[xcurt]

red/red random BBO cross-IMPs, in second chair you have

T, 9, KQTx, A9xxxxx

RHO passes. Do you open?

If you open, the auction goes

P - 1C - 1H - 1S
2H- P - P - Dbl
P - ?

Do you agree with your second round pass? What now?

Curt

[ArtK78]

Yes.

Yes.

3♣.

[mike777]

1) if partner expects me to bid one club ok
2) if random pickup I pass

[Codo]

1. no
2. Luckily I hadn`t been there, but yes
3. 2 NT, cause my actual partner knows that this shows Clubs with shorter diamonds.
With anybody else I have a little agreement, I bid 2 NT lebenolish
With a pick up, I bid 3 Club.

[inquiry]

yes i open 1♣.

I agree with the pass on round two

Over the double, i would like to bid 2NT to show long clubs and four diamonds, with a pickup partner i would not risk it, and would now bid 3♣. I do have 7 clubs and only 4 diamonds after all.

[pclayton]

No I don't open this. If I did I would now bid 3♣. One less club and I would bid 2N (scrambling).

[jtfanclub]

5 losers, all red, no voids, no outside aces, 7 card suit.

Nobody opens this 4♣?

[jdonn]

jtfanclub, on May 16 2008, 11:33 AM, said:

5 losers, all red, no voids, no outside aces, 7 card suit.

Nobody opens this 4♣?

A9xxxxx vul?

[awm]

I would've opened 3♣. Second seat vulnerable this hand is not "too good." I've found that it is often good to preempt on hands with ten or more minor suit cards.

On the given auction, 3♣ over the double seems clear. But given how things have proceeded, doesn't it seem that I might've gotten a better result just opening 3♣? We have reached 3♣ anyway, so if they have some awful break opponents can still double (in fact it's easier for them to double because now they have communicated some information about their hands).

[neilkaz]

jtfanclub, on May 16 2008, 11:33 AM, said:

5 losers, all red, no voids, no outside aces, 7 card suit.

Nobody opens this 4♣?

I have a rule I follow and it says basically NEVER open a preemptive 4m in 2nd seat and especially red. When you open 4♣ here you deserve to miss a cold 3NT with OT or even a ♦ slam.

OK I'll open 4♣ with xx,x,xx KQT9xxxx in 2nd seat but the hand given here is far far from that. And I'm prepared to appoligize if 4♣ leads to a bad result !

I also pass the hand given here (just not good enough for me and most PD's) and if I open I bid 3♣ the 3rd time.

I don't preempt the given hand 3♣ in 2nd seat either, but would likely in first seat consider 3♣

Give me the same good 4♦ and same 6 mediocre ♣ and I'd be inclined to scramble 2NT if PD plays.

[jtfanclub]

jdonn, on May 16 2008, 12:52 PM, said:

jtfanclub, on May 16 2008, 11:33 AM, said:

5 losers, all red, no voids, no outside aces, 7 card suit.

Nobody opens this 4♣?

A9xxxxx vul?

Yeah, well, maybe that's pushing it.

I guess I meant that I'd be more likely to open this hand as a pre-empt than at the one level. I'm not excitied by the idea of playing it in diamonds.

[neilkaz]

jtfanclub, on May 16 2008, 01:07 PM, said:

jdonn, on May 16 2008, 12:52 PM, said:

jtfanclub, on May 16 2008, 11:33 AM, said:

5 losers, all red, no voids, no outside aces, 7 card suit.

Nobody opens this 4♣?

A9xxxxx vul?

Yeah, well, maybe that's pushing it.

I guess I meant that I'd be more likely to open this hand as a pre-empt than at the one level. I'm not excitied by the idea of playing it in diamonds.

You can open 3♣ but 2nd seat is the worst seat for a marginal preempt as one opp has allready passed and you may be preempting your side out of its best contract. However, if it is you hand, 3♣ may allow you to get to 3NT or ♦ is either is right.

I consider this a marginal 3♣ preempt as A9xxxxx could lead to trouble Red, and we have KQJx in another suit which while is almost certainly present a real blood bath in 3♣x we have decent defence vs opp contracts and good chances if PD holds ♦ if we pass.

[andy_h]

1) No, I won't open this.
2) Yes
3) 3C

[kenrexford]

I agree with the opening and the initial pass.

I also agree with the idea to bid clubs with 7-4 but 2NT with 6-4.

The problem that I am having is how I can bid this player so weakly. I feel like I should bid 4♣ now. This would seem to be a strange move, identifying a powerhouse player with long clubs. But, long clubs is not enough or I would have bid 3♣ last time. This also does not seem to be showing clubs with a spade frag, so similar reasons and because I did not make a support double. So, 4♣ seems to show a hand like this.

So, 4♣ at my third call.

I'm hesitant to admit this, but I feel that 5♣ might even be right.

[hrothgar]

I'd probably open 5♣ at the table

I don't expect anyone to agree with this scheme

[inquiry]

hrothgar, on May 16 2008, 06:08 PM, said:

I'd probably open 5♣ at the table

I don't expect anyone to agree with this scheme

I expect not only will almost everyone disagree with opening 5♣, I "expect" most to strongly disagree with it. At least I do.

[P_Marlowe]

#1 I would pass the first round.
#2 If a direct 3C bid instead of pass would be weak,
I would bid it, if not you have to pass.
#3 Being not able to bid a weak 3C the round before,
I do it now.

With kind regards
Marlowe

[pclayton]

hrothgar, on May 16 2008, 03:08 PM, said:

I'd probably open 5♣ at the table

I don't expect anyone to agree with this scheme

Richard I think you do this to prove a point about the benefits of mixed strategy, but this is really taking things to extremes. I'd like to think you are a paper tiger, but I've seen you make calls like this at the table too.

Varying your bids is a good idea, but not to this unhealthy extreme.