning to rebid diamonds twice seems like the better description with those flimsy diamonds).

In summary, if the five-card major suit is spades, I would recommend opening 1-minor first planning to rebid spades twice, but if the five-card major is hearts, then you can choose between opening the major or the minor depending on your strength.

Hope that helps
Andy