Support or Pass

[eagles123]

sooo many partnerships at the club ended in 1S +++ for me raising to 2s is very obvious, but maybe I'm resulting??

 

P opens 1S

 

T863

JT9

KT75

85

 

1S opening, matchpoints, both vulnerable do you bid 2 (or more) or do u pass

 

Cheers,

 

Eagles

[Winstonm]

It is silly not to raise and take away the 2-level from LHO - it's matchpoints where frequency of gain is the critical issue.

[fromageGB]

Decisions like this depend on system. If 1♠ is 4 card, then partner may get too excited when you raise (what would you do with a 9/10 count?). If 1♠ is 5 card, then 2♠ is OK.

[sectorzz9]

I would bid 2♠. It has useful pre-emptive value and I don't like to suppress 4-card support if given a choice. I think bidding more if that's available in your system is too much vul at MP. My main effort by bidding is to deny LHO a 2-level bid (or 1NT) so 2♠ is enough for that.

[Winstonm]

Just another word on this hand as this is the novice/beginner forum.

 

I venture all of us learned to play this game using some version of a 4-3-2-1 point counting system. What is often missed is the follow ups to that which are how to reevaluate the hand in light of the bidding and in light of where and what type cards make up the hand (Aces are undervalued, Jacks overvalued) and interior cards (10s, 9s,).

 

Just to start, this hand has 3 10s and 2 of those are working tens, i.e., supporting higher ranking cards (J109, and K10xx). Partner's 1S opening has improved the hand. Assuming 5-card majors, we have a 9-card fit which means it will be impossible for the opponents to prevent at least 1 club ruff in dummy. With the 4-card trump support, the shape of the hand becomes more important as the club ruffing value may be quite useful. K is a better 3 points than Q and J, and J109 is way better than Jxx. In other words, xxxx, Qxx, Jxxx, Jx is not a raise but 10xxx, J109, K10xx, xx is a raise. To play this game well, it is important to recognize the differences between the quality of these two hands and use that understanding to guide bidding decisions.

 

I would say if you raised to 2S because you understood this hand was better than its face value of 4 points then you are well on your way to becoming a fine player.

[fromageGB]

Agreed, but Eagles is learning near London UK, it seems, and I suspect the 1♠ open may be 4 cards. (May it be?) If so, bidding this hand the same as you would a 9 or 10 count is risking trouble. If partner goes higher you may be turning your average into a bottom.

[PhilKing]

Agreed, but Eagles is learning near London UK, it seems, and I suspect the 1♠ open may be 4 cards. (May it be?) If so, bidding this hand the same as you would a 9 or 10 count is risking trouble. If partner goes higher you may be turning your average into a bottom.

 

Playing Acol with a weak NT, raising to 2♠ is never a ten count, and only rarely nine.

 

Partner is expected to pass with a minimum strong NT.

[Winstonm]

Agreed, but Eagles is learning near London UK, it seems, and I suspect the 1♠ open may be 4 cards. (May it be?) If so, bidding this hand the same as you would a 9 or 10 count is risking trouble. If partner goes higher you may be turning your average into a bottom.

Quite right - it is a much dicier decision when playing 4-card majors. There is a huge difference between 8 and 9-card fits.

[Cyberyeti]

Playing Acol with a weak NT, raising to 2♠ is never a ten count, and only rarely nine.

 

Partner is expected to pass with a minimum strong NT.

I can envisage 2♠ with xxxx, Qxx, KJx, KJx but that's not really a 10 count.

 

It can quite often be a flattish 9.

 

Also depends which suit you open with 4m4M, if it's the minor, 1♠ is only 4 cards in a 4333 and in that case you might well not want to be in game opposite a mirrored 10.