[jillybean]

#12
Playing in a Sectional this evening, finishing 4th in our section, .39 matchpoints behind MikeH.

Here's a hand, more to come tomorrow.

---

[TylerE]

I'm opening 1♠ and then bidding clubs until i either buy it or they whack us. (Assuming partner doesn't raise spades, of course).

[TMorris]

Happy to open 1 ♣ and repeat spades. I play a four card major system so 1 ♣ shows at least 4 clubs which tends to help in competitive auctions.

[apollo1201]

At red with such hollow suits, I am not sure I’d venture alone to 4S, which is my « test question » to decide opening 1M or 1m with a 6-5.

This would tend to opening 1S and bidding C twice or more, pretending I’m 5-4 then 5-5, and 5-6 maybe, if I get the chance to describe my hand. And if I decide to open🤣🤣

Because we are fairly min (2 aces, period). The 7th club compensates only one flaw in the hand.

I also don’t want to preempt (KJ 5th and KJ 7th have a better ODR as basically we turn with no defense).

People say at red in 2nd, you don’t need to be overactive with borderline hands.

So maybe it is wiser to pass now and observe how thing go. But it is MP, and partner will be sympathetic for what I choose😅😅

At the club, you can probably survive 1C and some number of S up to the appropriate level, but not against MikeH, right?

Curious to see the rest.

[TylerE]

 TMorris, on 2023-November-12, 03:21, said:

Happy to open 1 ♣ and repeat spades. I play a four card major system so 1 ♣ shows at least 4 clubs which tends to help in competitive auctions.

I hate opening 1m on hands like this, because you can never seem to both: Actually convince responder that 3 card support IS support, *and* stop at an appropriate level. Plus, for most people clubs then spades would be strength showing reverse, and this sure as heck ain't that.

[Cyberyeti]

 TylerE, on 2023-November-12, 04:24, said:

I hate opening 1m on hands like this, because you can never seem to both: Actually convince responder that 3 card support IS support, *and* stop at an appropriate level. Plus, for most people clubs then spades would be strength showing reverse, and this sure as heck ain't that.

1♣-1red-1♠ is not a problem, 1♣-1♦-1♠-2♦-2♠ might be

Equally 1♠-2/3♥-P-4♥ now what ? Are you bidding 5♣ ? Have you just missed your 7/4-5-6 club fit ?

There is no right answer to this, but I'll open 1♣ IF it actually shows clubs

[jillybean]

I do not understand anyone considering opening this 1♠, how will you ever convince partner you are 5107?

---

[Cyberyeti]

 jillybean, on 2023-November-12, 10:04, said:

I do not understand anyone considering opening this 1♠, how will you ever convince partner you are 5107?

---

Easy 3♠ now unless the X guarantees 4 spades, in which case I bid 3♣, and if I've overcooked it with 3♠, I've overcooked it

[pescetom]

 jillybean, on 2023-November-12, 10:04, said:

I do not understand anyone considering opening this 1♠, how will you ever convince partner you are 5107?

The real problem I see is when you open 1C and partner responds NT. But I would still choose the natural opening.

[DavidKok]

 pescetom, on 2023-November-12, 10:32, said:

The real problem I see is when you open 1C and partner responds NT. But I would still choose the natural opening.

I have a lot of concerns about showing this hand, but the possibility that partner has a weak hand with at most 3 hearts and the opponents are silent is not near the top of the list.

[TylerE]

 jillybean, on 2023-November-12, 10:04, said:

I do not understand anyone considering opening this 1♠, how will you ever convince partner you are 5107?

---

I don't really care about the clubs. If we're playing game, it's going to be in spades. Clubs is a strain you play in either slam, or as an escape from NT. Neither applies here.

[Cyberyeti]

 TylerE, on 2023-November-12, 16:09, said:

I don't really care about the clubs. If we're playing game, it's going to be in spades. Clubs is a strain you play in either slam, or as an escape from NT. Neither applies here.

so partner isn't allowed to hold x, xxxx, xxxxx, Kxx (add a few random useless red honours) where 5♣ is perfectly reasonable.

[TylerE]

Never cater to a perfecto, it's losing bridge.

[jillybean]

---

I ended up competing to 5♣ - 1
Not at all proud of the bid, I was let off lightly

[thepossum]

 jillybean, on 2023-November-11, 23:05, said:

#12
Playing in a Sectional this evening, finishing 4th in our section, .39 matchpoints behind MikeH.

Here's a hand, more to come tomorrow.

---

4 clubs

[mw64ahw]

3♣ only at equal vulnerability and I'm not convinced 4-level minor suit pre-empts are a good idea.
5♣-1 is a good result although I would hope South would be in a position to X 4♦ for penalties if that's where they got to.

[Cyberyeti]

 TylerE, on 2023-November-12, 17:06, said:

Never cater to a perfecto, it's losing bridge.

There are lots of hands where you want to be in clubs, there are many where you want to be in 6 or 7 clubs where you will play in 4♠ or opps will play in a red suit if you open spades. It's even more ridiculous to open 1♠ playing what I do where it only shows 4 and partner rarely raises with 3.

We have a concrete agreement that we will not open a 2 or 3 level preempt with two aces as partner takes far too many phantoms not playing us for 2 tricks (other than possibly AK of our suit, but usually if they're taking a save, they have enough of them that both aren't standing up).

[jillybean]

This hand caused problems for a number of pairs.

3NT W 300 26 100
4H W 250 25 96
3NT W 200 23.5 90
3NT E 200 23.5 90
3NT W 150 22 85
4C N 130 21 81
4D E 50 19 73
4D E 50 19 73
4D E 50 19 73
3S N -100 16.5 63
5C N -100 16.5 63
3D E -110 14.5 56
3D E -110 14.5 56
4D E -130 11 42
3D E -130 11 42
4D E -130 11 42
3D E -130 11 42
4D E -130 11 42
4Sx N -200 7.5 29
4H S -200 7.5 29
4S N -300 5.5 21
5S N -300 5.5 21
3NT W -430 4 15
4Sx N -500 3 12
4Dx E -510 2 8
4Dx E -610 1 4
4Sx N -800 0 0

[jillybean]

 pescetom, on 2023-November-12, 10:32, said:

The real problem I see is when you open 1C and partner responds NT. But I would still choose the natural opening.

What's the problem with 2♣ / 1nt?

[pescetom]

 jillybean, on 2023-November-13, 09:55, said:

What's the problem with 2♣ / 1nt?

That you bury the probable spades fit. But thinking about it, davidkok was right anway.