1H, weak 2H, or Pass

[Gerben42]

The debate about whether it's too good for 2♥, but not good enough for 1♥ is an interesting one.

 

Sure, it depends a bit on partnership style if you can open 1♥ on this. I won't be debating this. My personal style is to pass this when vulnerable.

 

I think no experienced bridge player would ever open a weak 2 with this.

 

I guess you should change this in "should" rather than "would". Listen to Han though.

 

What I've been missing a bit in this B&I thread is WHY you shouldn't open 2♥ on this hand. When you preempt, you have taken away a lot of space from all three players. One of those players is your partner. Whenever you take space away from partner, you should have a hand that he expects. Now what are typical example of a 2♥ opening bid at this vuln? Let me give you two hands:

 

[hv=s=s9hakjt53dj32c853]133|100|[/hv]

 

[hv=s=s9hakjt53dj32c853]133|100|[/hv]

 

I guess there won't be much debate about opening these hands with 2♥ at red vs white. Now, if partner is expecting hands like the ones above, he will make terrible decisions in the further auction opposite your actual hand, which has three first round controls. Remember partner is expecting at most one first round control.

 

If you instead take matters into your own hand to keep partner from making these bad decisions, for example by reraising 3♥ to 4, you are committing a breach of partnership:

 

When you preempt, you show your hand in one go and keep silent unless you are asked something. Partner is the captain now.