[BudH]

---

You hold as dealer white vs.white,

7
T3
AQT75432
T2

Assume you are playing in the semifinal of a top flight regional knockout against a reasonable but not exceptional team.

Do you open 3D or 4D?

If you polled 100 expert players, how many do you think would select 3D and how many would select 4D?

Would your answer change if it was matchpoints or some other different condition of contest?

Bud H

[CSGibson]

I prefer 4♦ to 3♦ - 1st seat is not a position where I get overly conservative. I have no idea what 100 experts would do, but I hope to play against any who would bid 3♦, it's much easier to initiate an auction at the 3 level than the 4 level. Same at matchpoints.

[gszes]

BudH, on 2012-February-22, 17:47, said:

---

You hold as dealer white vs.white,

7
T3
AQT75432
T2

Assume you are playing in the semifinal of a top flight regional knockout against a reasonable but not exceptional team.

Do you open 3D or 4D?

If you polled 100 expert players, how many do you think would select 3D and how many would select 4D?

Would your answer change if it was matchpoints or some other different condition of contest?

Bud H

the presence of the A vastly impoves both the offensive and defensive
potential of this hand. If the suit was KQTxxxxx I would have no
heartache with 4d but here I would satisfy myself with 3d because it
leaves 3n in the picture and maybe the opps will bid and hang themselves.

not a clue how 100 experts would bid but you could set up a poll here and
ask the posters.

[nigel_k]

Always 4♦. IMO people worry far too much about missing 3NT on these hands.

It's possible that 3NT makes and 5♦ doesn't but there are many ways to gain by providing partner with an accurate description of your strength and through added preemption. Since their most likely contract is four of a major you actually reduce their bidding space by a huge proportion when you make them start at 4♦ instead of 3♦.

[jmcw]

Clear 4♦.

With pre-emptive hands I don't worry about keeping 3N in the picture.

[Phil]

4>5>3.

If I polled 100 random players competing in a regional Bracket I KO, I'd expect a split along the lines of:

50 open 4
35 open 3
10 open 5
5 do something weird like pass.

[Siegmund]

I would hope for 50 in 4, 30 in 5, and 15 in 3, myself, but I'm often disappointed.

[whereagles]

BudH, on 2012-February-22, 17:47, said:

If you polled 100 expert players, how many do you think would select 3D and how many would select 4D?

3D: 5
4D: 85
5D: 10 (at favourable)

[Cyberyeti]

whereagles, on 2012-February-23, 02:34, said:

3D: 5
4D: 85
5D: 10 (at favourable)

I think 4♦ is the right bid, but I'm not sure 85% of experts will have a natural 4♦ available.

It's a much nastier problem if 4♦ shows spades, and I'd be more inclined to open 5 than 3.

[CSGibson]

Cyberyeti, on 2012-February-23, 02:37, said:

I think 4♦ is the right bid, but I'm not sure 85% of experts will have a natural 4♦ available.

It's a much nastier problem if 4♦ shows spades, and I'd be more inclined to open 5 than 3.

Actually, its a much easier problem for me at the table because I play namyats. Our 3N is a hand that includes all 4 level minor suit preempts, and that's the bid I'd make.

[MickyB]

I'd much sooner open 3♦ than 5♦

[S2000magic]

I think that 4♦ is clear: 5♦ is more likely to attract a (high-priced) penalty double, 3♦ is unlikely to interfere enough with opponents' bidding, and 4♦ is relatively safe; I'd count this hand as a shade under 7 playing tricks. Partner will expect a good 8-card suit and no defense - exactly what he'll get - and will be able to make an intelligent decision about bidding vs passing vs doubling.

If I opened only 3♦ I'd be sorely tempted to bid 4♦ later; that's enough to tell me that I should have opened 4♦.

I honestly don't know about an expert poll, maybe:

3♦ - 20
4♦ - 60
5♦ - 10
other (pass, 3NT, whatever) - 10

[Bud Wiser]

4♦

[pooltuna]

yeah you have to worry about missing 3NT, but you have to help the opponents miss 4♥ or 4♠ as much as possible while not lying to your partner.

[ArtK78]

I assume that you have no special agreements that would impact upon your choice of call.

I would open 3♦ because my hand is suitable for 3NT should partner decide to play that contract. The fact that I have the ♦A also means that my hand is not hopeless for defense should the opps enter the auction.

[whereagles]

Cyberyeti, on 2012-February-23, 02:37, said:

I think 4♦ is the right bid, but I'm not sure 85% of experts will have a natural 4♦ available.

Maybe they should. It's a very effective preempt.

[JLOGIC]

Yes I think 4 is perfect but I have noticed that many experts will open 3 because they're scared to miss 3N, and some people randomly open 5. I think it is silly to worry about something like missing 3N, when 5D goes down, and the opps don't make anything, I mean just bid your hand and preempt them effectively and let partner in that you have a trick or a trick and a half more than you might for opening 3 lol, but that's me!

I would not be surprised to see something like 60 for 4D, 32 for 3D, 8 for 5D, depending on how you define expert. I know that forumers know better

[the hog]

3D at this vulnerability. 4D green vs red

[P_Marlowe]

Hi,

I think this is a textbook 4D, assuming mainstream agreements.

The only reason to bid 3D is, you have agreed to play heavy 3D openers, to make sure,
you reach 3NT, if it is right.

5D is too much, but I could understand it, and it would be clearcut green vs. red.

With kind regards
Marlowe