[waubrey]

Hand 1

♠Q10432
♥A97532
♦A
♣3

How would you open this hand? How would you show your 6-5 distribution?

Hand 2

♠876532
♥7
♦A72
♣K98

Partner opens 1D, you bid 1S, opp bids 2H. Do you rebid the spades or bid 3D?

Hand 3

♠107432
♥KQ98
♦A
♣A96

RHO opens 2D. Do you double or bid 2S?

[awm]

1: I like PASS. This may not be a popular option. While this hand is certainly "strong enough to open" it's very unlikely that the board will pass out if I pass a hand with only ten high card points (especially with this much shape). It will be easier to describe this hand by showing "majors" later in the auction.. unless one of the opponents bids a major in which case I may be glad I stayed out.

2: I'd take the third choice and DOUBLE. I don't like raising partner's could-be-four suit to the three-level on only three, and I don't like rebidding this horrible spade suit (especially if we play support doubles). Double is my normal action on a half-decent 5134 pattern here, and that shape is a fairly accurate representation of this hand (this isn't really a six-card spade suit, is it?)

3: DOUBLE 2♦. Doubling is often a good choice with this distribution, since it helps us find hearts (or even clubs) when that is right and also gives partner a chance to defend doubled. The only down side is that you can miss a 5-3 spade fit. On this hand, the spades are so horrible that a 5-3 spade fit might not even play well, and the ♦A is a big card on defense.

[helene_t]

Hand 1 is difficult. If I open 1♥ we can't find the spade fit in a constructive auction unless p responds 1♠. If I open 1♠ p will prefer 4♠ with 2-2 in the majors. I think I open 1♠.

Hand 2 is easy, 2♠.

Hand 3 I think is a very clear double. It would be more interesting if the spades were better. The forum trend is to bid 1♠ over 1♦ with this shape although I suppose with these bad spades most would double. My guess would be that dbl is more popular after a 2♦ opening, even if the spades had been better.

[babalu1997]

hand 1

i open a 2d multi which can show weak in one or both majors, if both sifferent lengths


these 5-5 suited hands are so common at bbo that it is worth adopting these bids


my 2s shows sapdes and a lower, if the lower is hearts they have eqaula numbers.

[jjbrr]

I'd open 1♥

2♠ is easy

dbl I think should be unanimous

[peachy]

1. 1H. Most 6-5 hands with adequate controls are worth opening and bidding suits in their natural order longest first. The choice with this hand is not set in stone and I can understand 1S though I wouldn't do it. It is hard to get to 6-2 hearts when partner prefers spades with 2-2 in majors...

2. I would Dbl. The choice is not completely clear, but raising diamonds is unwise.

3. Dbl. This hand has everything a Dbl should have = support for all unbid suits, adequate values and both offense and defense are possible. We might miss 5-3 spades though, but overcalling spades will SURELY miss 4-4 hearts if we have that fit.

[PhantomSac]

I'm with awm, double on the 2nd one assuming we play support doubles. It seems likely partner is going to pass and lead a stiff spade, and thats the nuts since I have an ace and a king and a trump. If partner doesn't pass, and he has a stiff spade, we can play 3D in our 5-3/6-3 fit which should play much better, especially if partner has a minor 2 suiter etc. If partner has a random balanced hand he will bid 2S since he has denied 3S (again I am assuming support doubles, in before ZOMG THE ENTIRE WORLD INCLUDING TRIBAL PAKISTAN DOES NOT PLAY SUPPORT DOUBLES, HOW CAN YOU ASSUME SUCH A THING, if you do not play them then this doesn't apply).

Basically I want to be able to defend 2H X if partner is sitting, I want to play 3D if partner has a stiff spade and either 6 diamonds or 5-4 majors (1444 with bad hearts would suck I guess), and if he has a doubleton spade and nothing special he will routinely bid 2S.

[hanp]

Please don't open 1S on the first.

[pirate22]

"Faint heart never won a Fair lady"
Hand 1 1 sp
hand 2 2 sp
Hand 3 1sp