Strong 2C opening

[ericba2006]

Suppose you're sitting East and you have this hand:

AKQxxxx

KJxx

A

Qx

And the bidding went something like this:

West North East South

pass pass ?

Should I have had this hand, I will definitely open 2C. What is your preference:

1C

1S

2S

[Tramticket]

Suppose you're sitting East and you have this hand:

AKQxxxx

KJxx

A

Qx

And the bidding went something like this:

West North East South

pass pass ?

Should I have had this hand, I will definitely open 2C. What is your preference:

1C

1S

2S

 

If you play 2♠ as strong and natural (an Acol 2), then the hand is perfect for the bid and this is easily best. Unfortunately, most would play weak twos and not have the bid available.

 

I think that it is close between 1♠ and 2♣ and I don't mind either choice. You would prefer a bit more defensive strength for a 2♣ opening and 1♠ is unlikely to be passed out, so I would open 1♠.

[P_Marlowe]

Hi,

 

You forgot 4S as an option.

Given that partner is a passed hand, chances for slam are remote, even if partner

has 2 Aces, the 5 level is not really safe, but if he has those two Aces he will

move forward over your 4S bid, as he should.

 

With kind regards

Marlowe

[DozyDom]

I'm opening 2♣. Why should I assume 1♠ won't be passed out? I have a 19-count and I'm opening in spades, why assume ops will compete whenever p can't respond? Game is good opposite the queen of hearts and a singleton support - I'm not going to risk playing at the one level.

 

 

Hi,

 

You forgot 4S as an option.

Given that partner is a passed hand, chances for slam are remote, even if partner

has 2 Aces, the 5 level is not really safe, but if he has those two Aces he will

move forward over your 4S bid, as he should.

 

With kind regards

Marlowe

If I open 4♠ third seat, no matter the vulnerability, and my partner looks for slam with two aces, I'll push him off a bridge. KQ to 8 spades is enough for a 4!S open, any vulnerability (some might disagree unfavourable, but not me). Thanks for you two aces p, but I'll need to find another trick from somewhere to make 4. Oh, you've put me in 5? Gee, thanks. We've been doubled? Gosh, that sure is a shame.

 

 

 

Edit: huh, as nige1 points out, there are 14 cards in this hand. So that's why we have 10 winners but an eventual 4 losers opposite just the QH.

If there's one less spade, I'm back to just opening 1!S. One less trick means enough that I'm not interested in forcing to game.

If there's one less heart, I think I might stick with 2♣? The same hand opposite gets me game - the queen of hearts and out.

[nige1]

[hv=pc=n&e=sakq864hkj84dacQ6&d=w&v=0&b=14&a=pp]133|200|

Assuming that ericba2006 holds only 13 cards e.g. the hand on the left, I rank

1. 1♠ = NAT But there is a slight danger of being passed out.

2. 2♣ = ART But reduces bidding space and might over-excite partner.

3. 4♠ = PRE But ♥ might play better

[/hv]

[Tramticket]

Assuming that ericba2006 holds only 13 cards

 

I can't believe that I didn't spot that!

[P_Marlowe]

I'm opening 2♣. Why should I assume 1♠ won't be passed out? I have a 19-count and I'm opening in spades, why assume ops will compete whenever p can't respond? Game is good opposite the queen of hearts and a singleton support - I'm not going to risk playing at the one level.

 

 

 

If I open 4♠ third seat, no matter the vulnerability, and my partner looks for slam with two aces, I'll push him off a bridge. KQ to 8 spades is enough for a 4!S open, any vulnerability (some might disagree unfavourable, but not me). Thanks for you two aces p, but I'll need to find another trick from somewhere to make 4. Oh, you've put me in 5? Gee, thanks. We've been doubled? Gosh, that sure is a shame.

 

<snip>

 

If you open 4S, partner will pass.

If you open 2C, and later bid 4S and partner has 2 Aces, he will go looking for slam,

after you bid 4S, and he should do this.

The question for anyone opening 2C with the given hand: what do you want to achieve?

