[Winstonm]

Jlall, on Aug 10 2008, 07:47 PM, said:

When I first started playing expert standard was 2C, now it has moved to 1N.

Yeah, well when I started playing we simply opened 1H - what problem?

[shevek]

2♣, since 1NT = 15-17

[awm]

Definitely 1NT for me. This has the nice effect of limiting the hand, and I have pretty good methods over opener's 1NT rebid (as do many people) to handle game force and invitational hands. Not to mention that we find 2♥ when partner is weak.

One problem no one has mentioned is responder hands like:

♠Axxx
♥xx
♦xx
♣Kxxxx

This hand is a pretty easy pass (or maybe club signoff) after 1♦-1♠-1NT, and a pretty easy pass after 1♦-1♠-2♦. But I think this hand is worth an invite over a 2♣ rebid by opener, because opener could have 5-5 in the minors (in which case it really doesn't take much to make 5♣ on the ten card fit) or opener could have as much as 17-18 high (in which case 3NT probably cold).

Opposite the actual opener hand, after 1♦-1♠-2♣-3♣ you are getting a bit high, and while this partial is okay several people indicated that they are accepting the invite (obviously a good move opposite 11 hcp with 4♣, maybe not such a great move opposite this hand though).

My point is that I don't really think it's a wash on invitational hands. I suspect that rebidding 2♣ is a loser on invitational hands (because partner will misjudge the value of a prime hand with club length), and it may also be a loser on game forcing hands (how will you persuade partner that 6♣ on the suppoesd 4-4 fit is a poor contract). On hands where the best contract is a partscore, rebidding 2♣ is better than 2♦ most of the time but rebidding 1NT seems superior to both.

[sathyab]

awm, on Aug 15 2008, 01:19 PM, said:

Definitely 1NT for me. This has the nice effect of limiting the hand, and I have pretty good methods over opener's 1NT rebid (as do many people) to handle game force and invitational hands. Not to mention that we find 2♥ when partner is weak.

Int makes it easier to handle sign-offs in other suits, but what about sign-offs in spades ? A hand like KQTxx Qxx xx xxx, over 1♦-1♠-1nt is an easy 2♠ bid if partner doesn't rebid 1nt with a stiff spade. Do you have methods to handle this hand knowing that partner can easily have a stiff spade or is that the trade-off you're willing to make ?