[gwnn]

1NT...

[Halo]

1NT

[awm]

There's a lot to be said for 1♠ on this hand. This is a really lousy 15-count and partner's already a passed hand. If I bid 1NT and partner raises to game, I don't necessarily like my chances.

Bidding 1♠ probably less likely to land you in a doubled contract when partner is broke, will help in the competitive auction in some cases (would love to defend 3♥ on this hand after a spade raise by partner!), and will probably cause you to "miss" a lot of 15 opposite 9-10 games that weren't making anyway. It will also get partner to make the best lead if he ends up on lead.

In the long run it probably depends on how light you open. If game is pretty unlikely then 1♠ is probably the best bet. If you pass a lot of 11-12 point hands then bidding 1NT might be better.

[mikeh]

At the table, I'd probably succumb to the obvious 1N, but I agree with Adam that this may not lead to a good result. There is too much chance that the opps will run a minor on us if partner has a good hand and too much chance that we wil be playing out off our hand (doubled or not) if he has a bad hand.

Another way to look at it is that we can get back to notrump (when he has a good hand) after 1♠ more readily than we can get to ♠s after 1N when he has a bad hand. We can find ♠s if partner has sufficient to stayman over our 1N, but he may have 4♠s and not enough to bid: Qxxx Jx xxxx xx would play pretty well in ♠s but is ugly as all-get-out in notrump as they run their 8+ minor suit winners.

And partner will have a bad hand more often than not.

I don't worry about 9 card fits.. we will find that (almost) no matter what I choose now.

I should bid 1♠, and I think that is the best call, but I suspect, as I said, that I'd bid 1N... I am a greedy bugger at mps....

[mike777]

Jlall, on May 7 2007, 01:56 PM, said:

AKJx KQ9x Jx Jxx. Partner passes and RHO opens 1H. white/white at imps, what call do you make?

1s wtp?

[inquiry]

I am fond of 1♠.. .in fact often I can't bid 1NT because I am playing raptor. But if not palying it, I tend to overcall a strong four card suit when also holding four in "their suit".

[Fluffy]

we could pass, if we have game I bet partner is gonna reopen.

[Fluffy]

Jlall, on May 7 2007, 08:42 PM, said:

Fluffy, on May 7 2007, 03:41 PM, said:

we could pass, if we have game I bet partner is gonna reopen.

Except that LHO may bid and you may get shut out.

Yeah, I normally play against weak sound fields and when they bid 1-1 you don't make game with balanced hands.

I probably should move to another country , anyone needs a decent programmer who spends a lot of time in forums instead of working?

[P_Marlowe]

1NT, if you dont like it (ok), than 1S.

With kind regards
Marlowe

[skjaeran]

1♠. 1NT might work better sometimes, but I think 1♠ is the winner in the long run. Being a light opener, I'm not very afraid of missing a game. 1NT might be hammered. 1♠ is a good lead director, and often makes competing for a part score easier.

[pclayton]

I can take 3 approaches with this hand:

1. Overcall 1N. Its hard to argue with this, since its kind of 'obvious'. But its so easy to see how 1N can just get beat up.

2. Overcall 1♠. If pard is broke, this is probably our best spot. If pard makes a move in a minor, we can investigate 3N.

3. Pass 1♥. What rates to happen is LHO will probably bid a forcing 1N and RHO bids 2 minor. I am not a happy camper.

I think I like:

1♠ - 9
1N - 6
Pass - 3

But I certainly wouldn't get upset if pard overcalled 1N.

[kenrexford]

Double is funny. Partner might have spades. Partner is unlikely to get hurt in either minor. The opponents might compete in hearts.

But, I'd overcall 1NT.

[mikegill]

A clear 1 spade for me. 1N is the gag reflex, but you would have a hard time constructing a hand partner can have where you have game. He has to have both minors stopped as well as a source of some tricks. Even if he has the sQ, that only bring you up to 6, assuming that you can lead towards your KQ of hearts twice (which you might not be able to). This sounds like a lot to ask from a hand that couldn't open. 1S will also be much harder for them to double (and to defend if they do, since they'll probably be trying incorrectly to force me), as well as having lead-directional value. This might depend a little on your opening style - if your partner were likely to pass 12-counts regularly, then I think 1N would be more reasonable.

[jdonn]

Minority I guess but I would just pass. I have great defense and unlikely enough for game, I don't see what's the big deal if LHO bids and keeps me out. I think I'm more likely to gain than lose a small swing by passing, though either is possible.

[rbforster]

kenrexford, on May 7 2007, 05:14 PM, said:

Double is funny.  Partner might have spades.  Partner is unlikely to get hurt in either minor. 

I play overcall structure in most of my partnerships, which switches X and 1NT (1NT is takeout, X is strong usually balanced). Double showing balanced seems safer than a standard 1NT here since when LHO has a penalty hand (X of 1NT or XX of a strong X) we can still stop in 1♠.

I suppose the only downside to a strong (15+) double is that the opponents won't get overboard and bid a bad ♥ game and go down. If you start with 1♠, they might get optimistic.

[pclayton]

Rob F, on May 8 2007, 11:25 AM, said:

kenrexford, on May 7 2007, 05:14 PM, said:

Double is funny.  Partner might have spades.  Partner is unlikely to get hurt in either minor. 

I play overcall structure in most of my partnerships, which switches X and 1NT (1NT is takeout, X is strong usually balanced). Double showing balanced seems safer than a standard 1NT here since when LHO has a penalty hand (X of 1NT or XX of a strong X) we can still stop in 1♠.

I suppose the only downside to a strong (15+) double is that the opponents won't get overboard and bid a bad ♥ game and go down. If you start with 1♠, they might get optimistic.

A lot of the modern OS players are using Herbert Negative over the Power x. You can make a power x on this, but its a guess on whether or not to pass 1♠.

[whereagles]

It depends on how aggressive my system is. If we open light, I'd probably pass. Otherwise 1NT.