[Al_U_Card]

Scoring: IMP

p-1♦-p-1♥-p-??

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Suggestions for bidding the grand. Is 7NT a sure thing or is 7 of a red suit better?

[inquiry]

Any bidding system that forces you to open this hand 1♦ (other than something like Magic Diamond) needs to be replaced.

After 1D-1H, I would bid 4S (exclusion blackwood) then finding heart king, blast with 7H.

But my system allows two specialized opening bids with very strong minor one suiters. The first is part of multi 2♦ that can include a one suiter wth 5+ controls, and 9.5 tricks. This hand as 8 likely diamonds, and two side ACES, but finessable stuff in hearts. So in fact, it is too strog for that bid. The other is 2♣ where a rebid of 3 of a minor is 100% game force, minor one suiter (a side four card suit is allowed).

My auction would be...

2♣   2♦
3♦   4♦
4♥   4♠
5♥   5NT
7NT

Where, 3♦ shows a hand too good for 2♦. Singleton Queen with slam ambition is fine to raise (explaining 4♦. After a 3♦ bid, norht is thinking grand on his own. 4♥ is Kickback or RKCB, whatever you want to call it. 4♠ shows 1 or 4 keycards (must be spade ace). 5♥ is specific suit ask, and second step shows Kxx(x) (three or more to the king without the queen). Note, with eight diamonds, after partner raises, I don't bother asking for the queen. It is unliley he reaised with two small, but if he did, we have 10 trumps anyway, and any raise with the queen is enough too.

If after 2C-2D-3D you can't bring yourself to raise with singleton, bid 3H, opener will now bid 4♠ exlusion blackwood (and four card support, as I open all strong 2 suiters with MisIry -- a bid of 2NT to 3D) so after the heart king is shown and 7H is bid, north has some reason to consider 7NT (opener can not be 5-8 or 76, etc, and 9-4 is out too, because of uncertainty if the one key shown is the club ace or heart king).

[coyot]

I would be content with 7 of a red suit, where the bidding is fairly easy (but the NT can be bid as well from there)
1♦-1♥
4♠*-4NT*
7♥-7NT

4♠ Exclusion BW for hearts, 4NT showing one keycard.
7♥ to play, 7NT as well.

Of course, 7NT would be down one if the opener happened to be 85 or 76 in reds :-)

[FrancesHinden]

Al_U_Card, on Aug 5 2005, 08:34 AM, said:

Dealer: East Vul: Both Scoring: IMP

♠ AJxx ♥ Kxxxx ♦ Q ♣ Kxx ♠   ♥ AQTx ♦ AKJxxxxx ♣ A

p-1♦-p-1♥-p-??

Suggestions for bidding the grand. Is 7NT a sure thing or is 7 of a red suit better?

7 of a red suit is worse than 7NT, not better.

7NT is certain. 7H can be off with trumps 4-0 or diamonds 4-0. 7D can be off with hearts 4-0. Either can be off with a black suit breaking to zero.

I would have opened 2C. And I think that I open 2C less often than about 90% of posters here! Opposite one of my 2C openers, responder is close to a 7NT bid directly, but may put it off for a round or two...

2C - 2H
3H - 4NT (OK, sometimes there are good hands for Bashwood)
5C (0 or 3) - 5D (Queen?)
7D (who cares?) - 7NT

[flytoox]

I like 1D opening here. After pd's 1H, it should be eay to reach 7H. I am not sure I can reach 7N though.

[coyot]

If you bid Exclusion BW and it denies any lower Exclusion BW, it is easy, because the 4♠ bid and 7♥ says that you have 13 tricks outside spades, so your partner with the ace can freely correct to 7NT.

[Fluffy]

1♦-1♥
3♠-4♣
4♠-4NT
5♦-5♠
6♦-7♥

Seems the right aproach.

[inquiry]

flytoox, on Aug 5 2005, 10:33 AM, said:

I like 1D opening here. After pd's 1H, it should be eay to reach 7H. I am not sure I can reach 7N though.

The problem with opening 1♦ is that you might reach, gasp, 1D facing...

♠ xxxxx
♥ x
♦ xxx
♣ xxx

[mikeh]

This is extremely close between 1♦ and 2♣, but I can live with 1♦ (or 2♣).

