[toystar]

I was in 3rd hand and my hand was Spade QJTxxx void in Heart Diamond AJTx Club T9x

I bid 1S after 2 passes.

but one of my opp (expert) says : opening the bidding with 8 hcp does not represent quality bridge to my way of thinking......

Should I bid 2S (weak) in this case?

I thought 6 cards Spades and void in Heart enough for 3rd hand opening 1S .

[Walddk]

Nothing wrong with your 1♠ opening. Light, yes, but perfectly legitimate. And a piece og advice: If I were you I would take "expert" on some users' profiles with a grain of salt. Some have problems with evaluating their skills, deliberately or unconsciously.

Roland

[whereagles]

Yup, 1S is perfectly normal.

[EricK]

Almost everybody is going to open this hand. But whether it is with 1♠, 2♠ or even 3♠ is more a matter of style and temperament than a question of right or wrong.

The lack of HCP opposite a passed partner points in the direction of a pre-empt, but the fact that you have the master suit (so can outbid opponents at the same level) and a reasonable amount of defense points more in the direction of 1♠.

Your opponent has no right to criticise your bidding anyway. Was he upset that he got a bad result and wanted someone to blame?

Eric

[bearmum]

NORMAL to open UNLESS red V white (IMHO) and 1♠ or 2♠ I guess depends on partnership agreement -- IF we were white V red I would open 2♠ just to make life difficult for opps

[helene_t]

I think you should open 1♠ either because you still can have game, or because 2♠ would be too risky. I would personally open either 2♠ or 3♠, but 1♠ is not unreasonable, especially when vulnerable. If we evaluate this hand as 5 offensive and 2 defensive triscks, then strictly 2♠ is safe only at favorable vulnerability.

But you shouldn't listen to me, I'm just an intermediate

[kgr]

QJTxxx=void=AJTx=T9x
Pas-(Pas)-??

After 2 passes I think this is a clear 2S (or 3S) opener for me. (I would also open 2S in first/second position)
Opps have the points and the Hearts. You will make it more difficult for them if you open 2S.
Walddk is the expert (see bidding poll ) and he has sympathy for your 1S opening, but I think that this sympathy rather comes from the unasked comments of your opps.
I can't imagine he would open this 1S... would you Roland?

[Walddk]

kgr, on May 8 2005, 05:21 AM, said:

Walddk is the expert (see bidding poll ) and he has sympathy for your 1S opening, but I think that this sympathy rather comes from the unasked comments of your opps.
I can't imagine he would open this 1S... would you Roland?

I might depending on my mood, but I will most likely open a constructive 2♠ (8-11). I have 2♦ available for a very weak 2 in either major (can even be 5 cards).

As you rightly point out, I was merely referring to the remark by the "expert" opponent about the 1♠ opening in my first post. In this context I would like to emphasize that not only is 1♠ legitimate, it is also bridge!

Finally, it's worth noting that opening 1♠ even first or second in hand has nothing to do with psyches (they are legitimate too by the way).

Roland

[kgr]

Walddk, on May 8 2005, 10:29 AM, said:

kgr, on May 8 2005, 05:21 AM, said:

I can't imagine he would open this 1S... would you Roland?

I might depending on my mood, but I will most likely open a constructive 2♠ (8-11). I have 2♦ available for a very weak 2 in either major (can even be 5 cards).

Roland,

1. What would you open if only 1 kind of weak 2 available (that can be from 5 to 10 pts and can even be a 5-card in 3th hand): 1S or 2S?
2. I wonder why you play 2♠ is constructive and with the weaker version you go via 2♦. I would think it is better to give the opps less time to bid when you have the weaker hand?
... so here is my bridge lesson for you : Put the constructive weak 2 in 2♦ and the weaker one in 2♠? (!!to be sure: notice the !!)

Koen

[Walddk]

kgr, on May 8 2005, 05:38 AM, said:

Walddk, on May 8 2005, 10:29 AM, said:

kgr, on May 8 2005, 05:21 AM, said:

I can't imagine he would open this 1S... would you Roland?

I might depending on my mood, but I will most likely open a constructive 2♠ (8-11). I have 2♦ available for a very weak 2 in either major (can even be 5 cards).

Roland,

1. What would you open if only 1 kind of weak 2 available (that can be from 5 to 10 pts and can even be a 5-card in 3th hand): 1S or 2S?
2. I wonder why you play 2♠ is constructive and with the weaker version you go via 2♦. I would think it is better to give the opps less time to bid when you have the weaker hand?
... so here is my bridge lesson for you : Put the constructive weak 2 in 2♦ and the weaker one in 2♠? (!!to be sure: notice the !!)

