y66 Posted March 30, 2008 Report Share Posted March 30, 2008 w/w MPs. Do you open in first with KJxxx xx KJx Kxx? Always? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gerben42 Posted March 30, 2008 Report Share Posted March 30, 2008 No Aces and no intermediates, so always passing. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
P_Marlowe Posted March 30, 2008 Report Share Posted March 30, 2008 Hi, I have made a decision a long time ago topass hands with 5332 shape and 11HCP. With kind regardsMarlowe Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
y66 Posted March 30, 2008 Author Report Share Posted March 30, 2008 Found these add'l comments about opening minimum balanced hands on a thread from Sept 2007 http://forums.bridgebase.com/index.php?showtopic=21037&st=0 OP asked: What does a minimum [balanced] one of a major look like for you in first and second seat? AKxxx Ax xxx xxx -- hrothgar and the_hog Assuming a true balanced hand -- at most, one doubleton -- then I have 12+ HCP. I'm playing strong NT, so don't have a choice to consider 1nt on a balanced 11 that doesn't otherwise qualify for an opening. I'm not opening a balanced 11-HCP, except I'll think about AKxxx with Axx riding along, if the spots in the long suit are good. -- ralph23 AKxxx Ax xxx xxx is (far) better than my minimums. I'd open AQxxx Kx xxx Qxx for example. But only if that was an agreed upon style, of course. -- skaeran KQxxx QJx Ax xxx There will be hands on which I would open with 1S and not with 1H, but this will be a very fine distinction indeed. -- mikeh Consistency is most important. Partners won't know what to expect when you claim one day that you open super sound and the other day that you open super-aggressive. -- han Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kenrexford Posted March 30, 2008 Report Share Posted March 30, 2008 I open. The preemptive effect of a 1♠ opening, and partner's good humor, support my decision. (My partners will expect this, which is key.) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gwnn Posted March 30, 2008 Report Share Posted March 30, 2008 I don't like to play in a standard system partnership where this is an opener. strong ♣ or weak NT would change this Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
helene_t Posted March 30, 2008 Report Share Posted March 30, 2008 Playing strong club I would open this one, assuming the one of a suit openings include 11-12 bal or some such. Playing standard I open some 5332 11-counts but not this one. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
whereagles Posted March 30, 2008 Report Share Posted March 30, 2008 Open a 9-11 1NT :rolleyes: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
han Posted March 30, 2008 Report Share Posted March 30, 2008 Playing with cherdano I would open this ("but you guys don't play a natural system!" awm). Playing with most I would pass. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Jlall Posted March 30, 2008 Report Share Posted March 30, 2008 w/w MP it's just too money to open even if your partner can't cater to it (ie a pickup partnership). Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
skjaeran Posted March 30, 2008 Report Share Posted March 30, 2008 Sure, this is an opening hand! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jtfanclub Posted March 30, 2008 Report Share Posted March 30, 2008 Playing strong club I would open this one, assuming the one of a suit openings include 11-12 bal or some such. Playing standard I open some 5332 11-counts but not this one. I'll go with Helene on this one. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mike777 Posted March 30, 2008 Report Share Posted March 30, 2008 As many others over time have mentioned, learning to defend and play the cards is so much more important for most of us at this level. With that said bidding is fun :) I think talking about what an opening minimum bid is in first or second seat is really important, whatever you agree, play it! I remain convinced for players at our level we can still win our brackets if we pass this hand or if we open it. :) Just agree. :) We can move up the brackets as we learn to play and defend better. :) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jdonn Posted March 31, 2008 Report Share Posted March 31, 2008 I would never open this, even playing precision unless I had a couple spot cards or something. I guess w/w matchpoints anything goes though. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mr. Dodgy Posted March 31, 2008 Report Share Posted March 31, 2008 I voted 1S open, but it's borderline. Replace a K with QJ and I'd Pass. My regular F2F partner knows I may have stretched. I don't hate my rebids. Apparently, if I'm playing with Csaba or Helene, as I sometimes do, I might have to rethink this and Pass - but I usually play somewhat unusual systems (e.g. EHAA) with them so I might have other options - it probably qualifies as a 1NT (or 2♠) opener. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
