[nigel_k]

VM1973, on 2012-October-29, 09:15, said:

I don't see what's wrong with a 1♠ opener. It's 26 zar points even without adding 1 for spades.

mycroft, on 2012-October-29, 11:45, said:

The loser count is right for an EHAA 3-bid at unfavourable, but I've got too many high, so I'm still having to bid 2.

I don't understand how people play bridge this way.

[mycroft]

EHAA may not be a great system, but it's simple, aggressive, and bites you badly if you mess with its (very few) rules. And one of them is that an EHAA 3 bid (but not a game preempt) denies 6HCP. It does so because the key is to massively overload the 2-bid to protect everything else, and you need hands like this one, where you will redouble if it comes around to you (well, okay, maybe not - maybe you just take your +760 and not scare them into their sacrifice) to save you when you open with the same hand, but K76543 in the trump suit.

If partner knows that my 3-bid is "<6 HCP, but 5-6 simple LTC", she knows what to do over it. If I start showing up with a trick or two more defensively than I promise, she stops being able to.

In all systems, there are Rules You Don't Break, and rules you can use Judgement on. This just happens to be one of EHAA's.

[Siegmund]

More than a trick short of an unfavorable 3S bid in my world. At equal I'd probably do it. At favorable I'd bid 3 in second seat, and be torn between 3 and 4 in first or third.

And I DO know quite a few people who would open this hand 1S happily. I am not one of them.

[SteveMoe]

agree with 2♠. 2nd seat preempts should be (very) disciplined. Besides, partner deserves to see some hands from the top half of the promised range from time to time, no? Quoting a favorite partner, "Never apologize for extras!" Would want a 7th spade for a 3-bid.