You make a gametry...

[foo]

*sigh* I'm not advocating opening with a lead director on normal opening hands.

 

I'm advocating opening with 4cM's in 3rd or 4th playing Drury with normal strength hands because it is winning bridge to do so. Not because I am suggesting that one should be making lead directing bids with normal opening strength hands.

 

Suit quality does matter even with normal opening hands, but it is a minor consideration compared to the implication that you are trying to make that a 4cM opening is always lead directing.

Lead direction is the main point only when the hand is a subminimum.

 

(The important point here is to not open garbage in 3rd. Subminimums with bad or indifferent 4cMs should be passed. Not opened.)

 

As I originally stated, a 3rd seat opening of 1M is =either=

a= a lead director in a subminimum opening hand OR

b= a 4cM in a normal opening strength hand appropriate for a 4cM opening.

 

With pclayton's example of AKJx_x_Qxxx_AQxx , OF COURSE I'd open it 1C.

In any seat.

 

But give me some of the "problem hands" for 1st and 2nd chair openings playing 5cM's: 44(32)'s, =2425 or =2452 not strong enough to reverse, mikeh's example of =1444, etc etc and Drury allows a 4cM opening to be much more safely considered.

[benlessard]

In IMPS 3 level bid after a raise are more often slam try then game try. Game try in imps = you bid game and you try to make it. So for me 4H would deny a keycard denies the Q of trumps or 4 trumps, denies the K of in my side suit. So i can easily pass 4H

 

Bidding 4H instead of 3C is a bad bid unless you play drury with 8-9 pts.

[benlessard]

I don't know of a single serious player or partnership that systemically plays 5 card majors and opens 4 card majors in 3rd seat with a good hand.

 

complete nonsense

 

When game is unlikely its much prefer to open a good 4M then a weak 3 card suit. It has nothing to do with rebids or 4441 shape or having 12 pts instead of 9. In 3rd seat lead directing is very important.

 

AKQx

xx

Jxxx

Qxx

 

AKQx

x

xxxx

Kxxx

 

KJx

AKQx

xxx

xxx

 

 

These are all clearcut 1M opening in 3rd seat. Game is unlikely you can easily pass most responses by partner.

[cherdano]

I don't know of a single serious player or partnership that systemically plays 5 card majors and opens 4 card majors in 3rd seat with a good hand.

 

complete nonsense

 

When game is unlikely its much prefer to open a good 4M then a weak 3 card suit. It has nothing to do with rebids or 4441 shape or having 12 pts instead of 9. In 3rd seat lead directing is very important.

 

AKQx

xx

Jxxx

Qxx

 

AKQx

x

xxxx

Kxxx

 

KJx

AKQx

xxx

xxx

 

 

These are all clearcut 1M opening in 3rd seat. Game is unlikely you can easily pass most responses by partner.

Another typical example of the non-sense conversation that is produced when someone replies without having read the thread. In the context of the thread, "good hand" clearly meant a hand that is good enough to make a game try over a single raise.

[benlessard]

Sorry it wasnt that clear to me.

 

That's only if he is opening light, not if he is good enough to make later game tries.

 

*sigh* I'm not advocating opening with a lead director on normal opening hands.

 

I'm advocating opening with 4cM's in 3rd or 4th playing Drury with normal strength hands because it is winning bridge to do so. Not because I am suggesting that one should be making lead directing bids with normal opening strength hands.

 

Suit quality does matter even with normal opening hands, but it is a minor consideration compared to the implication that you are trying to make that a 4cM opening is always lead directing.

Lead direction is the main point only when the hand is a subminimum.