[LanderBG]

What is the right way to bid a hand with 6♥ + 5♠ a doubleton and void(probablly in p suit ).We have 11-14 points in the majors.if we bid the longer suit - ♥ and than bid ♠ won't it be a reverse showing bigger hand?

[dicklont]

Berry Westra (Dutch topclass player) uses a jump reverse for a 5-6 hand with normal opening values.
With that agreement you bid 1♥ - 1NT - 3♠ with this hand and feel comfortable that you're able to describe it.

Without such an agreement I would open 1♥ and rebid the spades twice (if the auction let's me).
When we find a fit this hand really upgrades to reverse strenght.
Without a fit, we're in trouble, sorry p.

[P_Marlowe]

Hi,

if you have a 6-5 distribution with

#1 two touching suits
#2 the higher ranking suitis the 5 card suit

a sensible advice is, to treat the hand as 5-5, if you
dont think the hand suitable for a reverse.

Usually a hand with 14HCP and a 6-5 distribution will
be strong enough for a reverse, because the playing
strength of the 6-5 distribution is a lot higher than the
HCP count, but lots of hands with 11-13 HCP, some of
the HCP being in the short suits, wont.

Not everybody agrees with opening the shorter suit in
those case, but it works reasonable well.

With kind regards
Marlowe

[P_Marlowe]

dicklont, on Sep 16 2008, 06:18 AM, said:

Berry Westra (Dutch topclass player) uses a jump reverse for a 5-6 hand with normal opening values.
With that agreement you bid 1♥ - 1NT - 3♠ with this hand and feel comfortable that you're able to describe it.

Without such an agreement I would open 1♥ and rebid the spades twice (if the auction let's me).
When we find a fit this hand really upgrades to reverse strenght.
Without a fit, we're in trouble, sorry p.

In other words you treat the hand as strong enough for
an reverse.
Because, if you opene 1H, most likely you cant
bid the spades, ... unless you make a reverse.

For that matter, Westras agreements seems to be similar:
an opening hand with 6-5 will always be strong enough for a
reverse.
Of course it depends on "with normal opening values",
if he happen to hold 11HCP, with QJ in the short suit,
does this still mean, the hand has normal opening values,
or with two single Queens / Kings?

With kind regards
Marlowe

[helene_t]

P_Marlowe, on Sep 16 2008, 12:24 PM, said:

For that matter, Westras agreements seems to be similar:
an opening hand with 6-5 will always be strong enough for a reverse.

No. Westra's jump reverse specifically shows a weak hand.

Westra may come too high in case of a misfit but at least partner will know they are too high

[SoTired]

One philosophy is that a 5-6 opening bid is automatically worth a reverse. Not a bad philosophy. Works well if you have a fit, which is likely, because the playing strength of the 5-6 is huge.

If you don't adhere to that policy, open 1S and show a 5-5.