Says Flame:
Flame, on Oct 14 2004, 02:23 PM, said:
I surpise by the answers, i think if i asked this question in an Israely forum i would get 90%+ of ppl bidding 2c.
What does 2c show in your systems ? i was thought many years ago and im still teaching now that 2c = 8 or more hcp, did you learn it as good 8 hcp ?
Well, perhaps Israelis are better card players than the rest
of us (or more lousy defenders:)
The fact that everyone ignores
is that many years ago, when you were taught (and
I was taught as well) to bid 2C with 8+, people
were opening 1NT with 16-18. In the meantime,
the NT range has dropped to 15-17 (and is still
dropping as some will "upgrade" their 14s with
the slightest excuse, say because they have one ten-spot)
but people still invite with 8+ (while 9+ would
be expected). I guess the late Edgar Kaplan had
observed the phenomenon, possibly attributable to
inflation.
For my part, I never invite with 8, be it good 8 or bad
8 or ugly 8, unless perhaps I am playing
opposite Meckstroth or the local equivalent
Even then, I will probably pass again and then
say 'sorry partner but I downgraded my hand
because of the lack of intermediates' or the sterile
shape or any other learned excuse that may seem
appropriate.
Nikos