[blackshoe]

Somebody asked upthread if 3♣ in the uncontested auction 1♠-2♦-3♣ is a reverse. It's what the English call a "high reverse". Most North Americans don't consider it a reverse (because it's not a bid at the two level) but it certainly has the same effect.

I would have opened 1♣, but an argument could be made for 1♠, I suppose. It is a major, after all. OTOH, if you decide the hand isn't strong enough to reverse (debatable - it's only 13 HCP, but it does have only four losers) then you don't really have a rebid after a 2 level response in a red suit. As others have pointed out, opening 1♣ keeps your options open, and doesn't distort your shape (if you open 1♣ and rebid ♠ twice, you must have 6♣ and 5♠ - or 7 and 6. :-))

2NT was, well, pretty bad, but once you decide to open 1♠ and not rebid 3♣, you're kind of stuck.

[keylime]

1♣, absolutely, playing 2/1 GF. Opening 1♠ subjects partner to guessing about degree of fit over a red suit bid and 3♣ rebid. Playing slower arrival (what I strongly prefer), it's still 1♣.

Opening 1♠ also causes headaches when the opps get into the act:

1♠ (2 ♥) P P

Partner may be sitting on a heart stack, but it would scare me to reopen with a double here. However:

1♣ (1/2♥) P (P/raise)

Now bidding spades helps A LOT. Pard can compete in clubs (yes it is STILL a suit, amazingly enough) and will have an idea of what you've shown.

[fred]

It should be noted that there is group of American experts (I believe they are following the ideas of Steve Robinson) who claim to always open 1H or 1S with a 5-card major and a longer minor. Suit quality and which specific suits they hold do not come into play for this group.

My personal preference is about as far from this position as possible. I almost always open the 6-card suit and it would not occur to me to do otherwise with the hand in question. Occasionally (ie a couple of time a year) I make exceptions for hands with 56xx, x56x, x5x6, and xx56 distribution, but I really hate doing this.

While I don't agree with Steve Robinson's views in this area, he is a great player who has a lot more experience than I do and he is quite passionate in his opinion that it is better to "always" open the 5-card major. It would be both arrogant and ignorant for me to claim that I *know* I am right and that he is wrong.

I can state with confidence that almost all North American experts would open 1C with the hand that this thread is about (but of course that doesn't mean that this is the "right" bid).

Fred Gitelman
Bridge Base Inc.
www.bridgebase.com

[cf_John0]

1♠ for anytime,3♣ ia a good rebid for any response;they are typical,I think.