[helene_t]

Why doesn't anybody open 3NT? This is a textbook hand. OK, I would like one more diamond. But I have to preempt at these colors in first seat.

[bid_em_up]

helene_t, on Jan 16 2007, 09:58 AM, said:

Why doesn't anybody open 3NT? This is a textbook hand. OK, I would like one more diamond. But I have to preempt at these colors in first seat.

My partner did open it 3N last nite. Ok, not quite the same hand but close enough (same suit, different hand pattern). I would too.

Opening 3♦ is incorrect, imo. Partner will never play you for a solid suit after a 2♦/3♦ openingi, and is unlikely to bid 3N, since he CANNOT have a filling diamond honor which might make him bid 3N himself. If you're going to preempt at favorable, you may as well put as much pressure on as possible, imo.

[MickyB]

I open 1♦, but I don't mind 3♦.

[MickyB]

cherdano, on Jan 15 2007, 07:46 PM, said:

What I find a lot more difficult are hands that have a bad 6-card suit and some random quacky 10 hcp. Too defensive to open a weak 2, not good enough for a one-level opening, but you will often fail to convince partner there is game after you pass. I have definitely gotten bad results from all 3 possible actions.

My style on these hands has changed recently. If I would open a preempt with a card fewer in my long suit but a more offensive honour structure, I make said preempt; If not, I'm happy to not show my suit unless I have a partial fit for partner.

Kxx Axxxxxx Tx Q
Vul at MPs, I opened this 2♥.

QJx JTxxxx xx Ax
2nd seat, both vul, IMPs, I passed this - partly because the alternative was a mini-multi (meaning that pard can't bid a natural 2♠), but I'd still have passed it if a weak two had been available. If pard opens 1♠ (4+cards, may be 4♠5m if minimum) I'd bid 2♥ (3♠5+♥ NF). Add a couple of points outside hearts and I'll do the same thing.

Obviously this isn't perfect, for example we might miss 3NT when we don't realise the value of ♦ AKxx opposite xxxxxx, but I think it works well.

[mr1303]

1D. Nothing else occurred to me in 1st or 2nd seat.

[pclayton]

bid_em_up, on Jan 16 2007, 07:52 AM, said:

helene_t, on Jan 16 2007, 09:58 AM, said:

Why doesn't anybody open 3NT? This is a textbook hand. OK, I would like one more diamond. But I have to preempt at these colors in first seat.

My partner did open it 3N last nite. Ok, not quite the same hand but close enough (same suit, different hand pattern). I would too.

Opening 3♦ is incorrect, imo. Partner will never play you for a solid suit after a 2♦/3♦ openingi, and is unlikely to bid 3N, since he CANNOT have a filling diamond honor which might make him bid 3N himself. If you're going to preempt at favorable, you may as well put as much pressure on as possible, imo.

If you play 2-3-4 preempts like Brian and I do, this is a 3N opening, and I would playing with him. Frankly, I think 3N has a lot going for it. Not playing preempts this open, its hard to justify a 3N opening though.

I didn't hold this hand, it was held by an opponent in another thread where you had to respond to a takeout double with the likes of: Kx, AQx, Jxx, QJ98x (I added the ♦J to the preepting hand).

[Al_U_Card]

Colour me bad, 1D anywhere except 1st seat at this vul where I will bid 3D. If pard has a hand, he won't be unhappy with the D and if he doesn"t, then I have successfully pre-empted both opps.....

[awm]

I like the 3♦ opening.

Yes, there are some hands where partner will pass 3♦ and we can make 3NT. However, my preempts are fairly sound and something like:

xx
x
AQJxxxx
xxx

would not be at all unusual for a 3♦ preempt. So if partner holds 2+ diamonds and enough quick tricks and side suit stoppers for 3NT, she will likely bid it. The problem case is only when partner has singleton diamond and sufficient outside cards. But for every time partner has singleton diamond there will be (more than) two times when opponents have singleton diamond, in which case the 3♦ opening is likely to induce a good result. Not to mention that sometimes partner passes when 3NT is making and the opponents "rescue" us by bidding, managing to go for a number.

As for 3NT, if that's supposed to promise "seven solid" you have exactly one trick less than you need. The "extra" ♦J doesn't bring this trick back. And I never liked gambling 3NT as a convention anyway (wrong-sides too many contracts that make only from partner's side).

[Free]

- I find it quite silly to play solid preempts in this Vulnerability. These conditions are perfect for trash preempts, and they work...
- Imo the hand is too strong for a weak two.
- So all that's left is a 1♦ opening.

[awm]

So if this hand is too good for a 3♦ opening, what do you open on:

xx
x
AQJxxxx
xxx

xx
xx
AJT9xxx
xx

x
xx
AKxxxxx
xxx

Are these hands all 1♦ openings? Passes? 3NT?

If my 3♦ bid shows a decent suit, I can always open the lousy suits with 2♦ (where there is room to ask about the hand). But if my 3♦ bid shows a lousy suit I'm at a loss what to bid with a good suit. After all I want partner to bid 3NT with:

KJxx
AKx
xx
KJxx

opposite any of the above hands.

[Free]

Playing trash preempts, all these hands are passes or a weak two (if you allow 7 card suits), at this vulnerability 2X is a better hand than 3X. With the hand you want partner to bid 3NT with, you'll end up in 3NT anyway, with or without you preempting...

[the hog]

Free please get rid of that damn signature. It is very annoying!

[Free]

The_Hog, on Jan 17 2007, 01:07 PM, said:

Free please get rid of that damn signature. It is very annoying!

Better stay on topic and PM me if you want to whine...

[luckyloser]

Jlall, on Jan 14 2007, 03:27 PM, said:

2D red/white 3D equal vul, 1D white/red.

exactly my view!