pclayton Posted October 9, 2005 Report Share Posted October 9, 2005 Matchpoints, Vul vs not, 2nd seat (RHO passes). You play 2/1 with 15-17 NT. Opening bids are neither super-sound nor super-light. A: [hv=d=e&v=n&s=skj2hakt2djt2c632]133|100|Scoring: MP[/hv] B : [hv=d=e&v=n&s=skj2hakt2djt2c632]133|100|Scoring: MP[/hv]C: [hv=d=e&v=n&s=skj2hakt2djt2c632]133|100|Scoring: MP[/hv]D: [hv=d=e&v=n&s=skj2hakt2djt2c632]133|100|Scoring: MP[/hv] Which of these would you open? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mike777 Posted October 9, 2005 Report Share Posted October 9, 2005 All of them, easy. Yes I open 99.99% of balanced 11 counts vul in first and second seat. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
luke warm Posted October 9, 2005 Report Share Posted October 9, 2005 none of them, not playing 15-17 nt.. i'd *rather* open A & B 1NT but i'd pass C & D in any case Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pbleighton Posted October 9, 2005 Report Share Posted October 9, 2005 Given the stated opening criteria, A and B only. They are reasonable 12 counts, in spite of their shape. For the other two, a 4333 11 count would have to be very unusual to qualify as not light in a 2/1 framework. Peter Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Blofeld Posted October 9, 2005 Report Share Posted October 9, 2005 None of them. I have nothing worth saying about my minors (and the system means I'm bidding a minor), and the hand doesn't have much playing strength. Playing a weak no trump I think I'd open A, and possibly B. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
han Posted October 9, 2005 Report Share Posted October 9, 2005 None of them. I consider hand A a bad 12-count, and playing 2/1 with 15-17 NT I will pass some 12-counts when vulnerable. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cherdano Posted October 9, 2005 Report Share Posted October 9, 2005 None of them. I consider hand A a bad 12-count, and playing 2/1 with 15-17 NT I will pass some 12-counts when vulnerable. Han, you are lost. A 4-card suit AKTx and a JT combination is not enough for you to save a 12-count from the 4333 religion. I agree on the general rule - I expect to pass some balanced 12-counts, and only open very good balanced 11-counts when playing a 15-17 notrump opening. Arend Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MickyB Posted October 9, 2005 Report Share Posted October 9, 2005 A and B - did noone tell you that you should open iff you have 12 points? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Blofeld Posted October 9, 2005 Report Share Posted October 9, 2005 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hrothgar Posted October 9, 2005 Report Share Posted October 9, 2005 Matchpoints, Vul vs not, 2nd seat (RHO passes). You play 2/1 with 15-17 NT. Opening bids are neither super-sound nor super-light. A: [hv=d=e&v=n&s=skj2hakt2djt2c632]133|100|Scoring: MP[/hv] B : [hv=d=e&v=n&s=skj2hakt2djt2c632]133|100|Scoring: MP[/hv]C: [hv=d=e&v=n&s=skj2hakt2djt2c632]133|100|Scoring: MP[/hv]D: [hv=d=e&v=n&s=skj2hakt2djt2c632]133|100|Scoring: MP[/hv] Which of these would you open? I consider hand 1 to be a borderline opening playing 2/1. I would probably pass. I don't consider any of the other hands strong enough to open within the context of a 2/1 system. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Double ! Posted October 9, 2005 Report Share Posted October 9, 2005 I'd probably open hand A (preferably with a weak NT, but...) only because of the JT combo in diamonds, but it is very close to a pass. Although I am opening lighter and lighter these days, the rest of the hands just don't do it for me, and A is on the very edge of my comfort zone. 9 losers..yuck! DHL Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
han Posted October 9, 2005 Report Share Posted October 9, 2005 None of them. I consider hand A a bad 12-count, and playing 2/1 with 15-17 NT I will pass some 12-counts when vulnerable. Han, you are lost. A 4-card suit AKTx and a JT combination is not enough for you to save a 12-count from the 4333 religion. I agree on the general rule - I expect to pass some balanced 12-counts, and only open very good balanced 11-counts when playing a 15-17 notrump opening. Arend You may be right that playing bridge with Ben has ruined my ability to evaluate 4333's properly. But even when playing with Ben I would open hand A, and I would expect him to do the same. That is different though, as we play 14-16 NT and open lighter than most people. For what it is worth, even the K-R evaluator (which substracts .5 points for 4333 shape) gives it 12.25, so perhaps I was mistaken when I called this a "bad 12-count". Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
