Wide range preempts

[1eyedjack]

I don't *think* this is a bug report. Could just be bad bidding by me (South). What say all y'all?

 

[hv=pc=n&s=sthq98dakq74caq93&w=sk92haj754djt8c75&n=sa76hk3d96532cjt2&e=sqj8543ht62dck864&d=s&v=e&b=3&a=1d1h3dppp]399|300|MP Robot tourney, best hand South.Lead C7, result +170, 26.1%[/hv]

 

3D is described as "Preemptive raise -- 5+D; 4-9 total points".

 

Now to some extent what comprises a preemptive raise is a matter of style, but we have to go with GIB's style because we have no choice. Certainly in my preferred style South has a clear pass, but that is by the bye.

 

I am a bit surprised with the breadth of range of the preemptive raise as described. A full 5 total points. Sure there is room to invite to 5D (but at quite some risk of coverting a plus into a minus if 4D fails by one). But there is no room to invite to 3N which is I would have thought the higher frequency game and one on which we would normally focus in the first instance. And for investigating 3N, the "total points" (which adds value to shortages) is of less import than HCP, which is not specified in the explanation.

 

On this hand partner was v max in all respects, and both 3N and 5D romp home. 3N is a bit anxious on a Spade lead, but both the Club finesse work and the Spades are blocked (after ducking twice), so there is really no way to go wrong.

 

I know that there is a case for wide range preempts. Partner MAY not have a problem, in which case the wider the range the bigger the guess you are putting the opponents to. And there are 2 opponents having to guess, for only one partner.

[georgi]

Looking for 3NT with singleton spade might be risky.

 

With 4♠ and 5♦ GIB won't skip bidding X with 7+TP. At least you will seek for 7-9 range in his side.

 

So 3♦ seeds him with 0-3♠ likely.

 

Even if he has some honor in ♥, that still puts you in better position as declarer than him with Kx or worse Ax, because the lead could knock out his honor ( if East has 3+ fit ). And with ♥A there are not many points for other honors left for North.

 

If East doesn't have fit after lead there might be a shift in spades which is also undesired.

 

So a good continuation seems to be 4♦. Which in this case with max GIB would accept and will raise to 5♦. It will bid 3NT either over 3♥, but that works because of the ♣J10 in North and ♣K onside.