Opening bid with 6-5

[Nasok]

Non vul. Team match .1st seat.

Your hand

X

QJ109xx

Q

KJ8xx

What is your bid

[LBengtsson]

2♥ no defense. pass or 1♥ poor choice

[Cyberyeti]

2♥ no defense. pass or 1♥ poor choice

 

Would prefer 4♥ to 2♥, it's several tricks too good for one of our 2♥ bids, we'd actually open 1♥ but not particularly like it. Pass is dangerous in that partner may assume you can't be this good and not get involved in an auction when it's your hand.

[nige1]

Non vul. Team match .1st seat. Your hand ♠ x ♥ Q J 10 9 x x ♦ Q ♣ K J 8 x x

What is your bid

I rank

1. 1♥ = NAT.
2. 2♥ = If too weak for 1♥ under your methods.
3. 4♥ = NAT. Prepared to apologise if it goes pear-shaped.
4. Pass = NAT intending to compete with Michaels or an unusual 2N.

[helene_t]

Too good for 2♥. 1♥ with so little defense is not great. Nonvulnerable at IMPs 4♥ is ok with this suit that is likely to provide four tricks opposite a singleton. Otherwise 3♥. Pass is not an option.

[Zelandakh]

Hello Nasok and welcome to the BBO forums.

 

2♥, 3♥ and 4♥ all have their arguments. None of these would be wrong - the decision is more tactical than one being clearly better than the others. I would recommend against Pass or 1♥ though. Finally, another possible gambit with this shape is a 2NT opening bid.

[gwnn]

3♥ for me unless we agreed to some weird style. In fact, I like opening 3M on 6M4m as well, but that's also a weird style.

[Tramticket]

We have a 2♥ available as a two-suiter, but partner will only expect five hearts and I would prefer to open 2♦ (multi) or, better still, 3 or 4♥.

[fromageGB]

...Finally, another possible gambit with this shape is a 2NT opening bid.

This is one I had not thought of. It could be difficult getting back to team-mates after 2NT 3NT, 4♥ 4NT (X). Or maybe 2NT 6NT (X).

 

I think it is so awkward, anything could be right. I will not argue against Pass, because you are much more likely to avoid a terrible score by coming into the bidding later, but for me, it fits my style for natural weak 2♥.

[mikestar13]

My first instinct is 3♥, high enough to get in their way,less likely to attract a double than 4♥. The hand is too weak for 1♥ and the shape is wrong for 2♥ unless you have unusual standards. Pass is not my choice but it may well work.

[Zelandakh]

This is one I had not thought of. It could be difficult getting back to team-mates after 2NT 3NT, 4♥ 4NT (X). Or maybe 2NT 6NT (X).

It is something of a gamble for sure but the odds favour partner having 4 or more spades, in which case you will usually hear 3♣, 3♥ or 4♥, any of which can be passed. if partner bids a simple 3NT then the opps can almost certainly make 4♠ so going down in 50s is not so bad. The killer is a 4NT or 6NT response and there is not much you can do about that; but that is such a low proportion of cases that the gambit has merit and is, I feel, worth a mention. If nothing else it is nice to know the pattern in case it ever happens against you!

[Zelandakh]

and the shape is wrong for 2♥ unless you have unusual standards.

The point behind a 2♥ opening is that you will usually compete again with 4♣ if the bidding comes back at a low enough level. It is much less likely that you will get a chance to show both suits after a 3♥ or 4♥ opening.

[LBengtsson]

The point behind a 2♥ opening is that you will usually compete again with 4♣ if the bidding comes back at a low enough level. It is much less likely that you will get a chance to show both suits after a 3♥ or 4♥ opening.

 

i thought too that 3♥ opening bid ok, a 4♥ opening bid too high, but even as hand is strong for a 2♥ opening bid, the hand is shape for jumping michaels so good chance after 2♥ to bid 4♣ in auction and partner know that your 6/5 shape

[Cyberyeti]

i thought too that 3♥ opening bid ok, a 4♥ opening bid too high, but even as hand is strong for a 2♥ opening bid, the hand is shape for jumping michaels so good chance after 2♥ to bid 4♣ in auction and partner know that your 6/5 shape

 

I might do that if I was willing to bid 5♣ unilaterally over 4♠ (prob 6-6), but I would be really uncomfortable if it proceded 2♠-P-4♠.

[Zelandakh]

I might do that if I was willing to bid 5♣ unilaterally over 4♠ (prob 6-6), but I would be really uncomfortable if it proceded 2♠-P-4♠.

Against that there are not so many hands where the corresponding auction over 3♥ would not be (3♥) - 3♠ - 4♠. I am not saying that 2♥ is necessarily better than 3♥ on this hand but it certainly has its advantages.

[Cyberyeti]

Against that there are not so many hands where the corresponding auction over 3♥ would not be (3♥) - 3♠ - 4♠. I am not saying that 2♥ is necessarily better than 3♥ on this hand but it certainly has its advantages.

 

This is why I didn't open 3♥, partner is more likely to act when it's right over 1♥-(1♠) and they might not be able to bid 4♠ over 4♥.

[Cthulhu D]

The Pavelick analysis suggests if you are choosing between 1H and 4H you should bid 4. Lots of the hands in his sample are 6-5 freakshows that look like the one here, which strongly suggests the best action here is 4H. Way less clear with spades - looks like an IMPs winner and a matchpoint loser to go with 4S over 1S, so it's probably a line ball in actuality and anything is right.

 

Reason for 4H working better:

 

Opponents landed in a bad contract: 5

Mis-Defence: 5

Found a good save: 3

Various places you get into a good contract or block oppo from getting into a good contract: 5

 

 

Reasons for 1H working better

 

Misdefence: 2

Found a slam: 1

Stopped in a part score when game didn't make: 1

Opponents had more confidence in bidding to a grand slam that doens't make where they only get to 6 clubs going off on the other table: 1

Opponents give you a clue in the bidding so you find a better line: 1

Opponents get to high: 1

You don't get doubled when opponents have no-where to go and play 4Hx going off: 1

 

This is pretty convicing for me, just bid 4H and see what happens. Opponents will be under massive pressure and partner cannot get you in trouble! win/win.

[gwnn]

The Pavelick analysis suggests if you are choosing between 1H and 4H you should bid 4.

Thank God we are not choosing between 1H and 4H.

[Cyberyeti]

Thank God we are not choosing between 1H and 4H.

 

You might not be, I am :)