Hope springs eternal

[pilowsky]

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This hand just came up at the Club.

Nobody (from 24 tables) found the 'best' contract.

What would you do?[/hv]

[Cyberyeti]

Well I wouldn't have passed in 3rd seat with a 5 card spade suit and a (revolting in some ways but with nice intermediates) 11 count.

 

I can imagine EW getting into all sorts of trouble here or NS playing 2♠ if I open.

[mw64ahw]

In 3rd seat 1♠-P-1NT-P-2♣ (relay)-P-2♦-P-2♠ hoping for a sub-optimal lead to make the part score.

 

After the 1♣ opening 2♦ 4+♦ & ♥ followed by expected passes and likely to go 1 down.

[DavidKok]

Well I wouldn't have passed in 3rd seat with a 5 card spade suit and a (revolting in some ways but with nice intermediates) 11 count.

 

I can imagine EW getting into all sorts of trouble here or NS playing 2♠ if I open.

Opening 2♠ might be even better.

[Cyberyeti]

Opening 2♠ might be even better.

 

Too likely to get partner to raise with a hand where nobody's making anything at the 3 level.

[DavidKok]

Partner has eyes and can see your seat and the vulnerability as well. They should not raise you without a good reason.

[LBengtsson]

Well I wouldn't have passed in 3rd seat with a 5 card spade suit and a (revolting in some ways but with nice intermediates) 11 count.

 

I can imagine EW getting into all sorts of trouble here or NS playing 2♠ if I open.

 

agree cyberyeti though only problem is if east declares a contract, let us say east-west cards are different distribution, and partner leads from ♠Kx. but otherwise I would open 1♠ also.

[Cyberyeti]

Partner has eyes and can see your seat and the vulnerability as well. They should not raise you without a good reason.

 

2♠-X- at favourable partner is going to raise like crazy.

[DavidKok]

Then I recommend you discuss this situation with your partner. In terms of putting pressure on the opponents it is better to be able to bid 2♠ and then not get a light raise, than to not be able to bid it at all. P-(P)-2♠-(X); P-? may be an excellent start to the auction for NS. South should keep in mind that North may have already bid South's hand.

 

Put differently, I would expect North to upgrade aggressively with anything resembling a classical preempt at this seat and vulnerability, and open 3♠. That means that 2♠ is what remains - the dregs, of sorts. I expect semibalanced hands, distributed values, a poor suit and/or a supermaximum (partner is a passed hand, as long as game is not on anything is a preempt). So if East doubles South has to seriously consider that the combined offensive potential on this hand may be low, and that 3X by EW might very well go down.

[Cyberyeti]

Then I recommend you discuss this situation with your partner. In terms of putting pressure on the opponents it is better to be able to bid 2♠ and then not get a light raise, than to not be able to bid it at all. P-(P)-2♠-(X); P-? may be an excellent start to the auction for NS. South should keep in mind that North may have already bid South's hand.

 

Put differently, I would expect North to upgrade aggressively with anything resembling a classical preempt at this seat and vulnerability, and open 3♠. That means that 2♠ is what remains - the dregs, of sorts. I expect semibalanced hands, distributed values, a poor suit and/or a supermaximum (partner is a passed hand, as long as game is not on anything is a preempt). So if East doubles South has to seriously consider that the combined offensive potential on this hand may be low, and that 3X by EW might very well go down.

 

He does on this hand, but what if he has 3 spades ? or 4 ?

[DavidKok]

I would raise with 3 spades only with a hand with high offence (well, high ODR), and with 4 almost always.

[Cyberyeti]

I would raise with 3 spades only with a hand with high offence, and with 4 almost always.

 

And this N hand has potentially enormous defense opposite not much and very limited offence that such a raise will often be wrong. I don't have this issue (I have different ones) in that 2♠ could be opened by me on xxxx and a zero count so we raise less than most.

[mycroft]

Of course, it could go 1NT (10-12)-p-2♠, your go East...

[nige1]

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pilowsky' This hand just came up at the Club.

Nobody (from 24 tables) found the 'best' contract.

What would you do?

++++++++++++++++++++

I would expect North to open 1♠ and South's 1N reply to be passed out.

I wouldn't open 2♠ on the North hand because I feel that South should be able to rely on a better suit.[/hv]