Koen

Because when I have a constructive hand I want partner to know the suit right away, especially 1st and 2nd in hand. If I am very weak, I will leave partner as well as the opponents in the dark for the time being.

If I only had one weak two available, I would sometimes open 1♠, sometimes 2♠. I think it's important that you are not known as being predictable 3rd in hand. Let the opponents guess. Partner is unlikely to go bananas, because he is a passed hand; and besides, he has Drury available if I open 1♠.

Then we can stop at the 2-level no matter how good a hand he has for his initial pass. If I sign off in 2♠ after a (reverse) Drury, responder is under no circumstances allowed to bid more.

Roland

[pbleighton]

1S and 2S are fine, as has been pointed out by others.

I would bid 3S if not vulnerable, with a partner who knew my tendencies in the third seat

Otherwise, I bid 2S, but it's close at IMPs - you could have a game, though it's unlikely.

Peter

[toystar]

both sides vul Dealer West
and the contract was 3H by opp and they made it with 1 overtrick.
I think if I bid 2S they would bid 3H and raise to 4H making game contract...
So I might deserve the medal for depriving their game contract....(humble opinion)

The Hand was as such
North S95 HK742 DK643 CKQ6
South SA32 HAJ985 D8 CA742
East SQJT874 H- DAJT5 CT93
West SK6 HQT63 DQ972 CJ86

pass-pass-1S-2H
pass-3H-all pass
10 tricks made

[mike777]

toystar, on May 8 2005, 08:39 AM, said:

both sides vul  Dealer West
and the contract was 3H by opp and they made it with 1 overtrick.
I think if I bid 2S they would bid 3H and raise to 4H  making game contract...
So I might deserve the medal for depriving their game contract....(humble opinion)

The Hand was as such
North S95 HK742 DK643 CKQ6
South SA32 HAJ985 D8 CA742
East SQJT874 H- DAJT5 CT93
West SK6 HQT63 DQ972 CJ86

pass-pass-1S-2H
pass-3H-all pass 
10 tricks made

Come on Toy, ROFL, what makes you think you were playing against anything but beginner bridge players based on the opp. bidding? We all made mistakes like this when we first started playing bridge.

[Free]

I'd open this 1♠ or 3♠. If anyone says he can't accept 1♠, he doesn't know anything about hand evaluation...

[mikestar]

Depending on your patnership agreements any number of spades less than 4 might be right. Certainly 1S is reasonable.

No gold star though--the opponents gave you a gift. Depending on their agreed minimum strength for a two level overcall, either North should raise 2H directly to 4H or South should accept the invitation. No non-beginners should miss this game.

I suspect that the player who criticized you was the one who made the mistake. If his partner had, no doubt the so-called expert who have attacked him.

[kenberg]

toystar, on May 8 2005, 08:39 AM, said:

both sides vul Dealer West
and the contract was 3H by opp and they made it with 1 overtrick.
I think if I bid 2S they would bid 3H and raise to 4H making game contract...
So I might deserve the medal for depriving their game contract....(humble opinion)

The Hand was as such
North S95 HK742 DK643 CKQ6
South SA32 HAJ985 D8 CA742
East SQJT874 H- DAJT5 CT93
West SK6 HQT63 DQ972 CJ86

pass-pass-1S-2H
pass-3H-all pass
10 tricks made

1. Looking only at N-S hands, note that if hearts are 2-2 and clubs 3-3, it's cold for 6. With truumps 4-0, it still makes 4.

2. Looking only at E-W hands note that if you trade a spade spot in your hand for the spade King in partner's hand, everyone would open 1S and the subsequent bidding would be the same.

3. Looking at the North hand, we see a hand that is one point shy of an opening bid, has strong trump support for a vulnerable two level overcall, and with shortness in the enemy suit. Unless he knows something about his partner's bidding or play, this is a 4 heart bid.

4. This pair needs to work on their own bidding, not yours.

And of course 5: Someone who gives unasked for bidding advice to an opponent is not an expert.


Personally I would open this 2S rather than 1S, primarily to warn partner off of doubling their eventual heart contract. But there is nothing wrong with 1S. Maybe it's better.

[luke warm]

the remark by your opponent, aside from being uncalled for, doesn't strike me as expert commentary... i'd personally open 2 (or 3)♠, but that's neither here nor there

[Rebound]

Nothing wrong with it. Opp's a pinhead... all move for the next round.