After 1♦ 1♥ I would use 4N as exclusion keycard, since I use 4♠ as keycard in ♥ (kickback). This would commit me to 7♥, which is the worst of the 3 grands, but I cannot see how I am ever going to discover the ♦Q (or xx in ♦), which is what makes 7N cold.

However, partner is still there and he will have an easy correction to 7N. He will know that I have a massive red hand, with the ♣A. He can tell that the ♦Q must fill in my suit, plus of course he holds an extra ♥ and two undisclosed black tricks. In other words, he holds 3 + tricks more than he showed, and I have bid 7♥! He would have the easiest 7N conversion of all time.

1♦ 1♥
4N 5♣
7♥ 7N........ wanting to bid 8N if permitted


After 2♣:

2♣ 2♦ waiting, positive (forced on all complex hands)
3♦ 3♥
4N (same as above) etc....

[Fluffy]

inquiry, on Aug 5 2005, 03:24 PM, said:

flytoox, on Aug 5 2005, 10:33 AM, said:

I like 1D opening here. After pd's 1H, it should be eay to reach 7H. I am not sure I can reach 7N though.

The problem with opening 1♦ is that you might reach, gasp, 1D facing...

♠ xxxxx
♥ x
♦ xxx
♣ xxx

The it is partner's fault for not counting his cards

[flytoox]

inquiry, on Aug 5 2005, 03:24 PM, said:

flytoox, on Aug 5 2005, 10:33 AM, said:

I like 1D opening here. After pd's 1H, it should be eay to reach 7H. I am not sure I can reach 7N though.

The problem with opening 1♦ is that you might reach, gasp, 1D facing...

♠ xxxxx
♥ x
♦ xxx
♣ xxx

This is unlikely if Opps are reasonablly good as they will balance more often than not. The reason I prefer 1D to 2C is that I donot like to hear 2S/2D from pd.

[mike777]

flytoox, on Aug 5 2005, 10:48 AM, said:

inquiry, on Aug 5 2005, 03:24 PM, said:

flytoox, on Aug 5 2005, 10:33 AM, said:

I like 1D opening here. After pd's 1H, it should be eay to reach 7H. I am not sure I can reach 7N though.

The problem with opening 1♦ is that you might reach, gasp, 1D facing...

♠ xxxxx
♥ x
♦ xxx
♣ xxx

This is unlikely if Opps are reasonablly good as they will balance more often than not. The reason I prefer 1D to 2C is that I donot like to hear 2S/2D from pd.

I see this comment often on this forum but with no explanation.

I was taught to not balance over 1D or 1C openings just for this reason. OF course this was decades ago. What new bridge theory is used now?
Now I see on these forums that if I do not balance I will never be considered reasonably good at bridge.

[inquiry]

flytoox, on Aug 5 2005, 11:48 AM, said:

inquiry, on Aug 5 2005, 03:24 PM, said:

flytoox, on Aug 5 2005, 10:33 AM, said:

I like 1D opening here. After pd's 1H, it should be eay to reach 7H. I am not sure I can reach 7N though.

The problem with opening 1♦ is that you might reach, gasp, 1D facing...

♠ xxxxx
♥ x
♦ xxx
♣ xxx

This is unlikely if Opps are reasonablly good as they will balance more often than not. The reason I prefer 1D to 2C is that I donot like to hear 2S/2D from pd.

Well, relying on opponents to help you out rather than bid your own hand correctly is probably not a good strategy in the long run. There is a second reason why you should not open this hand 1D

If you open it 1D and partner bids, say 1S... how do you go about describing this monster from a run of the mill good hand like,

♠ x
♥ K Q x x
♦ A Q J x x x
♣ A J

No, this hand is just too strong to play around with a 1♦ opening bid.

[bearmum]

Al_U_Card, on Aug 6 2005, 02:34 AM, said:

Dealer: East Vul: Both Scoring: IMP

♠ AJxx ♥ Kxxxx ♦ Q ♣ Kxx ♠   ♥ AQTx ♦ AKJxxxxx ♣ A

p-1♦-p-1♥-p-??

Suggestions for bidding the grand. Is 7NT a sure thing or is 7 of a red suit better?

