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If you open, which suit?


paulg

What is your opening call  

38 members have voted

  1. 1. What is your opening call

    • Pass
      11
    • 1D
      0
    • 1S
      25
    • 2D
      0
    • 2S
      1
    • 3S
      0
    • 4S
      1
    • Other
      0


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Every time these type of hands come up I always say that I would open my longest suit.

 

Finally I've reached my limit. If I open this hand at all, it's with 1S.

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Every time these type of hands come up I always say that I would open my longest suit.

 

Finally I've reached my limit. If I open this hand at all, it's with 1S.

ditto: but, in any event, I don't open at all

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Every time these type of hands come up I always say that I would open my longest suit.

 

Finally I've reached my limit.  If I open this hand at all, it's with 1S.

ditto: but, in any event, I don't open at all

Ditto.

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After:

 

P - 1H- P - 4H

?

 

Why is it best in this aggressive age to try to describe your hand at the 4-level than the 1-level.

Here are some reasons to prefer pass:

 

(1) If the opponents have a big heart fit, we have a fit somewhere too. By passing first, I can keep us out of a bad slam as well as perhaps convince the opponents to double when it's right to bid on.

 

(2) Every time there aren't big suit fits all around, opening will get partner to overbid us into 3NT. I can't even pull this into a "safe" 4 because my spades are only five long and the tap will crush us.

 

(3) Many times the auction will be lower when it gets back to me after initial pass and I can show both suits in one go.

 

(4) What if partner has some cards in their suit and starts doubling? How many tricks do I expect on defense versus what partner expects from me? How will we figure out if partner has "too many" diamond values and their contract is making?

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After:

 

P - 1H- P - 4H

?

 

Why is it best in this aggressive age to try to describe your hand at the 4-level than the 1-level.

why do those who advocate ultra light openings always assume that the opps will cause us problems when we pass?

 

What if it is partner who holds the opening hand with s? How are you planning the auction after he responds 2 to your 1? Or 2 to your 1?

 

Bridge is a game of percentages... of probabilities. Give me (almost) any hand and I (and you) can create hands for the opps or partner where a normal action leads to disaster or an abnormal one leads to success.

 

The consensus of the more experienced players who have so far responded appears to be that the risks arising from passing (while few talk about them, all know them) are not as bad as those from opening.

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I will pass although I am known to be an aggressive opener. I am also known to always open my longest suit, and I just can't bear it with those baby diamonds. Give me

 

KQJTx

x

Axxxxx

x

 

and it's a different ballgame altogether. This is a sound opener, considerably better than many balanced 12-14 counts. I bet that Frances, Harald and MikeH will open that hand 1 too, and I know Steve Robinson opens 1. He would even if you gave him

 

xxxxx

x

AKQJ10x

x

 

Roland

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OK

 

Given the vote is one spade, it seemed reasonable to push the non-silent minority for a clarification.

 

I understand the arguments, I'm not sure I'm right, but I am still not convinced. When I've got spades I bid them. The rules of the game favour it.

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2.

Pass followed by 2 (if you still can bid it) will say you had a problem for opening 1 or 2, but won't say which problem (bad suit?, another five-card suit?, four cards in the other major plus a void?, insufficient strength?).

The stiff A is a minus for 1. If there is a misfit, your hand offers potential only for spades.

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I will pass although I am known to be an aggressive opener. I am also known to always open my longest suit, and I just can't bear it with those baby diamonds. Give me

 

KQJTx

x

Axxxxx

x

 

and it's a different ballgame altogether. This is a sound opener, considerably better than many balanced 12-14 counts. I bet that Frances, Harald and MikeH will open that hand 1 too, and I know Steve Robinson opens 1. He would even if you gave him

 

xxxxx

x

AKQJ10x

x

 

Roland

I met Robinson in Verona last summer and told him that someone had suggested that he'd open 1 with 65432 void void AKQJxxxx.

 

He looked at the hand, and said: "yes".

 

Steve R is a heck of a player and was very courteous when I spoke with him... but he is in a tiny minority on his views re 5 card majors :)

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After:

 

P - 1H- P - 4H

?

 

Why is it best in this aggressive age to try to describe your hand at the 4-level than the 1-level.

It might turn out to be easier.

 

p 1 p 2

3

 

looks a lot more descriptive than

 

1 2 p 3

??

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Guest Jlall

Fine, you got me, a hand with 5 spades and a 6 card minor that I would open 1S.

 

I am known as a pretty conservative opener (by modern expert standards) but I think this one is ok.

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Fine, you got me, a hand with 5 spades and a 6 card minor that I would open 1S.

 

I am known as a pretty conservative opener (by modern expert standards) but I think this one is ok.

Like Justin, Frances and many other posters this is the hand that would break the camel's back for me. I cannot remember the last time I opened a hand with the shorter suit although I know it is more popular with many if you have 4 and 5.

 

Partner held Ax Kxxx 10xx Qxxx. Game is poor but you can make 4 easily enough when spades are 3-3 and diamonds 2-2, and even 3NT comes in as the clubs are 4-4 with AK onside!

 

Things will also work out for the passers. LHO has a balanced 17 count and will open either (i) a strong 1NT passed round to you or (ii) 1 and get a single raise.

 

Paul

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To me this hand is way too strong for 2 and is a very clear opener with 6-5.

 

K&R hand evaluator has this worth 13.4 pts. I am opening all day long, and I see no need to preempt to 4 either !

 

1 all day long here and then I can rebid 2. I have a very strong 5 card suit and a very trashy 6 card suit. Suit quality does matter to me, and it matters a lot.

 

.. neilkaz ..

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