[pclayton]

3H or 4H are fine. Id probably opt for 3 because while this is a 5 loser hand, we'll need some help in diamonds to pull this off, or some help from pard in the trump suit. Give me a little texture in diamonds and I'll open 4. My regular pard would open this 4 every day of the week.

[Apollo81]

I would open 1♥. I would save a 4♥ opening as Gerben suggests for a more solid heart suit; maybe AQJ10xx

[jdonn]

I would never consider 4♥ on this hand, it is not nearly oriented enough toward 1 suit for that, nor does it have the playing strength for such a high preempt unless you get lucky and catch partner with a nice diamond holding.

1♥ is fine to me. This will only work badly if we have a total misfit.

[Al_U_Card]

I have the rule of 20, I have a rebid and I have defense and playing strength. A 1 ♥ opener if I ever saw one. In 2nd seat, why preempt pard. We might even have 4♠ or 6♠ on a good day. This hand expects some interference but so what, you have the cards to compete!

btw, in 1st seat, I would get antsy but still hold to 1♥. In 3rd seat it is a clear 4♥ for me.

[pbleighton]

1H or 4H, depending on partnership style. I personally prefer 1H.

Pass is inconceivable, 2H and 3H are way too much of a risk to miss game, even playing disciplined preempts.

Peter

[mike777]

I guess I better try and defend my 2H bid.

Since I prefer very sound openings with most but not all partners, my weak 2 bids can often be pretty good hands. In fact they can often be two suited.

Sure if playing junky openings I would open 1H but otherwise if playing super sound openings I think 2H is fine here. Yes, that would mean playing super sound openings 1H would show more defense.

[awm]

Clearly the right answer is to open 3NT, showing a weak hand with 6+♥ and a 5+minor. Yes I actually do play this in several partnerships.

Realistically I like 3♥ with this hand. Bidding 4♥ seems a bid too unilateral -- if we don't have a good heart fit I could easily go for a number (and I'll be on a guess whether to pull to diamonds if we get doubled). The 2♥ bid seems too heavy, after all you have good play for game opposite something like xxx Kx Axx xxxxx and while that's very well-fitting cards, partner probably won't bid over 2♥ even with another ace.

As for 1♥, I've had a lot of bad results (and seen a lot of bad results) opening hands like this at the one-level. The issue is that when you have a fit, the one-level opening basically invites the opponents into the bidding. They can overcall quite cheaply over 1♥, unlike 2♥ or 3♥ or even pass (since most people play sounder openings than overcalls). When you don't have a fit you invite partner to hang you.

[pbleighton]

"Since I prefer very sound openings with most but not all partners, my weak 2 bids can often be pretty good hands. In fact they can often be two suited.

Sure if playing junky openings I would open 1H but otherwise if playing super sound openings I think 2H is fine here. Yes, that would mean playing super sound openings 1H would show more defense."

Mike, what are the best and worst hands you'd open 2H with 2nd seat not vul?

Assume a 6331 shape.

Peter

[mike777]

pbleighton, on Apr 10 2007, 07:18 PM, said:

"Since I prefer very sound openings with most but not all partners, my weak 2 bids can often be pretty good hands. In fact they can often be two suited.

Sure if playing junky openings I would open 1H but otherwise if playing super sound openings I think 2H is fine here. Yes, that would mean playing super sound openings 1H would show more defense."

Mike, what are the best and worst hands you'd open 2H with 2nd seat not vul?

Assume a 6331 shape.

Peter

Playing with my reg pard and junky openings 2h both nv would be 5 playing tricks, at fav vul, 4 playing tricks, maybe at times less. This example hand 6-5 is an easy 1H opener, in fact I would open 1H on far less.

With 6331 shape...playing super sound openings about 8-12 hcp I guess, maybe a bit less at fav vul.

How do you play them Peter with your reg pard or a p/u?

[the hog]

Personal preference would be a conventional 2 suited opening if that bid was available. Failing that 3H in 2nd seat. In first or third seat 4H would be my choice.

[willow23]

I would open 1♥ using the rule of 20: add the hcp in the hand and the tength of the two longers suits.

Therefore, 9 hcp in the hand and 11 in length equals 20 [6♥+5 ♦= 11 (two longest suits)]

Points schmoints.. Lovely hand