Opening Bids - where do you draw the line?

[Tramticket]

The thread by 0deary was interesting, but I feel that the example given is an easy opening for most of us. I thought it would be interesting to try and see where BBF members draw the line on opening bids.

 

Below are six hands, similar to the hand in 0deary's post. If you played your favourite system with your favourite partner at IMPs, which hands would you open and which would you pass? (Binary choice please):

 

Hand 1

[hv=pc=n&s=s86543hkj2dkqck63&d=e&v=n&b=2&a=p]133|200[/hv]

 

Hand 2

[hv=pc=n&s=skq86hkj2d654ck63&d=e&v=n&b=2&a=p]133|200[/hv]

 

Hand 3

[hv=pc=n&s=skj864hkj2d65ck63&d=e&v=n&b=2&a=p]133|200[/hv]

 

Hand 4

[hv=pc=n&s=skq864hk62d65ck63&d=e&v=n&b=2&a=p]133|200[/hv]

 

Hand 5

[hv=pc=n&s=skj864hk62d65ck63&d=e&v=n&b=2&a=p]133|200[/hv]

 

Hand 6

[hv=pc=n&s=skjt64hkt9d65ckt9&d=e&v=n&b=2&a=p]133|200[/hv]

[eagles123]

I'd open 1-4 and pass 5 and 6

[NickRW]

Pass the lot

[Phil]

Same as Eagles except I might open 5 and 6 if NV at MPs.

[nullve]

Pass: 1,3,4,5

Open: 2,6

 

(no judgment involved)

[JanisW]

Borderline decissions are always a little tough to express binary.

 

So the binary answer is: I'd pass every given Hand

(though I can't imagine I would :P :lol: )

 

 

hand 4 and 6 are tempting because the suit quality is decent and the preemptive value of 1♠ should not be underestimated. I would neither be shocked to watch my hand pulling the 1♠-card out of the bidding box nor producing the little green one. Thankfully my P is always very patient with my foolish bidding :D

With hands 1 and 2 there's just too much wrong (shape, Honours in the worng places,..)

Hand 5 simply is too weak and you have to draw a line somewhere, don't you.

 

regards

Janis

[bravejason]

Pass all of them. However, at the table I might talk myself into a bid on a couple of them, especially if I had had nothing but poor hands up until then. When you spend all your time passing Yarboroughs, an ugly 11 count starts to look like a forcing 2 bid!

[Tramticket]

Pass: 1,3,4,5

Open: 2,6

 

(no judgment involved)

 

"no judgment involved" - Really? Are you saying that you don't use judgment on opening bids? What do you do - count the points and follow a rule?

[Tramticket]

I'd open 1-4 and pass 5 and 6

 

Interesting - I would judge hand 6 to be stronger than hand 4?

[ggwhiz]

In 2nd chair is the place our agreements come closest to using the words always and never especially at this vul.

 

So I pass em all.

For a more detailed look and at any vul

 

1st, pass all. Slight misgivings on #1.

 

3rd and 4th open them all. (note that my partner can have this much as a passed hand which is our agreement and not mainstream)

[nullve]

"no judgment involved" - Really? Are you saying that you don't use judgment on opening bids? What do you do - count the points and follow a rule?

Yes.

[Tramticket]

Yes.

 

Fair enough :P

[StevenG]

Playing English Acol with a weak NT, I open 1 & 2 as 1NT and pass the rest. The other table (in my club) will do the same, so I'm protected. If I played in a different environment, I might choose differently.

[nullve]

2: pass (I miscounted earlier)

[FelicityR]

I would draw the line at a poor hand and a poor suit and no obvious rebid although the methods for bidding using 2/1 or SAYC or 2/1 are different, and/or whether a forcing/semi-forcing 1NT response is being used. The only hand I really don't like is number 5.

 

That said, if you're going to win at bridge you have to bid slim vulnerable games, and I suppose it's not so easy either to play catch up with these hands if partner is 'pre-empted' by a third position opponent and then makes a overcalling bid. I'd rather bid semi-lightly in second than not at all using a 11+ standard 1♠ opener.

[rmnka447]

Opening 1 (1 ♠) and 2 (1NT), passing the rest.

[spotlight7]

The thread by 0deary was interesting, but I feel that the example given is an easy opening for most of us. I thought it would be interesting to try and see where BBF members draw the line on opening bids.

 

Below are six hands, similar to the hand in 0deary's post. If you played your favourite system with your favourite partner at IMPs, which hands would you open and which would you pass? (Binary choice please):

 

Hand 1

[hv=pc=n&s=s86543hkj2dkqck63&d=e&v=n&b=2&a=p]133|200[/hv]

 

Hand 2

[hv=pc=n&s=skq86hkj2d654ck63&d=e&v=n&b=2&a=p]133|200[/hv]

 

Hand 3

[hv=pc=n&s=skj864hkj2d65ck63&d=e&v=n&b=2&a=p]133|200[/hv]

 

Hand 4

[hv=pc=n&s=skq864hk62d65ck63&d=e&v=n&b=2&a=p]133|200[/hv]

 

Hand 5

[hv=pc=n&s=skj864hk62d65ck63&d=e&v=n&b=2&a=p]133|200[/hv]

 

Hand 6

[hv=pc=n&s=skjt64hkt9d65ckt9&d=e&v=n&b=2&a=p]133|200[/hv]

 

 

Precision Style base 10-15HCP I open all of them

 

2/1 Style base, I pass all of them

[PrecisionL]

I would open all of them if playing a weak NT, 11-14 hcp.

[eagles123]

Interesting - I would judge hand 6 to be stronger than hand 4?

 

was just my gut instinct, but you could be right.

 

But I really think passing 1 or 2 is very odd in 2018. ok neither are great 12's, but imo these days u need a real real good reason to be passing 12 counts, neither of those seem bad enough to me! the first has a 5 card spade suit, yeh a terrible suit, but it is a 5 card suit, and the second i mean is it really that terrible lol. Passing a 12 count for me should be a very, very exceptional hand.

 

meh

[nige1]

In general, when you can, it pays to open the bidding. so your decision depends on with which openers your system can cope..

Playing a strong 1♣ system, with the other 1-openers limited, you might take Spotlight7's advice and risk opening all the example hands .

Playing 2/1, even 1, 2, 3, and 4 are risky openers,.

 

Interestingly, when playing a robot best-hand tournament, you should probably risk opening them all, because you have the boss suit and your hand caps the other hands.

[ahydra]

I tend not to open any but the best of balanced 11s. 4 is close to the mark, but lack of aces and 10s makes it fall short. I open 1 and 2, pass the rest.

 

ahydra

[helene_t]

I might pass all of them but I think 4 is an opening. Maybe also 2 and 3. 6 I would consider but I don't think I would in practice.

[MrAce]

All of them are 1♠ opener for me. (except number 2, which I would open as well)

Change the spade suit to ♥ and I may pass 2 of them.

[tritonium]

I would open only #4, which has 7 losers. All the others have 8 losers. Partnership agreement is 7 losers.

[0deary]

Well I’ve just posted a valedictory message on the previous one (feel like the shop keeper trying to sell a dead parrot :)) but these new examples are great- good fun!

 

I’m a “playing tricks” sort: top honours need intermediate support (without it lose tricks and tempi), whole hand sets the type (offensive/defensive), and bidding is a positional consequence...so you won’t be surprised that these examples just fall short. I tried plenty of ultra weak openers and mini NT in my time but the better players just gratefully take our imps