[junyi_zhu]

bridgeguy2, on Sep 30 2005, 06:54 AM, said:

Hi

Someone mentioned to play this treatment: opening of 1M in 1st/2nd seat promises 5cards, opening 1M promises only 4cards 3rd/4th seat.

1) how do you like this treatment, does it have advantages?
2) have you ever played this?
3) does 1M 4+cards mean you can open a 4card major suit with a longer minor suit?
4) playing this treatment, what's your preferred response structure after 3rd/4th hand 1M opening? a raise still promises 3+cards?
5) would you play this treatment only if a) you knew the field played only 5card majors you knew the field played mostly 4card majors? Does it matter?

If you play reverse drury, you probably only want to open 1M with 4 cards with minimum, so you can pass partner's 1NT response. If you have extra, it's better to start from 1m, otherwise you may get out of bid. Just consider situation like this:
SAKxx Hx DAxxx CAxxx, if yo open 1S, over partner's 1NT, you are quite out of bid, if you bid 2D and partner show preferance to 2S, you are likely to play in a 4-2 fit and it's hard to bid over 2S. So if you play 1NT as semiforcing which can contain some 11 HCP hands, it's better to open 1m instead of 1S here. Some also include 1M opening with very strong hands, for example 18-19, this is playable, but it also needs further partnership discussion. Again, if you open 1M with very strong 4 card suit, it's probably always OK if you don't mind playing 2M with SAKJT vs doubleton. Anyway, you need a strong character to play 4M because it has a lot of judgement calls and occationally you may play 4-3 or even 4-3 fit at an unpleasant level, but that's still a lot of fun. Good luck!

[junyi_zhu]

Jlall, on Oct 2 2005, 06:39 PM, said:

Have never heard of jacoby 2N by a passed hand since they have drury available (and splinters). Usually 2N is played, if playing drury, as showing clubs.

I like to play 2NT to show long trumps and shortness somewhere, about 10 HCP. Usually, if I want to commit to 3 level with a club suit over partner's 1M opening, I'd just open it.