Competing over strong club

[DenisO]

You are playing against a strong club system (maybe Moscito or Precision) . Opener bids 1♣ and you hold this 20HCP hand:

♠A7 ♥AKT9 ♦AJ8 ♣AT32

 

What defensive measure should be in place to deal with this sort of hand - hopefully as part of an overall strategy to deal with sensible intervention over the big club.

 

TIA

Denis

[DJNeill]

Hi DenisO,

With one partner we play the Mitu 1D over a strong 1C for any 16+ hand. Or you can pass with all strong hands and bid later to promise values. It's rare so don't put a lot of memory work into it.

 

Thanks,

Dan

[hrothgar]

I prefer to use either pass or double to show the strong hand...

 

The strength of the strong club opening probably matters an a lot when considering defenses. Some of the more aggressive systems assume that a fair number of strong club auctions will end in a part score. I suspect that a system on passing with any strong and and some intermediate hands (for example 5440s and 4441s) might run into trouble if they need to act in the balancing seat.

 

The weaker the minimum strength of the strong club opening, the more I like using a double to show strong hands...

[mikeh]

My understanding is that the most prevalent treatment is to say pass with all strong balanced hands.

 

While this may be flawed, from the p.o.v. of dealing accurately with this hand type (the opps get to exchange information before you intervene), it is popular because such hands are rare in comparison to the weaker, shapely hands on which early and (preferably) ambiguous action is urgently required. Thus Crash, Suction and so on use double and various notrump calls. as well as suit bids, for specific purposes incompatible with a strong balanced option.

 

You have probably run across a once-in-a-lfetime hand here: you have 23 hcp and rho has at least 16 (or an upgraded 15) of the remainder.... I wouldn't worry about designing a counter-measure... you are not ever going to face this one again... and more mundane good hands don't pose quite the same dilemma.

[whereagles]

With 16+ in 2nd seat just pass and butt-in later. Just don't bid later if you don't have those 16. I believe that's a wrong strategy.

[HeartA]

you have 23 hcp and rho has at least 16 (or an upgraded 15) of the remainder....

20 HCP, not 23. Please leave a little more for others. :P

[Gerben42]

I play PASS then act as strong, so I do that. Probably the auction will continue

 

1♣ - 1♦

1M

 

in which case I will at this point bid 1NT over ♥ and Dbl over 1♠.

[akhare]

Pass and bid later. In any case, chances for game look pretty poor unless we have an exceptional fit in one of the majors...

[Free]

I play Power Doubles, so no problem: Dbl :P But I still need to see my first one after a strong ♣...

[P_Marlowe]

I pass, and plan to bid 1NT later,

or dbl 1NT.

Our general strategy is to go in direct

with destructive hands, which implies

that one needs to Pass with strong

hands.

 

The goal has to be going plus, which means

a low level contract for us or defeating their

(maybe doubled) contract.

 

With kind regards

Marlowe

[pigpenz]

I play Crash over the big club

so with big hand i would pass and get in later so

so since one club bidder sonewhere along the line has to describe his hand you can double 1nt for penalties or make a takeout double over a suit bid....since most likely the auction will go

1♣ pass 1♦ pass

something

[Gerben42]

I play Power Doubles, so no problem: Dbl  But I still need to see my first one after a strong ♣...

 

Free, you should consider playing Dbl as something else and play power doubles over

 

1♣ (p) 1♦ (p) whatever

 

Otherwise, happy waiting...

[zasanya]

...since most likely the auction will go

1♣ pass 1♦ pass

something

Most likely? You can bet your last Rupee on that I would say ;)

[Free]

I play Power Doubles, so no problem: Dbl  But I still need to see my first one after a strong ♣...

 

Free, you should consider playing Dbl as something else and play power doubles over

 

1♣ (p) 1♦ (p) whatever

 

Otherwise, happy waiting...

Dbl gives away space, so no need to use Dbl. The structure I play is agressive enough with other bids, and we have still some possibilities to find game, even after a strong 1♣. I like it this way ;)

[glen]

...since most likely the auction will go

1♣ pass 1♦ pass

something

Most likely? You can bet your last Rupee on that I would say :)

Moscito 05

 

I prefer to call Moscito 2005 as Moscito 05 since 1♣-1♠ is 0-5. If one was playing against that don't bet your last rupee or you will be bankrupeed.

[DenisO]

Thanks all for very helpful replies :)

 

Denis

[zasanya]

...since most likely the auction will go

1♣ pass 1♦ pass

something

Most likely? You can bet your last Rupee on that I would say <_<

Moscito 05

 

I prefer to call Moscito 2005 as Moscito 05 since 1♣-1♠ is 0-5. If one was playing against that don't bet your last rupee or you will be bankrupeed.

Tx pal.Had heard of Moscito but didnt know this.

[kes]

Power Double (against each type of 1C) .

After (1C) X pd will bid as if I had opened 1C .