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Open or pass?


Playing SAYC, would you open this hand?  

43 members have voted

  1. 1. Playing SAYC, would you open this hand?

    • 1[DI] WTP?
      2
    • 1[DI], but it's close
      4
    • Pass, but it's close
      5
    • Pass WTP?
      32


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Pass, and this is a WTP.

 

Move the king of spades into one of the other suits,

and you can open, and most likely I would, since I

have an easy rebid.

If you would also switch the minor suit length, I would

pass due to the problematic rebid.

 

If you open and cite the rule of 20 as defence, I would

suggest that you go back to the original text and reread,

I am pretty sure, you will find, that the text does not

recommend opening this hand.

 

With kind regards

Marlowe

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A good rule is that singleton honors are only worth half of what they are worth otherwise. For a singleton Ace, count 3 instead of 4.

 

This hand is then only worth about 9.5 HCP, which is not nearly enough for an opening bid.

 

Conclusion: Easy pass.

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One positive to opening is that you have an easy rebid. The glaring negative is that minor openings based on minor two-suiters have a wild-ass range, primarily because opening 2 with a minor two-suiter is so horrifying. Extending the range too far into the weak realm is not ideal.

 

Had the hand been 3154 shape, I'd be less concerned, because I could stomach a 1-P-1-P-1 sequence.

 

All of that said, FWIW, this type of problem is alleviated if you elect to use an intermediate 2 opening for the minors (maybe 14-16 or so). That splits up the minor range and allows a 1...2 sequence to show about 10+ to 13-. One of the reasons I like that convention is that you can get in with this sort of hand comfortably.

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This is an automatic pass in a standard method. Point counters should understand and add to their arsenal an appreciation of in-and-out valuation. Honours in long(ish) suits are worth more than the same honours in short suits... for an elementary reason. Points don't take tricks.... cards do. Having high cards in long suits maximizes the chance that you will be able to establish and cash the small cards, after using your high cards to drive out or defeat the opps's high cards.

 

So a stiff K is not a good offensive card... at least, not initially... it may revalue as the auction progresses, but at this stage, it is almost worthless.

 

Unless you play an intentionally and abnormal light opening style (which rarely works in a standard based approach because the opening bid requirements become so broad that many constructive auctions become problematic), this is a clear pass.

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I'd pass, and I don't think it's a particularly close call.
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a 2 opening has alot of merit NV

 

Bill

Not in my opinion... and I am a big fan of the weak 2... the idea of perpetrating that call with this hand makes me ill :)

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This is an automatic pass in a standard method. Point counters should understand and add to their arsenal an appreciation of in-and-out valuation. Honours in long(ish) suits are worth more than the same honours in short suits.

To prove Mike's point:

 

K&R Hand Evaluator

K

10xx

QJ9xx

AJxx

 

9.95

 

...

 

x

K10x

QJ9xx

AJxx

 

12.05

 

...

 

and even better:

 

x

10xx

KQJ9x

AJxx

 

13.15

 

http://www.jeffgoldsmith.org/cgi-bin/knr.cgi

 

Roland

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