[Echognome]

This is a pure style question. A lot depends on the rest of your system of course.

Suppose you are playing a standardish 2/1 with a 14-16NT. Your 1NT rebid thus shows 11-13.

Do you consider this to be an opener as dealer?

♠J98
♥J5
♦AQ6
♣QJT96

[FrancesHinden]

Personally, I wouldn't open it.

However, if I were playing a method where
i) my 1NT rebid shows 11-13 balanced
ii) partner bids knowing I may have a balanced 11-count

then yes. I think the pretty club suit makes up for the jacks, making this not worth downgrading to a 10-count

[joker_gib]

No I don't open it.

[tysen2k]

It's borderline for me, but I like to bid. Note however that if the 1NT opening was 11-13 then it becomes an automatic opener since you can shut out the majors.

Tysen

[pbleighton]

Given that your 1NT rebid shows 11-13, I would certainly open it.

Peter

[hrothgar]

Since when does standard 2/1 open balanced 11 counts?

Even with the agreement to open a balanced 11, I'd pass.
Those Jacks are gruesome...

[mcphee]

One of my pet peeves is opening weak minor hands. First it makes it easy for the opponents to enter the bidding with a major suit overcall. Second I have always found it more difficult to out bid the majors when I have minors.

Assuming you open 1C you have a poor rebid over to most 1 level responses. Granted you could raise 1S to 2, which no doubt will delight your partner who responed 1S passing his 5 card D suit on Kxxx. In addtion if the enemy overcalled 2H you have to make a support dble should that tool be part of your weapons. This gives you 2 chances to delight partner when you table this trash .

If you open 1C does your partner always play you to have a real suit?

Lets assume you passed, how bad can it be if partner opens or overcalls or even pre-empts? Mark me down as a passer at any form of scoring. Only playing weak NT would I want to open this beauty.

[inquiry]

No, I would not open it.

[MickyB]

I consider this to be an above average 11, so I would open it.

[pclayton]

Not me.

[mikeh]

I hold a LTC of 8 and only 2 controls and poor majors: pass

This is a good advertisement for 10-12 or 11-13 1N opening bids: I would be delighted (nv) to preempt with 1N

I have no objection to opening some 11 point hands, even balanced ones, but my guides for doing so are 3 controls, LTC of 7 or less, few Queens and fewer Jacks, and decent majors. None of these are, by themselves, go/no go tests, but this hand fails on all of them. The internal texture of the ♣ suit, a countervailing indicator, is insufficent to offset all this negativity.

However, I hope that I am playing semi-forcing 1N responses by a passed hand, since I am otherwise (and maybe, anyway) going to be in trouble should partner open 1♥

[Al_U_Card]

Doesn't meet any of my criteria for opening (even in 3rd seat, but I might open it 1C in 3rd NV vs V) so I would pass even with the 11?-13 1NT rebid available which I might reserve for those 11 hcp hands with 2-4-2-5...

[HeartA]

not an opening hand to me: 11 (at most average) hcp, bergen's count of (not good) 19 , and 24 Zar points.

[kenrexford]

Not an opener for me.

Reverse the minors, and I might open 1C. NOT A TYPO. With Jxx-Jx-QJ10xx-AQx, I might open 1C. The additional features pushing me toward that 1C opening are (1) to suggest a lead -- I do not want a lead AT my QJ10 -- and (2) to frustrate my LHO from an easy call with 4414 pattern. 1C also allows a 1D response, which I should be able to raise in comp or balance with this hand. It still would be an opt out, but closer.

[mike777]

Matt, playing your model's parameters then:

Recently I passed a hand like this first seat vul. during a tourney. I thought opening the hand was very close but partner yelled director and reported a Psyche by me. This is what he said


"...not even close....its 11 highs....we open all average or near average 11s....

To pass an 11 count...you need a real dog, like less than a quick trick...bad spot cards, etc....

this hand is actually a tad bit above average with 1.5 quicks and a great suit...offset slightly by the stray jacks."

Having partner call the director on you helps one in remembering things. .

So if this hand is an above average hand you need to open it in your style .

[Kalvan14]

I open this hand. Better to get in now than trying to catch up later.
IMHO, it's easy for oppos to overcall 1m, but, for some reason, their auction is never as nice as when they open 1M.
Cheers

[Echognome]

I thought it an interesting style question. I held:

♠KQxx
♥A
♦Txxxx
♣Axx

in response I bid 1♦ and 2♠ (natural GF) over the 1NT rebid and we ended in the no play 3NT. If I imagined partner would open the actual hand, I have to invite on this.

I hate opening balanced 11 counts vulnerable, and found that my bidding improved when I didn't. I wasn't out to "blame" partner, just wondered what people considered to be standard. I didn't think it a 1♣ opener.

[MickyB]

K+R (which I don't trust) evaluates this at 9.95 points; Binky (which I do) evaluates it at about 10.4. I think I overvalued the club suit, it needs an ace or a king.

[mike777]

Echognome, on Jan 12 2006, 05:56 PM, said:

I thought it an interesting style question.  I held:

♠KQxx
♥A
♦Txxxx
♣Axx

in response I bid 1♦ and 2♠ (natural GF) over the 1NT rebid and we ended in the no play 3NT.  If I imagined partner would open the actual hand, I have to invite on this.

I hate opening balanced 11 counts vulnerable, and found that my bidding improved when I didn't.  I wasn't out to "blame" partner, just wondered what people considered to be standard.  I didn't think it a 1♣ opener.

If you are going to play this then think 14 hcp to force to game by responder in general. Now playing XYZ or 2 way checkback the bidding would go:

1c=1s
1nt=2c
2s=p
p

1s=Walsh style, bid major over longer minor with all invite or less hands, think 13 hcp or less very often.
1nt=11-13
2c=invite checkback, 3 card support takes priority over puppet to 2D
2s=3s spades but minimum
pass


Btw this is a very typical everyday auction playing this style. Enjoy!