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How many spades? 1st seat white vs red JEC vs BBF Bd 9, May 24, 2014
#1
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Posted 2014-May-25, 09:33
1st seat, white vs red. What would you open here?
#2
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Posted 2014-May-25, 09:46
I'd be tempted to open 4S but idk it's probably too much.
"definitely that's what I like to play when I'm playing standard - I want to be able to bid diamonds because bidding good suits is important in bridge" - Meckstroth's opinion on weak 2 diamond
#3
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Posted 2014-May-25, 12:01
I am tempted to open any spade level but 3♠. Let me explain.
First this is rule of 20 opening 1♠ bid, so a possible 1♠ opening bid is available (for Zar point counters, it is 29, needing only 25 to open at the one level with spades). If I was vulnerable, I would not open it 1♠, but would open it 2♠.
Being not vul, I look at the heart suit and think I have no real defense against a heart contract, so preempt does twist around in my head as a possibility. But opening 3♠ is wrong in the current situation for several reasons. First I am not so weak to guarantee it is 2/3 likely to my opponents hand. When I preempt first seat not vul, I am usually very weak. Constructive bidding will be difficult if your first seat non-vul can be as weak as say KJT9xx xx JTxx x pf AQ98xxx x xxx xx and this monster or anywhere in between. This is noted as there is easy way to reasonably to bid slam after the 3♠ start. So if I was going to preempt, I would consider only 4♠ and 2♠.
However, I see no pressing reason not to open 1♠, my second choice would be 2♠ (and I would always open 2♠ 1st seat if I was vulnerable.
This does not mean whoever opened 3♠ at your table made a misbid. Three spades is a fine bid if you are not a reckless preempter with weak hands in first seat when non-vulnerable like I am. It is the too wide a range for the weakest hand I could hold for 3♠ and what this hand has that will keep me from preempting with it. If I open this hand 3♠, we could be cold for game and partner would be afraid that 3♠ is likely off two, or we may have an easy set of their game or slam and partner might take a phantom. If your opening preempts are sound, this is clearly a 3♠ bid, and if I had one more trick in my hand (extra spade for instance) I would open 3♠ first seat vul, no problem.
First this is rule of 20 opening 1♠ bid, so a possible 1♠ opening bid is available (for Zar point counters, it is 29, needing only 25 to open at the one level with spades). If I was vulnerable, I would not open it 1♠, but would open it 2♠.
Being not vul, I look at the heart suit and think I have no real defense against a heart contract, so preempt does twist around in my head as a possibility. But opening 3♠ is wrong in the current situation for several reasons. First I am not so weak to guarantee it is 2/3 likely to my opponents hand. When I preempt first seat not vul, I am usually very weak. Constructive bidding will be difficult if your first seat non-vul can be as weak as say KJT9xx xx JTxx x pf AQ98xxx x xxx xx and this monster or anywhere in between. This is noted as there is easy way to reasonably to bid slam after the 3♠ start. So if I was going to preempt, I would consider only 4♠ and 2♠.
However, I see no pressing reason not to open 1♠, my second choice would be 2♠ (and I would always open 2♠ 1st seat if I was vulnerable.
This does not mean whoever opened 3♠ at your table made a misbid. Three spades is a fine bid if you are not a reckless preempter with weak hands in first seat when non-vulnerable like I am. It is the too wide a range for the weakest hand I could hold for 3♠ and what this hand has that will keep me from preempting with it. If I open this hand 3♠, we could be cold for game and partner would be afraid that 3♠ is likely off two, or we may have an easy set of their game or slam and partner might take a phantom. If your opening preempts are sound, this is clearly a 3♠ bid, and if I had one more trick in my hand (extra spade for instance) I would open 3♠ first seat vul, no problem.
--Ben--
#4
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Posted 2014-May-25, 12:47
This all boils down to expected standards for a 2s 3s 4s bid etc
depending on vulnerability. For ex at unfavorable I would not want
to have much less to make a weak 2 bid and never think about 3s
or higher. If your partnership agreements include suit quality as
part of a weak 2 bid then you are probably fine doing that especially
if your responses to 2n include 3n to (or something similar to show
a suit headed by AKQ. W/o suit quality agreements it becomes much tougher
for your partner to move forward especially if you were to choose
3/4 spades. We all want to preempt when we can but at what cost is what we
all have to decide.
depending on vulnerability. For ex at unfavorable I would not want
to have much less to make a weak 2 bid and never think about 3s
or higher. If your partnership agreements include suit quality as
part of a weak 2 bid then you are probably fine doing that especially
if your responses to 2n include 3n to (or something similar to show
a suit headed by AKQ. W/o suit quality agreements it becomes much tougher
for your partner to move forward especially if you were to choose
3/4 spades. We all want to preempt when we can but at what cost is what we
all have to decide.
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