han Posted October 9, 2005 Report Share Posted October 9, 2005 9 losers..yuck! Notice that Don is even more lost than I am, counting losers with 4333 shape. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Double ! Posted October 9, 2005 Report Share Posted October 9, 2005 lolstop picking on me! I've been lost for a long time, perhaps never to be found!!!Yes, I will admit that I learned to play bridge yesterday (Al Rothism), but it costs extra to find out exactly what time yesterday. (BTW, just for exercise, I also tried to count zars: cover all bases.) DHL Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Winstonm Posted October 9, 2005 Report Share Posted October 9, 2005 The best aspect of each of these hands is the 2 1/2 + defensive tricks so why encourage an offensive contract by opening? Winston Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mike777 Posted October 9, 2005 Report Share Posted October 9, 2005 Yes playing 14-16 nt has colored my bidding on hands with 15-17nt. Funny side story, just played in tourney, I opened my usual junky 11 balanced hand, pard bid 3nt with his balanced 13 hcp, I played hand. While I am thinking to trick one..he starts telling me "how can you open 11 hcp balanced hand...all during the play for the opp to see ;) Luckily this one time I made 4 on fake squeeze, rub of the green. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pclayton Posted October 9, 2005 Author Report Share Posted October 9, 2005 I actually held Hand #2 and passed. The auction took a hilarious turn. LHO opens a green weak 2 in 3rd, pard overcalls 2♠ and RHO bids 3♦. I chose 4♦ (this hand is looking REAL good at this point) and I heard FIVE NO TRUMP FROM PARD. Amazing I thought! Pard can only squeak out a 2♠ overcall and now he;s making grand slam noises? I bid 6♥ (A or K or trump) and we played 6♠. I knew my AK♥ were totally garbage here. Well, no they weren't. Pard held: Axxxx, void, Axx, AKxxx. Yeah he's a maniac! Spades were 3-2 in the pocket and clubs were 3-2. Easy game this bridge ;) :lol: :lol: . My RHO who played in the Bermuda Bowl, said it 'wouldn't occur to him to pass my hand'. Really? I thought. How much stronger or weaker is the hand without that crappy J♦? And how much better is the hand if it holds the 10 rather than the J? Here's the K and R: A: 12.0 B: 11.7 C: 11.55 D: 11.4 Seems to agree with my hand evaluation. But its amazing how a random Jack can swing some player's view of these hands, even though here the J♦ instead of the 10♦ adds all of .15 of a point to the hand :o :lol: . Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MickyB Posted October 9, 2005 Report Share Posted October 9, 2005 I'm sure a lot of people are getting fed up with me saying this, but.... Don't use K+R for evaluating hands primarily looking to play 3NT. Binky Count says, for play in NT, these hands are worth approximately: A - 12.1B - 11.8C - 11.2D - 10.9 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pbleighton Posted October 9, 2005 Report Share Posted October 9, 2005 "Really? I thought. How much stronger or weaker is the hand without that crappy DJ?" Sometimes half a stopper is better than none ;) Peter Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Double ! Posted October 10, 2005 Report Share Posted October 10, 2005 Binky Count says, for play in NT, these hands are worth approximately: Not familiar with this method of hand evaluation. I thought that "Binky" is either a baby's blanket or a pacifier. Therefore, Binky count might be a measure of how many of these items are missing around the house! DHL Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Flame Posted October 10, 2005 Report Share Posted October 10, 2005 easy, i open the first 2 because they have 12 hcp which is opening, i dont open the last two because they dont have 12 hcp.I open almost all 12 hcp to be with the field, i would consider passing on a strong field or good team match, but not with a and not even with B, both points are on long suit and have ok 10s. yes balance but not close to passing. need real bad to pass 12 hcp.KJ JXXXJXXKQJthis i would pass. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Jlall Posted October 10, 2005 Report Share Posted October 10, 2005 I would open only A. I would expect almost all top players to open B as well, but I wouldn't. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
adhoc3 Posted October 10, 2005 Report Share Posted October 10, 2005 Is it about system or inspiration? Pass is written on the CC. Neither of these hands meet Rule of 20, which may be out of Top Player's consideration :) . You choose to open? ok, no problem, you are charged. Faithfully hoping your pd will not be upset (in long term) ;) :D :D . Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chamaco Posted October 10, 2005 Report Share Posted October 10, 2005 The T of ♥ in combination with AK and a 4 bagger is worth more than 1 hcp. So all these hands should be evaluated as having 1 extra hcp.Of course the crappy 4333 shape makes the hand to be downgraded. So I would open A and B, I consider them to be a full (albeit minimum) opener. I might open hands C and D 1st seat but not 2nd seat, I want my 2nd seat openers to be really flawless, 1st seat I might take a chance, but not 2nd seat at unfavorable. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
joker_gib Posted October 10, 2005 Report Share Posted October 10, 2005 A and B Maybe I'm wrong but I never pass 12 even if they are ugly ! :) Alain Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Join the conversation
You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.