[whereagles]

BebopKid, on Jul 26 2007, 10:00 PM, said:

I cannot fathom why anyone would open 1NT with a 6-card suit or worse with 2 doubleton majors.

There are like a dozen reasons to do that. Some sound, others not really

[kenberg]

Myself, I open that hand 1C, planning to rebid 3C. Reasonable people may differ. It's some other choices here that I find strange.

1. Everyone I know, after 1N-pass-2D/2H-X, plays that accepting the transfer shows three card (at least) support.

2. I cannot imagine 1N-pas-2H-X-2S-PASS??? If partner doesn't want me bidding 3H holding AKTx, with or without the outside ace, he needs to stop doubling 2H. The double of 2H can be redoubled or just passed out, which means it really has to be based on some heart length. The doubler certainly has little enough in hearts.

Notice how 1 and 2 fit together. The opponents surely should contest to 3H and now partner needs to think of continuing to 3S. Vulnerable at imps he would presumably (with this hand) pass out 3H anyway, but if he knows from your pass of the doubled trf that you have only two he will surely get it right, not only here but on other hands where 3S may be more tempting.

People leave, often, because they think they know more than the others at the table. Frequently they are wrong about this.


Ken

[ralph23]

kenberg, on Jul 29 2007, 08:04 AM, said:

People leave, often, because they think they know more than the others at the table. Frequently they are wrong about this.

Amen, and frequently because they think partner has "made a big mistake."

Of course, partners do make mistakes, but sometimes partner may have made a brilliant play that just didn't work out on the facts .... he made e.g. the only possible defensive play that had a chance set the contract, and he ended up giving declarer an overtrick as a result. Hey, partner made a GOOD play that just didn't work out .... Commend partner when he does this at IMPS!

Or sometimes people think a difference in method is a "big mistake" -- i.e. "if you don't play like I do, you must be stupid." A lot of good players might open 1NT on your hand. And a lot won't. Reasonable minds can differ.

[ArtK78]

Robert:

Thanks for the quote. I have never read Max Hardy's texts. I have the highest respect for him.

Nevertheless, I don't believe he was advocating bidding 1NT on that hand. I suspect that he was just trying to make a point.

I don't believe I have ever seen a good player open 1NT holding a 7 card suit, except as a psyche.

[hrothgar]

ArtK78, on Jul 30 2007, 01:25 AM, said:

Thanks for the quote. I have never read Max Hardy's texts. I have the highest respect for him.

Nevertheless, I don't believe he was advocating bidding 1NT on that hand. I suspect that he was just trying to make a point.

I don't believe I have ever seen a good player open 1NT holding a 7 card suit, except as a psyche.

I don't know if I have seen a very good player open 1NT with a 7 card suit at the table. However, I suspect that this has much more to do with the number of hands that I have played against very good players. Hands that contain a 7 card suit and are suitable for opening 1NT are few and far between.

I also will note that I know several good players who believe that hands with seven card suits that are best describe as a strong NT exist.

BTW: If Just what point was Hardy trying to make when he stated that one should open 1NT with

♠ AQ
♥ AQ
♦ xxxxxxx
♣ KJ

[Robert]

Hi ArtK78

I checked the 1989 version of Two Over One Game Force by Max Hardy.

Page 4 Beneath the words, "All of the following hands should be opened with a bid of one notrump." Example C) AQ AQ KJx xxxxxx 2=2=3=6 and
D) AQ AQ xxxxxxx KJ 2=2=7=2

He made the same comment in two different versions of his book and the example hands are identical down to the spot card in the KJ7 example in C)

Hardy has been a tournament director since 1973. He directs 150-200 tournaments per year(according to his 1989 book, so he could well be non playing by this timeperiod)

As of 1989, 52 Regional wins - many with students and these include 19 knockout team events.

"He has contributed to every major American bridge publication." "He has been for several years a member of the Bridge World's Master Solvers panel." Bridge World is the leading Ameican Expert bridge magazine.

I counted nine books published written by him up to 1989.

I think that the point that he was trying to make was that he 'wanted' you to open the 2=2=3=6 and 2=2=7=2 hand with weak suits and strong doubletons 1NT.

Max Hardy held 7,000 masterpoints as of 1989 and I suspect that might indicate that he could play. His 19 Regional knockout team wins also suggests that fact.
Since he also has a total of 52 Regional wins(many with students) his record suggests that he is a good player.

I open 6322 shapes with a long minor with 1NT 'if' the hand looks right. I opened one a couple of days ago. I have not opened a 2227 shape, however, Max Hardy does and writes this in his books.

If you want some really strange 1NT openings look for hands bid by Zia. He is a great player and opens some truly strange 1NT bids.

Please read the quotes in my answer to hrothgar for additional information.

Hi hrothgar

I cannot remember a 2227 shape hand opening 1NT. I have seen many 2236
types open 1NT. I opened a 2263 hand 1NT a couple of days ago myself.

I have never bothered to ask players if a 2227 shape should open 1NT. I do believe that many players on this forum and some local D.C. experts open 1NT and 2NT with 1345 and 1444 shapes. Don't you suggest that bidding style yourself?

From his 1989 version of 2/1, page 5, "a semi balanced hand with honors in the short suit holdings. It is best described by an opening bid of one notrump."

From his 1989 version of 2/1, page 5 "Examples 1c) and 1d) carry this thought to its ultimate conclusion. In each case, an opening bid of one no trump is more descriptive of the general nature of the hand than would be a bid in the poor long minor suit."

Regards,
Robert

[kenrexford]

I still remember the hand. It was the only director call that I received in Montreal in 2002.

With 5233 pattern, and the right vulnerability and predisposition to bid, I heard a 1NT (strong) to my right. Had I been playing Cappelletti, I'd overcall 2♠ and hope that I did not have to pick a minor at the three-level. As it was, however, I was playing where I'd overcall a minor with the minor and spades (3+ in the minor was possible, per our agreements). So, I picked (off) clubs.

Opener had 2227 and could not quite get to the golden spot of 5♣.

I don't think that this story furthers anyone's arguments.