[helene_t]

Q-KQxx-AKxxx-Qxx

The pips are all small.

When presenting hands like this to a beginners' class I first asked what partner will respond to your 1d opening, especially if you play with your spouse

Anyway, what's your rebid? Are you happy to bid 2h? If not, do you do it anyway? If not, do you open 1nt? Or rebid 2c? Or something else?

Cyberyeti has, of course, an easy 1nt rebid, but ...

[mycroft]

Nothing is good. I could argue everything, including 1NT (for me 15-17, too, but I hate it, because we play in a strong NT world and if I do, partner will bid 2♠ with 5 assuming the room is doing it). I'd probably hope that the ♠Q is worth it's full amount and bid 2♥, but I think "rule 1 of playing with my spouse" applies ("if I step out, whatever happens, it's my fault.")

[TylerE]

I'd rather open 1NT with that than reverse.

[nige1]

Helene_T 'For those who play sound reverses, what's your rebid?'
++++++++++++++++++++
I rank
1. 2♦ = NAT underbid
2. 1N = NAT underbid. Might result in playing a 5-1 ♠ fit (not all that bad).
3. 2♥ = NAT but an exaggeration.
4. Open 1N. But partner is likely to transfer.
5. 2♣ = NAT but might lose a 4-4 ♥ fit -- Partner can introduce 2♥ over 1 or 2.

---

[shyams]

I'd bid 2♥ and not worry about it too much. Like mycroft says upthread I'll pretend that the ♠Q is worth its full value.

[sfi]

2D from me - that's just normal on this shape and a minimum hand. Here I have some extras but not enough to be worried about missing anything if partner passes.

[hrothgar]

Ceyberyeti might have an easy 1NT rebid, but I have an easy 1NT opening

[nullve]

I consider this an essentially solved problem in my (vaguely 2/1-like) system:

1♦(1)-1♥(2)
1♠(3)

(1) "10+, NAT(ish) unBAL" OR "20-22 BAL"
(2) "0+, (3)4+ S, may have longer H unless GF"
(3) "10-21, 4+ H, unBAL " or 10-15, 13(54)

This is also how I would bid with

Q
KQ42
Q42
AK642.

There is no analogous problem with

KQ42
Q
Q42
AK642

or

KQ42
Q
AK642
Q42

when Responder has hearts, because then the bidding would go

1♣(1)-1♦(2)
1♠(3)

(1) "10, NAT(ish) unBAL" or "11-13/17-19/23+ BAL"
(2) "0+, 4+ H, may have longer S unless GF"
(3) "10-21, 4+ S, unBAL" or 10-15, 31(54).

1♣-1♦; 1♠ and 1♦-1♥; 1♠ are probably among the most underused sequences in standard systems and it seems to me that there is enough space to sort the important things out after those.

A nige1ian ranking of alternatives in standard 2/1:

1. open 1N (OK even in the ACBL as long as the stiff is the A, K or Q)
2. open 1♦, then rebid 2♣ over 1♠ (hoping partner doesn't have a weak hand with 5413 shape)
3. open 1♦, then rebid 2♦ over 1♠ (I'd really want 2♦ to promise 6)
4. open 1♦, then rebid 2♥ over 1♠ (only lying one point or so, but this sequence is already quite bad)

[smerriman]

I'm in the 2♦ camp. We're not going to miss a 4-4 heart fit that way, and without that I'm happy going low. Opening 1NT would be my second choice.

[gordontd]

smerriman, on 2021-February-06, 20:01, said:

I'm in the 2♦ camp. We're not going to miss a 4-4 heart fit that way,

You will miss one if partner has a weak 5-4. Unless you also play 2H now as non-forcing.

[DavidKok]

I would open 1♦ and rebid 2♥. If you want a systematic solution, Gazzilli over 1♦-1M solves all.

[nullve]

DavidKok, on 2021-February-07, 04:58, said:

Gazzilli over 1♦-1M solves all.

Not by itself.

