Semi-balanced hands: 2/1

[mike777]

For this post please assume:

1NT=14-16

2D=18-19

Semi-balanced=no void or singleton

2/1 100% game force

 

Appreciate your feedback. Assume you will open 1nt or 2d with almost all balanced hands within given range.

 

Would you open semi-balanced hands with 1nt or 2D if in range? Would you require stoppers in short suits or not?

 

Thanks in advance.

[Chamaco]

I consider balanced/semibalance hands with 2 suits unstopped as suit oriented; also, hands wuth AKs and little intermediates will often be treated as suit-oriented hnds.

 

Other than that, I'll often open offshape NT hands (and 2D as well).

[han]

Sure, I'll open 1NT and 2D whenever it seems right.

[Guest Jlall]

Assuming by semi balanced you mean 5422, then neither extreme. Depends on rebid issues, suit quality, etc. With 5M4m I would almost always open the major, but the other day I held AT Jxxxx KQ9x AQ and chose to open 1N (14-16). With 2245 I would show a NT hand. With 4225 I'd usually open 1C. With 2452 I'd usually show a NT hand. etc. It all depends.

[Gerben42]

2♦ defenitely with 5M332. Also with hands that do not want to make a 2-suited rebid after 1m. For 1NT, still only with 5♥ only.

[Finch]

What do I do with a balanced 17-count?

[david_c]

 

I think 1NT and 2D should be treated very differently. I'm happy to open 1NT on 5m422 and 6m322 hands as a matter of course, but I would hardly ever open 2D with one of those.

 

 

(Post deleted in protest at treatment of 17-counts.)

 

;)

[mike777]

What do I do with a balanced 17-count?

:( Well have discussed this issue before and Yes I know many people hate it.

:) Short answer is depends on who your partner is, 2D can be 17-19 or you jump rebid with exactly 17. For this post I am playing 2nt jump rebid is 17 with a complicated Baron sequence afterwords. Yes, I know many hate it but so far this is the least of my problems at the table ;).

[luke warm]

another solution, and one i use with 19 point hands, is simply to say they don't exist.. either downgrade them to 16 or upgrade them to 18... use controls, intermediaries, etc

[awm]

Depends on a lot of things. Holding a single suited hand (5332, 6322, 7222):

 

I will never open 1NT with 6+ cards in a major. With a five-card major (5332) I tend to show a balanced hand more often than not, but with a good suit and prime cards in side suits (like AKxxx AKx xxx xx) I will bid the major.

 

I'll basically always show a balanced hand with a 5-card minor, but very rarely with a six or seven card minor. The exception would be when the suit is so weak that I don't feel eager to rebid it; generally this is at most one of top three honors and usually poor intermediates as well. I've found that with a half-decent six-card suit, you can make 3NT on 22 high or so when partner has a good fit; however you still need the usual 25-26 when partner has a stiff opposite, so I like to open and rebid the minor to let partner upgrade/downgrade as appropriate.

 

Holding a two-suited hand (5422):

 

I will almost never open 1NT with a five card major. I would consider it if the major is weak and the doubletons are strong. These hands tend to up-evaluate by several points when partner has a major suit fit, so I like to facilitate finding these fits on hands where partner is too weak to respond to 1NT.

 

I fairly frequently open 1NT with these hands when holding no five-card major. With some shapes this seems almost mandatory (i.e. 2452) because of rebid problems. Generally these problem hands are those where the 4-card suit is hearts or diamonds. With four spades, if my values are in my suits I will try opening 1-minor, but I find that these hands are sometimes difficult to show after 1♣-1♥-1♠-1NT, since you are strong enough to envision a game opposite a max 1NT response but not really as strong as partner will expect for an invite. With 2254 shape I tend to open 1♦ but will open 1NT with good doubletons.

[Robert]

hello everyone

 

These are my current methods. They are not carved in stone nor do they have any promise that following them will make you a world champion.

