I am getting Paranoid

[hrothgar]

Thanks for the quote. I have never read Max Hardy's texts. I have the highest respect for him.

 

Nevertheless, I don't believe he was advocating bidding 1NT on that hand. I suspect that he was just trying to make a point.

 

I don't believe I have ever seen a good player open 1NT holding a 7 card suit, except as a psyche.

I don't know if I have seen a very good player open 1NT with a 7 card suit at the table. However, I suspect that this has much more to do with the number of hands that I have played against very good players. Hands that contain a 7 card suit and are suitable for opening 1NT are few and far between.

 

I also will note that I know several good players who believe that hands with seven card suits that are best describe as a strong NT exist.

 

BTW: If Just what point was Hardy trying to make when he stated that one should open 1NT with

 

♠ AQ

♥ AQ

♦ xxxxxxx

♣ KJ

[Robert]

Hi ArtK78

 

I checked the 1989 version of Two Over One Game Force by Max Hardy.

 

Page 4 Beneath the words, "All of the following hands should be opened with a bid of one notrump." Example C) AQ AQ KJx xxxxxx 2=2=3=6 and

D) AQ AQ xxxxxxx KJ 2=2=7=2

 

He made the same comment in two different versions of his book and the example hands are identical down to the spot card in the KJ7 example in C)

 

Hardy has been a tournament director since 1973. He directs 150-200 tournaments per year(according to his 1989 book, so he could well be non playing by this timeperiod)

 

As of 1989, 52 Regional wins - many with students and these include 19 knockout team events.

 

"He has contributed to every major American bridge publication." "He has been for several years a member of the Bridge World's Master Solvers panel." Bridge World is the leading Ameican Expert bridge magazine.

 

I counted nine books published written by him up to 1989.

 

I think that the point that he was trying to make was that he 'wanted' you to open the 2=2=3=6 and 2=2=7=2 hand with weak suits and strong doubletons 1NT.

 

Max Hardy held 7,000 masterpoints as of 1989 and I suspect that might indicate that he could play. His 19 Regional knockout team wins also suggests that fact.

Since he also has a total of 52 Regional wins(many with students) his record suggests that he is a good player.

 

I open 6322 shapes with a long minor with 1NT 'if' the hand looks right. I opened one a couple of days ago. I have not opened a 2227 shape, however, Max Hardy does and writes this in his books.

 

If you want some really strange 1NT openings look for hands bid by Zia. He is a great player and opens some truly strange 1NT bids.

 

Please read the quotes in my answer to hrothgar for additional information.

 

Hi hrothgar

 

I cannot remember a 2227 shape hand opening 1NT. I have seen many 2236

types open 1NT. I opened a 2263 hand 1NT a couple of days ago myself.

 

I have never bothered to ask players if a 2227 shape should open 1NT. I do believe that many players on this forum and some local D.C. experts open 1NT and 2NT with 1345 and 1444 shapes. Don't you suggest that bidding style yourself?

 

From his 1989 version of 2/1, page 5, "a semi balanced hand with honors in the short suit holdings. It is best described by an opening bid of one notrump."

 

From his 1989 version of 2/1, page 5 "Examples 1c) and 1d) carry this thought to its ultimate conclusion. In each case, an opening bid of one no trump is more descriptive of the general nature of the hand than would be a bid in the poor long minor suit."

 

Regards,

Robert

[kenrexford]

I still remember the hand. It was the only director call that I received in Montreal in 2002.

 

With 5233 pattern, and the right vulnerability and predisposition to bid, I heard a 1NT (strong) to my right. Had I been playing Cappelletti, I'd overcall 2♠ and hope that I did not have to pick a minor at the three-level. As it was, however, I was playing where I'd overcall a minor with the minor and spades (3+ in the minor was possible, per our agreements). So, I picked (off) clubs.

 

Opener had 2227 and could not quite get to the golden spot of 5♣.

 

I don't think that this story furthers anyone's arguments.