9-15 5-card major openings

[Apollo81]

1) The auction begins 1♠-(2♥) and you hold:

 

a) xxx Ax KQJxxx Qx

bee) xx Ax KQJxxx Qxx

c) xx K107x KQ7x Jxx (partner reopens with a double)

 

Do you do the same thing that you would do with these types of hands in standard (if you held 2 fewer HCP) or do you have a different philosophy?

 

-Noble

[keylime]

a) xxx Ax KQJxxx Qx

bee) xx Ax KQJxxx Qxx

c) xx K107x KQ7x Jxx (partner reopens with a double)

 

Hand 1: That six card suit is rather alluring, and with the A-x of hearts being offensive values, you need some mechanism to find out if pard has a full opener versus a shape hand (this predicates that 9-10 point balanced hands are mostly passed initially). With Larry and I we use 2NT as either an offensive limit raise or a weak hand that's getting out in 3 of a suit beneath opener - this is a clear 2NT call.

 

Hand 2: Missing that 3rd spade, bidding 3♦ seems right, but can really hang partner if they opened a 9-10 count with spades-clubs. However, double leaves you in a worse situation - if LHO trots out their cutesy courtesy raise you're in trouble. I think you got to bid and hope for the best - the 5-2 4S game looks reasonable on this layout and you're ruffing hearts in the right hand.

 

Hand 3: Pard was kind enough to reopen for us, showing a full hand with tolerance for anything you call. If playing MPs, I pass and try for a top - with that nice side suit of diamonds and probably 2 heart winners in the slot, the field in general may not a) reopen with a double, B) may stretch to a contract that has poor play and c) +300/+500 should get you a good segment of MPs, only losing to the game bids that are making, which is unlikely - pard probably has 2 hearts. However at IMPs, things become a little different because of the fear of -470/-670, especially at Swiss. At Swiss I take a call out of fear that if red on white, a double swing might occur. At KO's, it depends on where you are in the match - if behind you probably are swinging at it is and therefore you're put to a guess on what your counterparts' actions will be; I pass and try for the maximum simply because the caliber of opponents we play at would make the same types of actions. If ahead tho, I take insurance and make a call - probably 2NT feels right.

[awm]

This depends a bit on the style of 9-15 opening. If you open basically "all 9s" then I agree with treating the responding hand as 2 points lighter and bidding accordingly. Thus I would make a limit raise on the first hand, double (planning to correct to diamonds) on the second, and pass on the third (close between pass and 2♠ though and might chicken out at IMPs).

 

However, the style of 9-15 opening I typically play (which I think you play also) generally opens 7 loser hands, and in the presence of a real fit one can bid as though opener had serious values. In this case I game force on hand one (fit jump perhaps?), but still double first on hand two and have the same decision on hand three.