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upgrade?


gwnn

your plan  

45 members have voted

  1. 1. your plan

    • 1cl..2NT
      0
    • 1NT
      44
    • something else
      1


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Assuming 1NT is 15-17, bidding 1NT is clearcut.

 

You are 3334, you have three jacks, you have only one useful spot card. This seems like a rather below-average 17-count. If this is 1...2NT then you're playing a 14-16 1NT opening. :unsure:

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I am (I like to think) an aggressive upgrader of notrump hands, but I am 100% with the others on this: it is not even a good 17.

 

While I am not much of a point counter (in terms of adjusting point count), 4333 usually plays a point shy of 4432 or 5332, and Jacks are notoriously overvalued in the 4321 count.

 

I wouldn't go quite so far as to say that I'd open 1N in a 14-16 method... mostly because I downgrade less often, and less radically, than I upgrade, but I understand josh's comment, and it is far closer to the mark (afaiac)than considering this an upgrade beyond 15-17.

 

Edit: I note that josh said 'nearly', so I actually agree 100% with him

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If you're into that sort of thing, Kaplan and Rubens hand evaluator says this is a 15.75, so it looks like those of you who open this a 14-16NT have something going for you.

 

Also, I was just playing around with it, trying to find the trashiest 17-count possible according to K&R.

 

KQJ KQx QJx QJxx

 

Evaluates to 13.40!

 

So the next time you pick up this 17-count, you might want to consider opening a 12-14NT :).

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Would open 1NT even if I had the nine of clubs as well as the nine of spades.

 

However, recent research leads to the conclusion that (contrary to popular belief) 4-3-3-3 shapes actually play rather better in no trumps at the partscore or game level than 4-4-3-2 shapes with the same honour structure. The main reasons for this are:

 

if partner has a five-card suit, you will have a three-card fit for it, making it easier to establish;

 

even if partner does not have a five-card suit, then as long as he has a different four-card suit from yours, you will have (at least) two 4-3 fits either (or any) of which might break 3-3 and provide some extra tricks;

 

if partner does not have a singleton (when you probably won't play in no trumps anyway), the opponents won't have a nine-card fit, so that even if they lead your weak suit, it might break 4-4.

 

So maybe I should upgrade this hand because it's 4-3-3-3. I still won't, though, if it's all the same to you.

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Bass ackwards! This hand is near totally up/down based on what partner has and pollers are blocking partner's 1-level bid with 1NT ??? Open 1C! Decide next.

Decide what next? Whether to overbid 2NT by a point or underbid 1NT by three points depending what partner responds??

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