Open 1NT with 6-card Minor?

This bidding by Lia is remarkable. 3♣ is showing a solid 6-card minor with lots of points. With length, I count 17 points here. If partner has support, 18 points. Lia took that invitation serious and went for 4♣ instead of a moderate 3NT. 4♦ shows controls, as well as 4♥. The ♠A invited Lia to raise 5♣ to slam. Because of the diamond fit, we have 12 tricks from the top.

You may argue that this slam is unreasonable. Put the ♦Q somewhere else, and we have only 10 top tricks, with a chance to ruff one spade at the table, and maybe a finesse somewhere. I would still estimate that it has good chances. Moreover, the hand as it stands does as well make 6NT.

What astonishes me is that most Aces in IntoBridge opened the hand with 1NT. Consequently, they ended in 3NT making three overtricks. Only one of the Aces opened 1♣ like I did. The modern approach seems to be to take any excuse to open 1NT. It does block the opponents and shows points to the partner. In any hand, where distribution could matter, it hinders the bidding severely, however.

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