What (if anything) was done wrong?

[1eyedjack]

I like the Weak NT, but not on this hand, :D

 

Wide open in one suit is fine, wide open in two needs something extra!

 

To open 1NT is to value the ♥J way too much, it's worth no more than a 10.

Valuing it as a 10, I have 11hcp and 2 10s...

With compensation e.g. a 5-card suit; good body... I might still consider 1NT, South's hand has nothing extra.

Holding more than one unguarded suit does not put me off opening a weak 1NT. There are 12 counts that I would pass rather than open, but the number of unguarded suits does not tend to feature in my thoughts. I am more likely to think about passing when 3rd in hand vulnerable, regardless of guards. Certainly I will always open 1N if at all, and will only consider pass as an alternative, for fear of rebid problems otherwise. Even if partner is a passed hand and I can pass any response I think it is dangerous to open 1-suit. If the auction gets contested you (or partner) will be more poorly placed to judge.

 

Perhaps ironically, I think a more clear-cut pass is a 12 count with 3 aces and no intermediates (and then there is just the expected one unguarded suit). People go on about how aces are undervalued using simple point count, and on that basis I should definitely open. Just doesn't seem right to me, but cannot really articulate why.

 

On this hand I would be reticent about discounting the value of the Heart Jack. The best place for an honour is to complement other honours (or adjacent cards) in the same hand. The next best place is to complement other honours (or adjacent cards) in partner's hand. OK, you fail on the first count. As the cards lie you happen to fail on the second also, but you cannot know that. When assigning "one point" to the power of a Jack there is taken into account the uncertainty about whether the card complement's partner's hand. Give partner ATx of hearts and your Jack is gold dust. It could equally be argumed that partner's ten is gold dust, but that again is only because of the the opposite Jack.

As the cards lie opener's Club 10 is working a lot less hard than he has a right to expect, as are responder's Diamond JT and (as it happens) opener's HJ. You don't expect all your cards to be working, but this seems to be a bit of an extreme distortion of expectation.

[Trpltrbl]

Inviting with a balanced 11 count, is playing pd for the perfect hand.

If you feel insane or need the imps/MP's, bid 3 NT directly.

 

Mike :D