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Will you open or not?


blover

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If you want to bid, open 1.  2 or more is silly.

 

I'll pass.

:o

 

Opening 2 depends on many things (state of the match, vul, 3rd seat, ...) and is certainly not silly ! ;)

Maybe you should read the first post before answering: "FIRST SEAT, imp, NON VULNERABLE"...

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Maybe you should read the first post before answering: "FIRST SEAT, imp, NON VULNERABLE"...

Ok, Ok you are right on that point but I was thinking more generally.

 

I can tell you that a lot of good players (mainly coming from East european countries (don't know for the US) because, we, french or belgian, are too conservative) will open that even in 1st seat !

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This looks like a pass to me. I dont see much offence. Ruffs?

Perhaps someone can explain the hand evaluation.

Why open 1? To preempt the opponents?

Then why not 2 instead, though you do have a 4 card suit.

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I open 2S. This will give opps, who rate to have the minors, very serious difficulties, without comprimising our chances at a game.

 

What does NOT come to mind is opening 1S because the hand will underperform seriously in a misfit.

Totally agree ! ;)

 

Sometimes you preempt your partner, sometimes preempts just push opps in games or slams they would not have bid but that's bridge and that's life !

 

What is sure is that if you never preempt you will never put them in difficulties.

 

:o

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Pass; its a stretch even using ZARs; 25; although the 10 and the J are 'bonuses'. I'd probably open playing a strong club though.

 

2? Explain to pard how 7 was missed opposite: Ax, AQxx, Axx, Axxx.

Sorry partner, you should bid more yourself...? How is that?

 

Not real likely, but seeing all the hands can affect auction choice. How about...

 

2S - 2NT

3H - 4C

4D - 4H

4S - 5D

5H - 5N

6H - 7H

Pass

 

3H = feature, here must be king, 4C = cue

4D = cue, must be stiff or void

4S = nothing else to cue

5D = cue,

5H = must be JACK or doubleton king, with KQ would re-cue instead of 4H

5NT = pick a slam

6H = I have hearts and spades

7H = great.

 

But seriously, i don't worry about a side four card major when I preempt. If I choose to bid 2S (as here), I am willing to give up on the other major. I have gotten back into the other major upon occassion, never at grand, but who knows, odd things have happened.

 

BTW, ZAR recommends open when you have 4+spades and 25 ZAR points. This monster has its full 25 with concentrated honors, 26 if you count the diamond jack, which I do not.

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Pass; its a stretch even using ZARs; 25; although the 10 and the J are 'bonuses'. I'd probably open playing a strong club though.

 

2? Explain to pard how 7 was missed opposite: Ax, AQxx, Axx, Axxx.

Sorry partner, you should bid more yourself...? How is that?

 

Not real likely, but seeing all the hands can affect auction choice. How about...

 

2S - 2NT

3H - 4C

4D - 4H

4S - 5D

5H - 5N

6H - 7H

Pass

 

3H = feature, here must be king, 4C = cue

4D = cue, must be stiff or void

4S = nothing else to cue

5D = cue,

5H = must be JACK or doubleton king, with KQ would re-cue instead of 4H

5NT = pick a slam

6H = I have hearts and spades

7H = great.

 

But seriously, i don't worry about a side four card major when I preempt. If I choose to bid 2S (as here), I am willing to give up on the other major. I have gotten back into the other major upon occassion, never at grand, but who knows, odd things have happened.

 

BTW, ZAR recommends open when you have 4+spades and 25 ZAR points. This monster has its full 25 with concentrated honors, 26 if you count the diamond jack, which I do not.

A bit concocted Ben (I'm sure you realize that). No where did Opener convey posession of the K.

 

I will concede that a ZAR opener here makes getting 7 a lot simpler. My bidding (if opened):

 

1 - 2N

3 - 3

3 - 4

4 - 4

5 - 5

5N - 6

7

 

1. 2N = 13+ balanced

2. 3 = Any minimum; 3 asks, 3 = 4 hearts.

3. 4 = Cue agreeing

4. 4 = Kickback

5. 6 = Last Train.

 

Passing certainly makes it tougher:

 

Pass - 1

1 - 2N

3 - 3

3 - 4

...... etc; likely arriving at same conclusion.

 

1. 3 = Checkback

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A bit concocted Ben (I'm sure you realize that). No where did Opener convey posession of the K.

Only a bit? Lol.. well, I surely agree it is double dummy, see all the cards, and know what to bid bidding. But the spade king (or ace) will be there for my weak two bid when vul, or I will not bother to show a side feature... I do have some minimal standards after all. I use to play weak two vul promised KJ9xxx or better. I have relaxed that, but only slightly.

 

Ben

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I wouldn't complain if partner opened 1.

 

We tend not to open 2 with four hearts. Our 2 promises five or six spades.

 

If we did open 2 then with the example hand opposite we would have a chance of getting to 7 via:

 

2 2NT

3 maximum with three hearts

...... 3NT

4 six spades and four hearts now

...... 4NT RKC

5 1 or 4

...... 5NT Kings - Grand Slam try

7 Spade King

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nice auctions to 7H after 2H opening with the hand Ax, AQxx, Axx, Axxx. I doubt at the table anyone would have an auction other than 2S-4S. Please get real.

 

That being said constructing hands for pard before the auction has even started seems very silly. The goal of bidding is to get to the right contract while giving away the least information possible, the former being more important than the latter. The way to get to the right contracts is to describe your hand, and let pard describe his, until someone is ready to take control. Guessing what partner has before the auction has even started is silly, the question is how to best start describing this hand. I am very averse to rules such as "no 2S openers with 4 hearts on the side." I could not imagine opening anything other than 2S with AKxxxx xxxx x xx. That hand is very different because it is preemptive in nature. Pure, 100 % of values in spades, 6-4 shape etc. Its screaming spades, and screaming preempt. The hand in question seems like its not very preemptive in nature. Soft values, alot of defense for everything except 5D (even then the DJ and the KJs could set them). It has alot of playing potential in hearts as well. A 2S preempt is out for me. The hand also does not look like an opening bid. An aceless 9 with 3 jacks (including a stiff jack) and not enough honor tricks is certainly not an opening bid, and from my understanding even brainwashed ZAR-counters are supposed to downgrade for a singleton jack. Since no initial action is appropriate, pass is the best option, you will get another chance and will have a better idea of what's going on.

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I would pass. I can understand 2S. I can't understand 1S.

 

Anyone who claims that any of the choices are "right" or "wrong" just doesn't get it. This is a style question that each partnership has to work out. The way I learned to play bridge, opening bids were really opening bids. It is hard to change your ways after 20+ years of playing a certain way, but I would never claim that I know it is "wrong" to open 1S - just that I would not be comfortable playing in a partnership that bid that way.

 

Fred Gitelman

Bridge Base Inc.

www.bridgebase.com

 

PS Hats off to Jlall who shows uncommon wisdom for such a young player (and he also happens to be good with suit combinations).

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