 

I have never opened 1NT with a 6 card major(at least not unless I was using a Romex 1NT one round force* opening bid)

 

I often open 1NT with a 5332 long major. My NT methods are extensive and tend to get me to the correct contract(most of the time)

 

If the other pair competes I tend to freely bid my major at the two level. If I have a six card minor, I tend to bid it even at the three level.

 

Playing a 15-17HCP NT I sometimes open with a 6322 shaped 'weakish' minor, with stoppers in the short suits Kx A10x AQ Qxxxxx looks like a 1NT opening bid to me. Playing a 14-16HCP 1NT range, I would bid the same way.

 

I played a lot of 12-14HCP range weak NTs and never opened one with a 6322 shape. I often opened 1NT 12-14HCP with a five card major or a 5 card minor. If the points are all in two suits(strong major or very strong minor) AKQxx Axx xxx xx I open 1S Axxxx Axx Qxx Kx opens 1NT=12-14

 

5=2=4=2 or 5=2=2=4 hands should open 1S. They do not have a rebid problem in any decent system played with a 14-16NT. Over a 1NT bid, you bid the 4 card minor or you might even pass if the 1NT bid is not forcing.

 

2=5=4=2 or 2=5=2=4 hands should open 1NT unless most/all of your HCP are in the two long suits xx AKJxx AKxx xx You will rebid the minor after 1H-1S.

 

If the short suits have 'some values' in them, you open 1NT because you do not have a good rebid after 1H-1S-? xx Axxxx AJxx AQ opens 1NT because neither suit is strong and you cannot rebid 1NT holding 14-16HCP. Partner will expect

'only' 11-13HCP for a 1NT rebid.

 

2=4=5=2 or 2=4=2=5 open 1NT unless the points are all concentrated

xx AKxx AKQxx xx in the two long suits and your reverse might be 'only' 16 HCP. With 14-15HCP you open 1NT. If you play a 'limited' non big club opening, you can shade your reverses downward to fit your system methods.

 

4=2=2=5 and 4=2=5=2 hands open in the minor and rebid 1S with any range up to a forcing jump shift(18+HCP)

 

One possible method of dealing with 5 card majors in a 14-16HCP range is to jump to 3M when partner bids Stayman and you hold 16HCP with a good suit. I do not use this method because of my NT rebid structure, however, I have seen it suggested in Kantars' bridge books.

 

If you play garbage stayman, the jump to 3M might not be your best bid.

 

The same basic 'rules' would be followed for opening a 2D* bid with 17-19HCP.

I would tend to open 2=4=5=2 or 2=4=2=5 hands with 17-19HCP with 1m and reverse into 2Hs because I have extra values.

 

If you like to play a 2D range of 17-19HCP, enjoy. I have played a method with a 2D opening that showed 18+-20(-)HCP. I have also played Acol and made jump 2NT rebids with 17-18. The choice of system and methods is a matter of personal style. My early Precision bidding made jump 2NT bids with 14-15HCP. That does not happen anymore.

 

My current bidding is opens a 15-17 1NT and 1C-1D-1NT=18-20HCP. I use a Precision like base and open 1D(2+ Ds 11-15HCP) and rebid 1NT with 12-14HCP.

 

If I open 2NT I hold 21-22HCP I like to keep the bidding low and try to keep any 2NT bids or 2NT rebids within a narrow 2 point range(unless they are forcing)

 

Regards,

Robert

[Kalvan14]

Robert post is quite comprehensive. I would add that, having to stretch on shape, I prefer to do it with more points rather than less. In your case I would be happier opening 2♦ with a 5-4-2-2 rather tha 1NT.

I've no problem opening either with a 6-card minor or a 5-card major

[Fluffy]

This is a 2 suiter:

 

♠xx

♥AQJx

♦AKJxx

♣xx

 

This is a balanced hand:

 

♠Qx

♥Q10xx

♦AQ9xx

♣Ax