[pescetom]

nullve, on 2021-February-06, 19:58, said:

A nige1ian ranking of alternatives in standard 2/1:

1. open 1N (OK even in the ACBL as long as the stiff is the A, K or Q)
2. open 1♦, then rebid 2♣ over 1♠ (hoping partner doesn't have a weak hand with 5413 shape)
3. open 1♦, then rebid 2♦ over 1♠ (I'd really want 2♦ to promise 6)
4. open 1♦, then rebid 2♥ over 1♠ (only lying one point or so, but this sequence is already quite bad)

My ranking also.

[apollo1201]

Agree with NULLVE ranking.

With black suits reversed, I’d be more tempted to reverse (!), although I play them a bit sounder. But here a non-prime 16 HCP w/o intermediates in the suits and a stiff Q in partner’s suit...

I also play reverse-Flannery for responder so the likelihood of missing 4-4 H fit is quite low, either partner doesn’t have H, or if she does, she should have values to bid again.

Options are therefore a 1NT opening, or now we’ve chosen 1D, 2C or 2D. But with a Q less, 1NT rebid w/o 2nd thoughts (a bit nervous w/ a small S, though). Small preference for 2C as it leaves options open for partner to chose the « better » minor (if she passes, C fit will be at least as long as D unless she is very weak 4234, and she’s 5413 she has values for another call).

[Douglas43]

If opening a weak NT, I would rebid 1NT=15-17. If we have a heart fit, we'll find it by checkback. Worst case outcome is partner bids 2S with 5 of them.

[TMorris]

Playing a weak NT I am also a 1nt rebidder. If partner is 5323 I expect her to pass. We also of course never miss a heart fit this way.

[nige1]

DavidKok, on 2021-February-07, 04:58, said:

I would open 1♦ and rebid 2♥. If you want a systematic solution, Gazzilli over 1♦-1M solves all.

Please DavidKok,

• Would you explain how Gazilli works after 1♦ - 1M?
• Do you also play it after 1♣ - 1M?

[nige1]

gordontd, on 2021-February-07, 02:36, said:

You will miss one if partner has a weak 5-4. Unless you also play 2H now as non-forcing.

Some partnerships would rather brave the dizzy heights of 3♥ with an 8-card fit rather than play 2♠ (a level lower) in a 5-1 fit.

[DavidKok]

nige1, on 2021-February-07, 12:58, said:

Please DavidKok,

• Would you explain how Gazilli works after 1♦ - 1M?
• Do you also play it after 1♣ - 1M?

I don't actually play Gazzilli after 1♦-1M, on the grounds that my system is already more than sufficiently complicated. I'm convinced it is very good with an unbalanced diamond (which is what I play) though. My source is Yuan Shen's article, where 1♦-1M; 1NT* shows either 16+ any or 11-15 with 6(+) diamonds, and any other bid denies reverse strength (so 2♣ is 11-15 with 5-4 minors, partnership preference if it shows exactly 5(+)=4(+) or also contains 4=5, and 2♦ shows 11-15 with exactly 4 hearts!).
Of course this particular hand is still troublesome, my comment was slightly tongue-in-cheek. But since you can now systematically distinguish between 11-15 with exactly 4 hearts, by bidding 1♦-1♠; 2♦, and 16+ ('sound reverse') with hearts by bidding 1♦-1♠; 1NT*-2♣; 2♥ you are in a much better spot than many other players would be. I would strongly consider downgrading this particular hand to 15 or so and rebidding 2♦, showing the heart suit.
Something to keep in mind here is that since the 1♦ in this system is 'unbalanced', the 1NT is not needed as a natural rebid. I currently play this rebid as 11-15, exactly 4=5 in the minors (which we do not open 1♣ based on some probabilistic argument), and frankly it is far from ideal. We even considered leaving the sequence meaningless!

I don't see any reason to play something like this over 1♣-1M. For starters both the 1NT and 2♣ rebids are extremely useful as natural bids, and after partner 'accepts' the Gazzilli bid by making the cheapest call available it is too late to stop in your long suit. Also, I have no idea how it would work.

[TylerE]

gordontd, on 2021-February-07, 02:36, said:

You will miss one if partner has a weak 5-4. Unless you also play 2H now as non-forcing.

Or play reverse flannery, so responder is guaranteed to have a good hand if 5-4.