vuroth Posted March 31, 2008 Report Share Posted March 31, 2008 I'm starting to open lighter than I used to, but this one is still too far for me. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pclayton Posted March 31, 2008 Report Share Posted March 31, 2008 I would never open this, even playing precision unless I had a couple spot cards or something. I guess w/w matchpoints anything goes though. Same here. Have we really lost the spade suit by passing? I don't think so. w/w MPs is fun, but partner's glares as he puts down a 12 in 3N as we go bake 2 are not. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
vuroth Posted March 31, 2008 Report Share Posted March 31, 2008 I would never open this, even playing precision unless I had a couple spot cards or something. I guess w/w matchpoints anything goes though. Same here. Have we really lost the spade suit by passing? I don't think so. w/w MPs is fun, but partner's glares as he puts down a 12 in 3N as we go bake 2 are not. This is one of the advantages of social rubber bridge. You immediately ask partner to refill the salsa and serve everyone drinks, then play quickly and complain about poor splits. :) ;) ;) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
EricK Posted March 31, 2008 Report Share Posted March 31, 2008 I would never open this, even playing precision unless I had a couple spot cards or something. I guess w/w matchpoints anything goes though. Same here. Have we really lost the spade suit by passing? I don't think so. w/w MPs is fun, but partner's glares as he puts down a 12 in 3N as we go bake 2 are not. This is one of the advantages of social rubber bridge. You immediately ask partner to refill the salsa and serve everyone drinks, then play quickly and complain about poor splits. :) :) :ph34r: I take it that you don't mention that the poor split was in HCP (They split too many to the opponents, not enough to you). Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
inquiry Posted March 31, 2008 Report Share Posted March 31, 2008 I've just got to bid.... KJxxx xx KJx Kxx HCP = 12Control pts = 3Distributional points = 11Total ZARS = 26, plus I have a spade suit (zar claims 25 with spades is enough). I open without hesitation. I sometimes get burned too... :) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gerben42 Posted March 31, 2008 Report Share Posted March 31, 2008 HCP = 12 Ehh... 11 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
awm Posted March 31, 2008 Report Share Posted March 31, 2008 Depends on partnership agreements obviously, but in most cases I would pass. In some versions of strong club system I would open. I played recently for the first time with a very good player who likes to open these hands without a lot of discussion. We went down three when I forced game on a twelve-count with three-card support. Teammates were not amused. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
inquiry Posted March 31, 2008 Report Share Posted March 31, 2008 HCP = 12 Ehh... 11 I knew i should take my shoes off to finish counting my points.... I had the pleasure of playing in a match with all gold stars, except for me and my partner. Although everyone assured me my partner was a many times champion in Turkey. On the first hand, I got to open 1NT with my balanced 17... problem was, I had 19... forgot to take my shoes off then too... :) Hand was a push, i was down in 1NT, our opposition played in 4♥ also down one. Partner very kindly simply said.. "from now on, 15-17 for 1NT" The good news is that was the only clear mistake and we won handily. I suspect many people would have left the table after their partner opened 1NT with 19 or asked that their idiot partner be replaced with someone who knows a little about the game.... Ok, 11 so it is 25 ZARS.. .still have spades, so i open. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
matmat Posted March 31, 2008 Report Share Posted March 31, 2008 I had the pleasure of playing in a match with all gold stars, except for me and my partner. Although everyone assured me my partner was a many times champion in Turkey. On the first hand, I got to open 1NT with my balanced 17... problem was, I had 19... forgot to take my shoes off then too... :) So would this, then, make open toed shoes a mechanical aid? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
han Posted March 31, 2008 Report Share Posted March 31, 2008 I played recently for the first time with a very good player who likes to open these hands without a lot of discussion. We went down three when I forced game on a twelve-count with three-card support. Teammates were not amused. You were in game with 23 HCP and only an 8-card fit? I expect your teammates were fuming! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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