The Misadventures of Rex and Jay-#5778

[the hog]

Most of you got this right, but I suggest that the few of you who bid 1NT [as did Rex at the table] should strongly reconsider! I mentioned this argument and Rex's 1NT bid at the table to our regular teammates. They both scrunched their faces like kids eating their vegetables :blink:

 

I held a fun and potentially powerful collection of: [hv=pc=n&s=saq74had5ckjt7532]133|100[/hv] When my partner shows me a balanced hand, I think I can take 9 tricks in NT if he has either club honor or even 2 small and I can pick up the queen. It didnt go well for obvious reasons.

 

My bidding screams a misfit with 9-11 black cards, I cannot for the life of me understand a 1NT bid. If anything, a 2♠ raise on 3 cards is the only other option besides pass.

 

Well I cannot understand a 3NT bid. This is truly awful. 2C is fine.

[Finch]

I would have passed 1S for the same reason as everyone else.

No-one has commented on the 1H bid the first round. I think pass has a lot going for it.

[WrecksVee]

Wrecksvee AKA Rex of these misadventures.

 

It was pointed out that 1NT left open finding the 5-3 ♥fit. That and showing my ♦stoppers were my intention. Also IMO if partner has some extras and 3♥ than game is possible. So giving partner one more chance seems best.

 

I really dislike raising to 2♠as IMO that will lose the 5-3 ♥fit if it exists. Also I fail to see why this hand is much differnt than 2=5=5=1 when passing 1♠ is not a good option. The idea that the rebid shows a balanced hand seems unplayable in this sequence. In rebids NT is often balanced at the higher levels. But with less than 11 HCP 1NT is needed to keep the auction open in case partner has extras or if no other call including pass is reasonable. So the 1NT reebid by Responder can be unbalanced.

 

Sorry to be too lazy to look back at the other posts, but thanks to the person who pointed out that the failure to make a negative double greatly increases the chance that the 2♠ raise is on three cards.

 

Jay and I should be more open about our methods when we ask for opinions. We open ALL 12-16 balanced hands with 1NT. So we have either an unbalanced or semi-balanced hand for one of a suit unless we have 17-20 HCP. In a constructive auction 1♣-1♥-1♠shows an unbalanced hand as we rebid 1NT with 17-20 even with four spades. But this competitve auction might impact that if Opener lacks a ♦stopper. But save for that rare case Opener's bidding for us shows 4♠ and 5♣ since with =4=1=4=4 we open 1♦.

 

The 12-16 1NT may seem inaccurate. Yet IMO we make if up in one over one auctions by not having to allow for partner holding a balanced minimum. Also 1NT-3NT is harder to defend given the five point range makes it harder to count Opener's hand. That our idea at least and we have played this way for many years without considering giving it up. Of course laziness and stubborness might also be factors in not changing our agreements

[microcap]

"I really dislike raising to 2♠as IMO that will lose the 5-3 ♥fit if it exists. Also I fail to see why this hand is much differnt than 2=5=5=1 when passing 1♠ is not a good option. The idea that the rebid shows a balanced hand seems unplayable in this sequence. In rebids NT is often balanced at the higher levels. But with less than 11 HCP 1NT is needed to keep the auction open in case partner has extras or if no other call including pass is reasonable. So the 1NT rebid by Responder can be unbalanced."

 

Rex and I are actually not too far apart here, but I would argue that there is a huge difference between 3-5-5-0 and 2-5-5-1. As I pointed out from the beginning, I was both cognizant of and willing to take the risk that he had a singleton club-- again, if it happens to be an honor, I think i will be making 3NT, and if it isn't, I still have substantial chances. But with the void, I think 1NT is simply not an option at all. Voids have so much power-- so helpful in the right case, but big trouble in the wrong one [as here.]