[Deanrover]

Scoring: IMP

Third in hand, white v red.

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What do you open, and why? Is one bid particularly obvious?

[mikestar]

The most likely opening leading NT or hearts (if partner has 5) is a spade. I want to declare, so 1N.

[Free]

I choose 1♦:
1) ♣ suit is right open, the J to get to 15HCP is worthless
2) 1 stop in ♥, that's it
3) most important: the ♦ suit has not enough control imo, if I had the Ace I might consider 1NT.

However, 1NT isn't that bad, since you still have 3-2 in the Majors...

[luis]

1NT only because of the position, looks like a clear 1d opening in first or second position at any vulnerability because I have two aces, problems in two suits and bad intermediates in the short suits.
In the posted conditions 1NT has a nice preemptive effect so I think it is ok.

[inquiry]

1NT - in third seat, not even close.

[flytoox]

1N, not because i want to declare, but because it has much better preempt effect than 1D. If u open 1D, then LHO will easily overcall a major. But after your 1N, he will be very cautious to overcall at the 2 level, esp. when they are red.

Hongjun

[luke warm]

i've opened 1nt on MUCH worse, especially in 3rd seat... ... heck, i might not even run if doubled... then again, i might

[mishovnbg]

1♦. I prefer partnership style of play and like to include ♦ suit in battle. Most of time will be some kind of intervention after my 1NT and I will need to make final guess, which is losing position normally. In addition ♦ suit as source of tricks can help for 3NT with low values.
Misho

[whereagles]

1NT here. The distortion of opening 1NT is very small and 1♦ allows them to overcall 1♥ or 1♠ far too often. The plusses of 1NT FAR outweight the minuses.

[PriorKnowledge]

1N, esp 3rd seat. In 1st or 2nd there is worry of missing a diam slam, but much less likely in 3rd.

[Flame]

I think 1NT is better at 3rd seat, (1d on other seats) but i there is a good chance i would open 1d at the table if i think its better for my partnership.

[red dwarf]

i chose 1♦ but then again i was taught never to open NT with 2 doubletons . looking at the replies i see that this is(now?) not the case. Is this because this hand is in 3rd seat? or can you open NT with 2425 or similar hands in any seat?

[Free]

I'm used to play all my NT openings as balanced or semi-balanced, even in 1st and 2nd hand. This includes 4333, 4432, 5332 + 5422, 6322, 4441. However, not all semi-bal hands are opened NT. Usually when you don't have a rebid (like 2-4-2-5) and the feeling it won't go wrong we do this. With 2 doubletons it's still allowed, but we had problems with the Majors in the past, that means we now need at least 5 cards in both Majors (so no 2-2-54 or 2-2-63). This allows us to get away when partner has a garbage stayman and bids 2♥ after our 2♦ response. Ofcourse, our stayman structure is also able to bid these hands

Here it would be allowed (3-2 Major) but I have a bad feeling about this hand. I can't explain why. Still, we have a rebid, so why bother? Ok, preemptive value is of importance, but when p bids 1M I can show my hand exactly... If any p would bid 1NT with this I wouldn't be angry at all, but it's not my choice.

[EarlPurple]

I choose 1NT. I'm aiming for 3NT, not a diamond contract, and it forces the opponents to compete higher.

True I might have the problem of whether I have a free second bid of 3♦ if the opponents intervene, but I'd have the same problem if they intervened over 1♦.

If passed out, 1NT undoubled is rarely bad non-vulnerable. If it goes several down, they can make something.

By the way, it is worse to open 1NT on a hand like this but with the clubs and diamonds reversed. Partner may decide to go for a 2♣ response intending to pass whatever you bid. Here we'd be quite happy if partner passed our 2♦ response.

[Trpltrbl]

1 NT.
I have 15, am pretty much balanced. And it works somewhat preemtive.

Mike