[kenrexford]

I just recalled a humourous auction from about 12 years ago that made me think -- what is the highest "preemptive" action you have seen or made?

I have two contestants, one of which clearly is the winner of my choices.

Second place goes to the third-seat white on red 5♠ opening. That was from about 13 years ago and is a call I cannot imagine ever making again. As it was, the opponents were cold for a slam, and we were set less than even their game, for a great score, but it was sick.

The winner of mine. Partner opened 1♣ (12 years ago). We had agreed to bid 1♦ as waiting on balanced hands and weakish -- get Opener to declare. So, 1♣-P-1NT was now "2-5." The more vulnerable we were, the more minopr cards we needed.

So, I responded 1NT, 2-5 HCP's, when vulnerable. My LHO then doubled for trhe majors, and partner leaped to 6♣. I cannot remember the exact hand, but the location of a critical card determined whether we made 6♣ or were down one (we were doubled). The location of that card also determined whether the opponents made 5♥ or would fail. If they made, 6♣ was a good sacrifice. If they failed, 6♣ would make. As it was, 6♣ failed by a trick, 5♥ made, and we got a good score for the sacrifice. Note that a set of two tricks would likely be a good sacrifice against what would now probably be a making slam.

Again, sick.

But, I'm curious if anyone can beat this -- a vulnerable-versus-not leap from the one-level to the six-level as a good sacrifice.

[hrothgar]

Not sure if this quite counts, however, here is a hand that Free and I played a couple years back

Free opened 1♠ i first seat, red versus white. Systemically, 1♠ promises and unbalanced hand with 4+ Diamonds (could have longer clubs) and ~9-14 HCP. Furthermore, the bid (typically) denies a 4 card major.

RHO overcalled 2♣

I held

♠ A5432
♥ AQ84
♦ KT98
♣ Void

And bid 6♦. (I really didn't feel like messing arround with a long complicated auction). The blast worked out pretty well, because RHO decided to double for penalties. We made an overtrick when Free tabled

♠ KQ8
♥ 6
♦ AQ654
♣ J963

[Gerben42]

I opened 6♠ once on the 11 lowest ♠ and Kx on the side (yes it was a goulash tournament). This was doubled and made when partner had the Ace in my suit and trumps broke 1 - 1.

[pclayton]

I've never opened 6 I don't think. I overcall 6 probably once every 2 years.

A month ago Brian opened 1♠ and RHO overcalled 4♣. I held ♠AKxxx, ♥AQJxxx, ♦xx, ♣void and tried 7♠ which rolled.

Oh, 7N was cold too, since pard held the minor aces and the ♥K.

[whereagles]

Thomas Carlsson, from Norway, once bid 6♥ over my pard's strong club, white on red, with something like

x
AQJ9xxxxx
xx
x

He ended up 2 down doubled vs our 5♠. That was 5 imps for our side because our pards got doubled in 5♥ for only 1 down

[Free]

I also overcall or support partner to the 5- or 6-level a few times a year. 4NT overcalls seem to work as well most of the time. I don't know what my highest preempt was...

[keylime]

I had an auction during my time in Canada that went (1H) 1NT* [3 suited takeout] (X) back to me as unpassed 4th chair.

I held:

xx
x
AQJxxxxxx
x

I simply tabled six diamonds which was cheap insurance against their grand (LHO was void in diamonds, and pard had used the t/o white on red on a soft five count of Q♠, J♥, and Q♣.)