[Jlall]

Phil, on May 18 2010, 01:05 AM, said:

2. 2♦ unless I'm playing WJO. Then 1♦.

So you're bidding 2D as something other than weak?

[mikegill]

1) I would overcall 2♣ on the first one. It's possible we need to compete and it's also possible I need to get partner to lead a club. Yes, partner might go overboard but it's unlikely.

2) I would either bid 2♦ or 3♦ depending on the day if both were weak. Probably 2. If my choice were between 1 and 3 I think 3 is clearly better. 1 seems like a pretty big distortion to me.

[Codo]

hanp, on May 19 2010, 12:32 AM, said:

Definitely 2C on the first one, your partner should lose some of that respect MFA. I really think that 2C is a winner.

On the second hand I would probably bid 3D. I understand 2D but not pass.

I would respect Michael and bid these hands like he did...

[Phil]

Jlall, on May 18 2010, 12:03 PM, said:

Phil, on May 18 2010, 01:05 AM, said:

2. 2♦ unless I'm playing WJO. Then 1♦.

So you're bidding 2D as something other than weak?

No I just meant IJO.

[mikeh]

at imps, I pass the 1st hand. I am with MFA in terms of 2 - level overcalls once they'd bid a major. I like 2♣ at mps: partner won't push as hard for game at mps as he should at imps.

on the 2nd, I don't get a weak 2♦ at all. If we decide to preempt, and I do, I bid as high as I think is at all reasonable. 3♦. It's not as if we are likely to find hearts (assuming we want to) over 2♦ and not 3♦....besides which, we probably don't want to find hearts anyway.

1♦ is even worse than 2♦....it has negative preemptive effect (it gives them double to show both majors, which they couldn't do (in one call) had I passed) while hardly helping partner understand our hand type at all.

[Rodney26]

quiddity, on May 17 2010, 07:38 PM, said:

I'm not sure how aggressive I should be when r/w.  How would you bid these two hands?

Scoring: IMP

(1H) ?

---

Dealer: East Vul: N/S Scoring: IMP

♠   ♥ KJx ♦ QJT8xxx ♣ xxx

(1C) ?

2♣ seems right on the first one. Your partner might be on lead against spades.

Definitely 2♦ on the second one. 3♦ is way too dangerous at these colors with 3 dead in clubs. If 2♦ isn't weak, I'd be a mouse and pass.

[kenrexford]

The second one reminds me of a hand from a NABC a while back that I heard about. I don't recall the exact hand, but it was a red-on-white decision over a 1♣ opening with a weak hand and 8 diamonds.

The person asking questions opted 3♦, sent back for -500 and a very good score. The partner thought 3♦ was an idiot bid. So, a poll was taken of some very heavy hitters at the tournament.

Many opted 4♦, which appeared to be the field action, for -800.

A few old school types (Freddie Hamilton for example) blasted 5♦ and took their lumps.

A few mentioned 2♦, scorned by others as "intermediate," but effective on this hand.

A stray person toyed with the idea of a psychic, of course, no one committing.

One person suggested 1♦, which was my suggestion, but I did this in jest because I suspected that the question suggested a passive action.

Someone might even have passed.

So, I'd say 3♦ seems about right.