[helene_t]

Agree with AWM.

Would have more sympathy for pass at MP but would still open 2♥. If vulnerable I would pass in 2nd seat.

[Fluffy]

intermediates suck, with ♥9 t would be a clear 2♥ for me. I think I would still bid 2♥ though.

Pass on my style is wrong, it prevents you to come in later as it would promise fit for partner's suit or something.

[Phil]

2♥. I suppose my age is showing

[jonottawa]

Thanks for the feedback. I opened 2♥. Opps made good aggressive decisions and went +300 and +5 IMPs. After the set, my pard expressed his opinion thusly:

I am a very aggressive preempter white vs red, I would open 2S with Q10xxxx-xx-xxx-xx at those colors, in fact white vs red I will open just about anything…if you do as well, then you can’t open the hand you did with 2H. I know it’s the worlds worst 11 count, but next time when you open 2H I am going to look and my 14-15 count with a heart void and wonder if I am supposed to bid 3NT here. I think we should stay within the range of (3)5-9, I agree your hand values to crap with the random Q’s, but your hand plays great in NT facing no fit and 15-16 balanced.

My reply:

Preempting on a 2 count in 2nd seat is a recipe for tears, you talk about missing 3N here but are happy with all the meltdowns that opening on a 2 count would cause. You have a 50% chance of being right (though pard may still misjudge later and send you for a number) and a 50% chance of hanging partner out to dry. Even if playing 5-9, that's a 2H bid. Will you miss a white game sometimes? Yeah, that's true anytime you play a 5/6 point range for a weak 2. Will you get to bad games or some other bad result opening 1H here? Absolutely. I'm aggressive 1st/3rd at these colors, undisciplined but 'normal' in 2nd. Always play me for a 'normal' weak 2 in 2nd seat. This hand qualifies (if my J5 of D were the T9 of D, I don't think we'd even be having this conversation, that's a pretty miniscule difference in valuation.)

[Phil]

jonottawa, on Nov 26 2009, 11:15 AM, said:

Thanks for the feedback. I opened 2♥. Opps made good aggressive decisions and went +300 and +5 IMPs. After the set, my pard expressed his opinion thusly:

I am a very aggressive preempter white vs red, I would open 2S with Q10xxxx-xx-xxx-xx at those colors, in fact white vs red I will open just about anything…if you do as well, then you can’t open the hand you did with 2H. I know it’s the worlds worst 11 count, but next time when you open 2H I am going to look and my 14-15 count with a heart void and wonder if I am supposed to bid 3NT here. I think we should stay within the range of (3)5-9, I agree your hand values to crap with the random Q’s, but your hand plays great in NT facing no fit and 15-16 balanced.

My reply:

Preempting on a 2 count in 2nd seat is a recipe for tears, you talk about missing 3N here but are happy with all the meltdowns that opening on a 2 count would cause. You have a 50% chance of being right (though pard may still misjudge later and send you for a number) and a 50% chance of hanging partner out to dry. Even if playing 5-9, that's a 2H bid. Will you miss a white game sometimes? Yeah, that's true anytime you play a 5/6 point range for a weak 2. Will you get to bad games or some other bad result opening 1H here? Absolutely. I'm aggressive 1st/3rd at these colors, undisciplined but 'normal' in 2nd. Always play me for a 'normal' weak 2 in 2nd seat. This hand qualifies (if my J5 of D were the T9 of D, I don't think we'd even be having this conversation, that's a pretty miniscule difference in valuation.)

I hope this conversation occurred in the bar afterward and not at the table.

This type of post-morteming ATT makes my ears bleed.

[jdonn]

I kind of said it before, but good problem I suppose. I don't recall ever seeing such a diversity of opinion on the forums about such a simple situation that essentially just amounts to hand evaluation.

[dicklont]

jdonn, on Nov 26 2009, 06:39 PM, said:

I kind of said it before, but good problem I suppose. I don't recall ever seeing such a diversity of opinion on the forums about such a simple situation that essentially just amounts to hand evaluation.

Or did you mean:
... a simple situation that essentially "just" amounts to hand evaluation.

Is not hand-evaluation the essential quality for good bidding?

[Jlall]

I dont dislike 2H because I'm scared of missing 3N though that is possible, it's because this hand has a terrible suit and no playing strength at all. 11 HCP does not mean we have extras or a max for 2H bid, we should be thinking in terms of playing strength. Our hand/suit is too bad for 2H. I would say that I would never open 2H with KQxxxx and 6322 in this position. But all our quacks do is make me nervous we will go for a number when they make nothing. I mean this is the worst hand EVER for 2H p p X p p p because our hand is not only terrible, but the bits and pieces may well mean that they can't make anything or bid anything.

[whereagles]

I'd open 1♥, but not too happily. Would not consider pass (too wimpy for my style) nor 2♥ (ODR too low for it)

[rhm]

Jlall, on Nov 26 2009, 12:34 PM, said:

I dont dislike 2H because I'm scared of missing 3N though that is possible, it's because this hand has a terrible suit and no playing strength at all. 11 HCP does not mean we have extras or a max for 2H bid, we should be thinking in terms of playing strength. Our hand/suit is too bad for 2H. I would say that I would never open 2H with KQxxxx and 6322 in this position. But all our quacks do is make me nervous we will go for a number when they make nothing. I mean this is the worst hand EVER for 2H p p  X p p p because our hand is not only terrible, but the bits and pieces may well mean that they can't make anything or bid anything.

Is this not a bit overblown?
Some people stay in bed because they otherwise fear getting overrun by a bus.

You are white against red and you are telling us a six card suit with two of the top three honors is not good enough, while many nowadays like to preempt with 5 card suits at these colors?
But you deem it wise to open the bidding with 1♥ holding no first round control and just one second round control.
Is there not a much bigger risk that partner will overbid, game when you should play a partial or slam when you should be in game?

Rainer Herrmann