[straube]

P 1S P 3S ?

3S is a LR. Defenders are at Favorable Vul.

What would 4C here show? Your agreement is to preempt suits that are worth preempting and not to worry so much about side holdings in the majors. Having passed now, is it sensible to play that 4C would show something like AQxxx of clubs?

[dake50]

Lead-direct opponents out of 6S?
When C-lead may be indicated(non-X of keys resp, Lightner X/nonX) later.
And high-risk bonanza penalty 4C-x offered.

[straube]

dake50, on May 22 2010, 05:00 PM, said:

Lead-direct opponents out of 6S?
When C-lead may be indicated(non-X of keys resp, Lightner X/nonX) later.
And high-risk bonanza penalty 4C-x offered.

I'm not sure I understand, but it sounds like you wouldn't bid 4C with AQxxx. Risk/reward too high?

[andy_h]

Bidding on AQxxx is giving the opponents many bites on the cherries. You allow them to double you when 4 might be going off, tell them where the club honours are located and based on that whether they should even try for a slam or not. Just pass and if lefty cuebids 4♦ I'm sure partner can figure out to lead a club.

[karlson]

I think offering up a telephone number when the opponents aren't even sure yet they want to play a game is crazy. I'm all in favor of super light lead directs over, for instance, Jacoby 2n, but you're a level lower and the opponents are in a GF, it's not even close to the same thing. Sometimes partner figures out your suit.

[gwnn]

non leaping michaels.

in fact i prefer playing non leaping michaels regardless of what 3s was and whether i've passed already and etc. always nlm.

[pooltuna]

karlson, on May 23 2010, 04:43 AM, said:

I think offering up a telephone number when the opponents aren't even sure yet they want to play a game is crazy. I'm all in favor of super light lead directs over, for instance, Jacoby 2n, but you're a level lower and the opponents are in a GF, it's not even close to the same thing. Sometimes partner figures out your suit.

Indeed! If playing by the rules the opening lead is always blind but if you listen it is never deaf

[rogerclee]

gwnn, on May 23 2010, 05:47 AM, said:

non leaping michaels.

in fact i prefer playing non leaping michaels regardless of what 3s was and whether i've passed already and etc. always nlm.

Really? As someone who plays NLM over preempts I think you are taking this too far.

The advantage of playing nonleaping michaels over say, (3S) ?, is that you have a good two suiter very frequently, and because of the preempt you cannot bid 4m to try to suggest a save against 4S anyway with a weakish 1 suiter. On an auction like 1S P 3S ?, the first hand is much less likely, and the second hand is much more likely.

[CSGibson]

Your RHO makes a limited but descriptive call of his hand, and you want to butt in at the 4 level to get a lead? 4♣ in this auction with your example hand shows a strong desire for -1100.

Intuitively, I think it should be a distributional clubs & hearts hand, looking for a sacrifice. This is because 3N or 4N would obviously be minors, lead directional is suicidal at the 4 level in this auction, and because you already would have preempted a single-suited hand.

[gszeszycki]

playing against strong opponents your 4c bid will accomlish its mission on VERY rare occassion (ie dummy has Kx(x) clubs or P has Kx(x) clubs) AND opener is not short in clubs-----The problem occurs when your 4c bid elicits an x where are your tricks? you could easily go for 800 or 1100 when all you were trying to do was take one or two more tricks on defense. This is what straube means when he says risk/reward is too high.

[aguahombre]

If KQTX and out is ok for the two-level, then AQXXX and out is possible for the 4-level. The upside is that if partner doesn't have a club to lead, she won't be on lead; LHO will.

[straube]

For a PH, I like it as Michaels...and I think it should be rare even at this vulnerability.

I can also see for say P 1H P 3H 3S to show 5S/5m while 4m might show 5S/6m.

[gwnn]

rogerclee, on May 23 2010, 04:57 PM, said:

gwnn, on May 23 2010, 05:47 AM, said:

non leaping michaels.

in fact i prefer playing non leaping michaels regardless of what 3s was and whether i've passed already and etc. always nlm.

Really? As someone who plays NLM over preempts I think you are taking this too far.

The advantage of playing nonleaping michaels over say, (3S) ?, is that you have a good two suiter very frequently, and because of the preempt you cannot bid 4m to try to suggest a save against 4S anyway with a weakish 1 suiter. On an auction like 1S P 3S ?, the first hand is much less likely, and the second hand is much more likely.

Yes I see your point but I dislike depending on the clarity of opps' explanations. I would ideally like to agree to nlm over strictly weak 3M bids and not sure about mixed raises, but many opps just don't know what mixed is. Also it is a cooler meaning than just natural, which to me is always a factor.

[Phil]

Agree with Gwnn. I cannot see how a passed hand w/r comes into a strong auction at the 4 level without a 2nd suit.

Maybe in Gwnn's own defense he can find the thread that discussed this sequence:

Pass (1H) pass (4H);
4S

I believe many thought this was 2 suited. The same rationale applies IMO.

Lead director? No thanks.