[plaur]

Scoring: MP

---

I opened with a weak 2♥ and put a small heart in between the diamonds when I put down dummy Didnt want pard to mistrust my weak two's!
I was very much in doubt whether to open 2 or 3. Somehow it felt wrong to open 3♥ vul vs not at mp's with a suit headed by AK. What do you say?

[Jlall]

A style where you open this 2H red/white is totally fine.

For me personally it is close, I would open 3H, but if I was 7222 I would open 2H.

I think this is a borderline hand where your judgment could go either way, and the most important factor is that your partner knows what to expect from your 2 and 3 bids so he can judge accurately.

Some people will say any style is fine, but I think if you are opening 2h either too aggressively or too conservatively it will be a demonstrably losing style. However this hand fits into my concept of either approach could be fine.

It should be noted that my preempting style is sounder than most at these colors, and I would expect most people to open 3H with this hand.

[plaur]

Thanks Justin. When you say its close I know I am not totally off track beeing in doubt. Always enjoy your answers and most everyones here, and try to learn from them.

[the hog]

For me this is an obvious 3H bid. If you don't want to open it with 3H, I would suggest passing. 2H is a distortion.

[gwnn]

I used to bid 2♥ with these hands but then stopped because it felt so depressing and pessimistic to me. So 3♥, I hope I don't go for -1100.

[aguahombre]

It is my center opponent (partner) that I care about. If he cannot picture a 2H bid with 1 7 2 3, including the Ace and King of hearts, then I am just screwing around.

[jdonn]

There are hands at adverse vul where I might bid 2♥ with 7 of them, but only 3♥ would have occured to me here.

[P_Marlowe]

For us, this would be a 2H opener.

The hand is certainly a max for the bid, but 2H it would be for us.
But in the end, it comes down to partnership agreements.
At this colors we basically promise a hand, which can make approx.
6 tricks, and this hand fits this definition.

In other words, if I would open 3H, than this would be a a violation
of partnership agreements.

With kind regards
Marlowe

[aguahombre]

Uwe's inability to open 2H with AKTXXX and out, at any Vul, is very interesting. Whatever works, but I cannot imagine this being good strategy in the long run.

[pooltuna]

plaur, on Oct 30 2009, 03:55 PM, said:

Dealer: South Vul: N/S Scoring: MP

♠ x ♥ AK9xxxx ♦ xx ♣ xxx

I opened with a weak 2♥ and put a small heart in between the diamonds when I put down dummy   Didnt want pard to mistrust my weak two's!
I was very much in doubt whether to open 2 or 3. Somehow it felt wrong to open 3♥ vul vs not at mp's with a suit headed by AK. What do you say?

at MP you can only get a 0 so I would bid 3♥ at IMPS 2♥ would be tolerable altho I would like to hold the T&9♥

Edit at IMPS second choice would be Pass and not 3♥

[neilkaz]

jdonn, on Oct 30 2009, 10:59 PM, said:

There are hands at adverse vul where I might bid 2♥ with 7 of them, but only 3♥ would have occured to me here.

We agree.

Playing MP I surely open 3♥. I'll risk the bad -200 if I am passed out and take only 7 tricks on a part score hand.

At IMP I can understand those who'd bid only 2♥, but I'd still open 3♥. Perhaps I don't play in strong enough games where a double is left in after I preempt

[P_Marlowe]

aguahombre, on Oct 31 2009, 03:33 PM, said:

Uwe's inability to open 2H with AKTXXX and out, at any Vul, is very interesting. Whatever works, but I cannot imagine this being good strategy in the long run.

Wrong .-)

We are currently discussing red. vs green preempts in first
and second position.

At equal vulnerability, this would be a 3H opener for us,
at green vs. red, this would be a 4H opener for us.

With kind regards
Marlowe

[P_Marlowe]

neilkaz, on Oct 31 2009, 04:27 PM, said:

jdonn, on Oct 30 2009, 10:59 PM, said:

There are hands at adverse vul where I might bid 2♥ with 7 of them, but only 3♥ would have occured to me here.

We agree.

Playing MP I surely open 3♥. I'll risk the bad -200 if I am passed out and take only 7 tricks on a part score hand.

At IMP I can understand those who'd bid only 2♥, but I'd still open 3♥. Perhaps I don't play in strong enough games where a double is left in after I preempt

Going for -???? is only one half of the argument, the other is,
how much does partner need to raise your preempt to game,
... and I am currently discussing a raise to game with the
intention to make.

Preempt openings have also a constructive purpose, which quite
often gets ignored.
If I have 3 Aces oppossite a 3H red vs. green preemp I am raising
to game with the intention to make, even with a single heart,
I may even make a XX, ifI need the money.

With kind regards
Marlowe

[nigel_k]

Maximum and minimum preempts at various vulnerabilities are something you need to agree with your partner. There is no right or wrong answer and I'm not sure there is even a common default agreement as standards for preempts have changed over time, and changed faster in some places than others. Having said that, playing with a random expert I would open 3♥ and consider it clearly too good for 2♥.

[skjaeran]

It would not occur to me to open anything but 3♥ with this hand.