Do you want to stop below game facing nothing? If yes, than 2C is ok, if you plan bidding

game, I do think a 2C opening is pointless, even dangerous.

[rmnka447]

1 ♠

 

If you want to be pushy, it does have only 4 losers and might qualify for 2 ♣. BUT you could easily end up only making 8 tricks if the cards lie wrong or opposite a complete bust. So, this is a better hand to open 1 ♠ on to avoid getting too high. If the hand were ♠ AKQxxxx ♥ AQJx ♦ x ♣ xx (a K less), you'd have a much better hand to open 2 ♣ on as you're virtually certain to take 9 tricks.

[blackshoe]

Should one open 2♣ with an unbalanced hand when one expects that if partner has nothing, one will play in a part score?

[dsLawsd]

Agree with 4♠but some days 1♠ depending upon how we play 1 NT.

 

2♣ is not bad, but I would would want something better than KJxx and Qx on the outside.

[mikeh]

Assuming 6412, easy 1S. I prefer 4S to 2C, but 1S to either.

 

The main problem with 2C is that this is a 2-suiter and those are often difficult to bid after starting with 2C, and so should be opened in that manner only, IMO, with significant extras, which this hand lacks. I might treat it as a one-suited were my second suit a minor, but hearts are too important to ignore. I don’t expect 6 hearts opposite (tho not all 6 card majors need to be opened, but he can certainly hold 4 chunky or any 5 card suit, along with short spades.

 

Btw, I also think that the hand is simply too weak to open 2C in any other seat.

 

Bear in mind that partner rates to be able to scrape up a response and, if he does not (I would never count on the opps to bid here), we haven’t made game yet.

[PhilG007]

Suppose you're sitting East and you have this hand:

AKQxxxx

KJxx

A

Qx

And the bidding went something like this:

West North East South

pass pass ?

Should I have had this hand, I will definitely open 2C. What is your preference:

1C

1S

2S

 

IMHO this hand does not qualify for a 2 Club opener as it has neither the shape nor the pointage. Another thing is your partner has already passed.

I would just open a straightforward 4♠ getting the hand off my chest in one bid and making it as awkward as hell for my LHO in 4th seat.

[mikestar13]

Hi,

 

You forgot 4S as an option.

Given that partner is a passed hand, chances for slam are remote, even if partner

has 2 Aces, the 5 level is not really safe, but if he has those two Aces he will

move forward over your 4S bid, as he should.

 

With kind regards

Marlowe

 

With a seventh spade and shorter hearts, 4♠ is my choice, but if if opened 4♠ here, I'd catch ♠--- ♥Qxxxx ♦xxxx ♣xxxx sure as hell.

[PhilG007]

With a seventh spade and shorter hearts, 4♠ is my choice, but if if opened 4♠ here, I'd catch ♠--- ♥Qxxxx ♦xxxx ♣xxxx sure as hell.

 

That is a risk you have to be prepared to take. You can't play safe all the time(!) 4♠ is the only sensible action on thehand given I have opened 1NT many times and partner has put down a 'bust; as dummy You have to play the hand

you're dealt(!)

 

[miamijd]

If I hold that hand, I'm calling the director!

 

Seriously, assuming you have 6412, I would open 1S. Not sure I'd consider anything else for a second.

 

Cheers,

Mike

[msjennifer]

Suppose you're sitting East and you have this hand:

AKQxxxx

KJxx

A

Qx

And the bidding went something like this:

West North East South

pass pass ?

Should I have had this hand, I will definitely open 2C. What is your preference:

1C

1S

2S

Sir,this hand has 14(fourteen) cards.

[dokoko]

If the hand were ♠ AKQxxxx ♥ AQJx ♦ x ♣ xx (a K less), you'd have a much better hand to open 2 ♣ on as you're virtually certain to take 9 tricks.

I'm a little confused. If you take 10 tricks out of 14 (so lose 4) who wins? What are the rules for 14-trick games?

[haka9]

If I have this hand after two pass, I would bid 4 ♠. May be 9 to 12 tricks, dunno.