Overcalling the Preemptor

[jdeegan]

[hv=d=e&v=e&s=sqj109752hq4da9cq10]133|100|Scoring: MP

2♥-????[/hv]

:huh: Matchpoints versus a competent pair. Your bid?

[han]

A clear two spades bid. 3S shows a much better hand. No other call deserves a comment.

[Guest Jlall]

the hand is garbage, but you have 7 spades so I would bid.

[neilkaz]

I can't pass this hand with 7♠ and an outside ace so 2♠ for me as well.

[han]

Maybe more interesting: who would bid 2S on QJ10xxxx xx Ax xx?

[kenrexford]

ditto

[gwnn]

Maybe more interesting: who would bid 2S on QJ10xxxx xx Ax xx?

I would, planning to pull any NT bid through 5NT :huh:

[helene_t]

Maybe more interesting: who would bid 2S on QJ10xxxx xx Ax xx?

Less interesting IMHO. Pass.

[P_Marlowe]

Maybe more interesting: who would bid 2S on QJ10xxxx xx Ax xx?

Marshall Miles.

 

And I think he is right, the playing strength

is good enough, and I can always correct to

spades.

 

With kind regards

Marlowe

[pclayton]

Easy 2♠. I'd pass the subsequent hand.

[neilkaz]

Maybe more interesting: who would bid 2S on QJ10xxxx xx Ax xx?

Less interesting IMHO. Pass.

Me too, I don't care for the two weak doubletons.

[jdeegan]

:) Never preempt over a preempt! I can memorize with the best of them. The thing is that this hand and another (alas forgotten) similar hand make me wonder if this maxim really makes sense facing an old-fashioned weak two bid (not strictly a preempt) in today's LOTT, bid'em up atmosphere. What makes sense when one holds a good six or seven bagger with roughly an average count in high cards?

[hv=d=e&v=e&n=s43hq102dkqj875ca6&w=sk8hk8d6ck10987532&e=sa7haj9754d10432cj&s=sqj109652h63da9cq4]399|300|Scoring: MP

2♥-3♠!-P!-4♠!

P-P-P[/hv]

To me, bidding 3♠ felt right, so I did it (boooooo.....). This discombobulated LHO who has a difficult hand to describe. Partner, thinking it was our hand, bid game. This goes down two tricks, but -100 was a top for us since it was undoubled and E-W can make +130 in clubs.

 

The trade off here is whether to use a single jump overcall as strong or weak over opponents' (old fashioned) weak two bids. Is a weak two bid more like a one bid or a three bid? So far, my count is 2 to 0 in favor of treating it like a one bid. Any opinions?

[han]

Make that 2-1 then.

 

I think playing 3S as preemptive is a really poor idea. For one thing, LHO opponent generally has a pretty good idea of what is going on, since their partner has described their hand reasonably well. So they can easily double you for penalties when that is right. The only one at the table who is left guessing is your partner. Moreover, by playing it as preemptive you don't have a bid for the strong hand with a long strong spade suit, like AKJ10xx Ax Jx AQx.

 

What's even worse than playing it as preemptive is bidding it with a weak hand when partner expects a strong hand. So you misdescribed your hand to the whole table and happened to get a good score this time, but don't expect to have such luck next time.

[Guest Jlall]

Make that 2-100,000 then.

FYP

[P_Marlowe]

<snip>

 

What's even worse than playing it as preemptive is bidding it with a weak hand when partner expects a strong hand. So you misdescribed your hand to the whole table and happened to get a good score this time, but don't expect to have such luck next time.

Not an issue.

 

Because if you play that style, partner knows it.

But I agree with the other point you raised, that

the oppoenents know enough, so that 3S wont

hurt them and they will kill you, if they have a

chance.

 

But if the playing strength is right bidding 2S makes

sense, as long as you are sure, you can control

the auction.

 

After all a 7 good card suit with an outside Ace is not

that far different than a min. opener with 5 spades,

if one compares the playing strength ... one may even

prefer the "preempt".

 

With kind regards

Marlowe