[jillybean]

As you know by now I have a inclination to open off shape 1nt’s. I like having the ability to immediately limit my hand 15-17, make it harder for the opps to bid and avoid rebid problems after 1x:1y.

I understand the best shape for unbalanced 1nt openings is (15-17) 4441, or 5431; a hand that cannot reverse and is too weak for 2nt.

I’d like to understand other opinions and rationale for opening these hands 1nt or if you don’t, why not. Does anyone discuss 1nt openings in their blog?

tyia
jb

[P_Marlowe]

Hi,

some remarks

#1 you should regular self alert your opening bids, does not really
matter if you play with a stranger or a regular partner,
e.g. you may play with someone, who just reads the forum
I hate alerting natural sounding bids (... a disadv., a big one
for me, but not for every one)

#2 certain methods used after a NT opening bid do not work
well with offshape NT
You may reach some ugly partscores

#3 if you get to defend, partner may get the distribution wrong
(but the same holds true for declarer)

With kind regards
Marlowe

[jtfanclub]

I'm no expert, as you well know.

Being a Precision player and playing a weak NT, I would love to be able to open
all hands that were 4-3 in the majors and 5-1 in the minors 1NT, as well as 4441 with a singleton in a minor, that were of the appropriate range. Unfortunately, the ACBL won't allow me to do so, not and play any sort of reasonable response structure.

So that's why I don't do it!

[jillybean]

P_Marlowe, on May 21 2007, 09:09 AM, said:

#2 certain methods used after a NT opening bid do not work
well with offshape NT
You may reach some ugly partscores

Could you give some examples please.

[P_Marlowe]

jillybean2, on May 21 2007, 11:13 AM, said:

P_Marlowe, on May 21 2007, 09:09 AM, said:

#2 certain methods used after a NT opening bid do not work
     well with offshape NT
     You may reach some ugly partscores

Could you give some examples please.

Hi,

# after a transfer, you may play a 5-1 fit
# playing garbage stayman, you may play
in a 4-2 fit, in case you opened 1NT with
5422
# not playing garbage stayman, but also quite
common is to bid 2C with 4441 (single diamond)
intending to pass any response, which may lead
to a 4-1 fit in diamonds

With kind regards
Marlowe

[firmit]

Distribution, distribution, distribution!

If I THINK I might get a rebid problem, I do consider opening 1NT myself. I also MIGHT open the 2236 with a 6 card minor and spread honnor-values and 5422 with 1NT.

Another thing - a 5431 might prove better played in a suit contract given the distributional points. I don't know...

As a side note.
The 5431 happens about 13% of all hands - having 15-17 ~1.3% with that distribution (15hp~0.6, 16~0.4,17~0.3). Of the 4441, this only happens 3% of all hands, so ...

[junyi_zhu]

jillybean2, on May 21 2007, 03:59 PM, said:

As you know by now I have a inclination to open off shape 1nt’s. I like having the ability to immediately limit my hand 15-17, make it harder for the opps to bid and avoid rebid problems after 1x:1y.

I understand the best shape for unbalanced 1nt openings is (15-17) 4441, or 5431; a hand that cannot reverse and is too weak for 2nt.

I’d like to understand other opinions and rationale for opening these hands 1nt or if you don’t, why not. Does anyone discuss 1nt openings in their blog?

tyia
jb

If you want to often find the best games or slams in a double dummy base, opening offshape 1nt isn't the right choice, cause 1nt takes up space and it's often impossible to show a 5-4-3-1 or 4-4-4-1 shape after 1nt openings.
However, bridge is often not a double dummy problem and 1nt may help you to make some 3NT or 4M that are easy to beat if you bid your hand accurately.
Still, off shape 1nt can sometimes lead you into wrong game contracts like 6-1 fit 4M when 3nt is cold, or 3nt when 5-3 fit 4M is cold. Anyway, offshape 1nt bring more randomness into the game, which can be a good choice for underdogs in a KO match.

[han]

Jlall, on May 21 2007, 01:20 PM, said:

I think opening 1N with singletons is usually not a good idea. There are exceptions, but usually for me it would be a significant rebid problem and a stiff honor. A classic hand would be 1435 with 16 and stiff K of spades.

With 6 card majors I almost never open 1N, with 5422 and a 5 card major I almost ever open 1N, with 5422 and a 5 card minor I very often open 1N, with a 6 card minor I very often open 1N, and with 5332 and a 5 card major I always open 1N.

Same for me. I don't think I have ever opened 1NT with a 6-card major (unless I was psyching).

[awm]

I never open 1NT with a small singleton (except a real psych).

Say your singleton is in a major. The problem is, all too often partner will transfer into that major and you will end up playing a 5-1 fit at the two level, or a 6-1 fit at the four level. If partner just raises to 3NT, opponents can usually figure out to lead their 9+ card major fit and often this is not a good lead for the 1NT-on-small-singleton opening bidder.

You are not as badly off if your singleton is in a minor, but you're also virtually never going to have rebid problems if you hold some 4441 or 4351 with a minor suit singleton, so you haven't really helped yourself by opening 1NT here either.

Hands with singletons also tend to re-evaluate a lot opposite a fit. Say I have 1435 shape and 16 points, and partner has four hearts. We can make some games on very little from partner. For example:

xxxx
Kxxx
xx
Kxx

x
AQxx
KJx
AQxxx

This game is really good. There are many similar examples. If I open 1♣ it will not be hard to get to game here after 1♣-1♥. If I open 1nt partner will just pass. Note that if you move one of my small clubs to be a small spade, game is nowhere near as good.

So by opening 1NT it seems like I will: (1) Play a bad partial when partner has five in my singleton major and less than game values. (2) Reach the wrong game when partner has six in my singleton major without a very strong suit. (3) Miss a good game when partner fits my long major and doesn't have too much opposite the shortage. (4) Play a silly 1NT down multiple tricks instead of defending a partscore in my short suit or making a partscore in my long suit when it goes 1NT-all pass.

I'll stick to bidding my suits, even though it occasionally gives me an awkward rebid at second turn (usually I'll rebid 1nt with 15 or reverse with 16: rebidding 1nt is really not the same as opening it).

[Edmunte1]

Usually i open an off-shape 1NT when i have an ackward rebid:

-6m322 with a bad suit, not good enough for 1m-3m. I don't do this with a major
-5422 with 5 cards in lower rank suit (♣+♦, ♣+♥, ♦+♥). Also 5♦+4♣ and 16-17. I do it sometimes with 5M+4m and bad major
-5M332 - frequent
-1444 with spade singleton (usually honour) and 16-17