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Open 2C or not? II


How do you feel about this?  

71 members have voted

  1. 1. How do you feel about this?

    • 1. LOL, 2C obv.
      15
    • 2. 2C, 1D would be inferior
      15
    • 3. 2C, but I can easily live with 1D
      13
    • 4. 1D, but I can easily live with 2C
      7
    • 5. 1D, 2C would be inferior
      15
    • 6. LOL, 1D obv.
      4
    • 7. No more mushrooms, Michael!
      1


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This depends on the field for me. In my local, I wouldn't be comfortable enough to open 1D due to the very real chance of 1D AP. However, in a very aggressive field, it would be great to see an auction like

 

1D-2S-P-3S

X-P-4C-P

5D...

 

and your hand is pretty much fully described.

 

At WvR, its a clear 2C opener though, partner will never appreciate how good this hand is while not raising on the wrong hands.

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I will open 2 as long as I have a way to show four hearts with longer diamonds. Not because I want to play in hearts, but to help partner evaluate. If not I'll open 1 even though I think it's worth 2. It's easy to say we have slam opposite (for example) the heart king, but that only helps us if we reach it opposite the heart king and not another king or no kings.
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2 despite the awkward shape. Just too much strength to represent the power of this hand with a 1 opening and get partner to cooperate intelligently. Also, with half the deck and all but one of the aces, I have a legitimate fear of 1 being passed out despite the 1-4-7-1 shape. 3NT is likely to be cold opposite most hands with 5-4 or 4-5 in the blacks, and 5 is a likely make opposite any hand with a heart card of J or higher, and some hands without that good of a heart holding.

 

I voted 2, with 1 being inferior. In all likelihood, you can get away with opening 1 on this hand. But for the reasons stated I believe that 2 is better.

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I will open 2 as long as I have a way to show four hearts with longer diamonds. Not because I want to play in hearts, but to help partner evaluate. If not I'll open 1 even though I think it's worth 2. It's easy to say we have slam opposite (for example) the heart king, but that only helps us if we reach it opposite the heart king and not another king or no kings.

agreed.. josh's point about helping partner is something that (seems to me) is often overlooked or not sufficiently valued by those who open shapely hands, with fewer than the traditional hcp, with 2.

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So, two votes for 2, for different reasons and using different systems. No, I didn't make up my 2 bid eiher. It's Romex's Mexican 2. :P

I believe that the Mexican 2 opening as developed by George Rosenkranz showed a balanced hand of 19-20 HCP.

 

There is a variation of the Mexican 2 opening developed later by others which included three types of hands: (1) a balanced hand of 21-22 HCP; (2) a super-strong balanced hand of 27-28 HCP; or (3) a strong hand with primary diamonds. It is this third variety which you must be referring to.

 

I don't know if this variation was a part of the Romex system. Then again, I haven't played the Romex system in about 20 years.

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The main difference from this hand and the other is that even though I'm missing only 20 HCP (instead of 25) I'm not as afraid of the bid being passed around because I have only one spade. People love bidding spades.
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We'll assume S/A here. If I open 2, PD usually bids 2 and then I have to bid 3 and can get lost. I do have a swan so that may not be so bad, but I prefer to start with 1 here since I don't expect this to be passed out very often.

I also think I prefer the given hand be declarer in a contract rather than dummy after a likely 2 response to 2.

 

Give me just one more HCP and the chances for pass out when we have game increase and I'll open 2 then.

 

EDIT: Oops forgot to mention that I voted 1 but don't mind 2 all that much.

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So, two votes for 2, for different reasons and using different systems. No, I didn't make up my 2 bid eiher. It's Romex's Mexican 2.  :)

I believe that the Mexican 2 opening as developed by George Rosenkranz showed a balanced hand of 19-20 HCP.

 

There is a variation of the Mexican 2 opening developed later by others which included three types of hands: (1) a balanced hand of 21-22 HCP; (2) a super-strong balanced hand of 27-28 HCP; or (3) a strong hand with primary diamonds. It is this third variety which you must be referring to.

 

I don't know if this variation was a part of the Romex system. Then again, I haven't played the Romex system in about 20 years.

The latest books on Romex were written in the 1990s - by Rosenkranz and Phillip Alder. Those books describe as "Mexican 2" the opening I mentioned. I have a write up on my website.

 

It would surprise me greatly if Rosenkranz didn't have a hand in the development of these later versions of the Mexican Two Diamonds. Not just because his name is on these books, but because of the way in which they refer to him.

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The last pair I met who played Romex played the 3 way 2D opening as described in an above post. Nice in theory to have two strong bids, but there's quite a large cost involved (i.e. not having 2D available as something pre-emptive).

 

Agree with the Gnome and others about my 2C methods having a great deal to do with my decision what to open here. If fairly standard (i.e. not thought through properly) then I open 1D.

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2 despite the awkward shape. Just too much strength to represent the power of this hand with a 1 opening and get partner to cooperate intelligently. Also, with half the deck and all but one of the aces, I have a legitimate fear of 1 being passed out despite the 1-4-7-1 shape. 3NT is likely to be cold opposite most hands with 5-4 or 4-5 in the blacks, and 5 is a likely make opposite any hand with a heart card of J or higher, and some hands without that good of a heart holding.

 

I voted 2, with 1 being inferior. In all likelihood, you can get away with opening 1 on this hand. But for the reasons stated I believe that 2 is better.

With the singletons held, I doubt 1 would get passed out, but I fully agree with every thing else. When you require so little points wise for slam, showing your strength at a later point may not be fully possible. Opening 2 allows any further bids over interference greater clarity, something which could easily be lost with interference?

If you are opening 1, what chance has p got in even getting near understanding that his holding of 2 small and the KJ will guarantee slam?

If you can go through any auction without serious interference and the knowledge that p will not pass 1, you can do anything you wish, but what will happen in actuality and how difficult will it then be?

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We'll assume S/A here. If I open 2, PD usually bids 2 and then I have to bid 3 and can get lost. I do have a swan so that may not be so bad, but I prefer to start with 1 here since I don't expect this to be passed out very often.

I also think I prefer the given hand be declarer in a contract rather than dummy after a likely 2 response to 2.

 

Give me just one more HCP and the chances for pass out when we have game increase and I'll open 2 then.

Given your start 2 2 3 , your partner may bid 3 with some hearts?

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