Playing our version of Preciaion we will get to 7♥ (not 7NT though I don't think)
1♣
1♥ 8+ and 5+ ♥
2♥ TAB
2NT 5 to 1 of top 3 honours
3♣ A♣
3♠ A♠
4♦ A♦
5♣ K♣ AND showing SLAM aspirations as gone past 4♥
7♥

[the hog]

Can live with 1D; believe it or not this opening actually makes it easier after 1H. Over 1H I bid 4D. Now partner's hand is huge - the DQ is worth an A. Easy after KC.

[mila85]

I open this 2♣. I have only 2 loosers.
7♥ is easy now.
7nt is right contract and it's possible to reach it but I'm not sure I will do...

[Gpm_bg]

Scoring: IMP

p-1♦-p-1♥-p-??

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In the some kind of precision club, where, after 1♣, answers are 1♥-0-4 pts any distribution, 1♠- 4-7 any distribution, 1NT- 7-10 any distribution. 1♦ - 10+ GF definately and any distribution also and etc bids, the game will be lead like this ...........
E S W N
pas (1♣) pas (1♦)
pas 2♦ pas 2♥
pas (3♠) pas (4♣)
pas (5♣) pas (5♠)
pas 6♦ pas 7♦
pas 7♥ pas ????????

bids meaning 1♣ - 16+ ->1♦ - 10+ ->2♦ - 5+ 16-20 pts ->
2♥ - 5+ 10-13pts (14+ 3♥) - >3♠ - Splinter, 1st control + 4th as we bid
2♦ not 2♥ - > 4♣ - Cue bid and control ♣ - > 5♣ - Confirming of 1st control in suit ♣ ->5♠ - Confirming 1st control ♠ with eventually or A or void, depends of the opener splinter ->6♦->continues lenght of ♦ to 6+ and 1st control there - > 7♦, giving information of shortness in opener suit, rejecting probable fit 6+1 less - >7♥- propose for a contract ->7NT could be bid as the partner counting Q♦ as important card as addition of eventually AKxxxx and the chances of squeez with ♥ and non less chances ♦ to be 3-3 with 6th lenght in opener could count ->5♥ with 1♠ with 2+♣ with risky ♦ 7♥ sounds like 99% sure if only direct ruff with unnormal distribution, could take the risk and hope for good ♦ distribution and bid 7NT.
So that is my desicion, 7nt could be try.

[bearmum]

Gpm_bg, on Aug 9 2005, 10:17 PM, said:

Dealer: East Vul: Both Scoring: IMP

♠ AJxx ♥ Kxxxx ♦ Q ♣ Kxx ♠   ♥ AQTx ♦ AKJxxxxx ♣ A

p-1♦-p-1♥-p-??

In the some kind of precision club, where, after 1♣, answers are 1♥-0-4 pts any distribution, 1♠- 4-7 any distribution, 1NT- 7-10 any distribution. 1♦ - 10+ GF definately and any distribution also and etc bids, the game will be lead like this ...........
  E        S        W          N
pas    (1♣)  pas    (1♦)
pas    2♦    pas      2♥
pas    (3♠) pas    (4♣)
pas    (5♣) pas    (5♠)
pas      6♦  pas      7♦
pas      7♥ pas  ????????

bids meaning 1♣ - 16+ ->1♦ - 10+ ->2♦ - 5+ 16-20 pts ->
2♥ - 5+ 10-13pts (14+ 3♥) - >3♠ - Splinter, 1st control + 4th as we bid
2♦ not 2♥ - > 4♣ - Cue bid and control ♣ - > 5♣ - Confirming of 1st control in suit ♣ ->5♠ - Confirming 1st control ♠ with eventually or A or void, depends of the opener splinter ->6♦->continues lenght of ♦ to 6+ and 1st control there - > 7♦, giving information of shortness in opener suit, rejecting probable fit 6+1 less - >7♥- propose for a contract ->7NT could be bid as the partner counting Q♦ as important card as addition of eventually AKxxxx and the chances of squeez with ♥ and non less chances ♦ to be 3-3 with 6th lenght in opener could count ->5♥ with 1♠ with 2+♣ with risky ♦ 7♥ sounds like 99% sure if only direct ruff with unnormal distribution, could take the risk and hope for good ♦ distribution and bid 7NT.
So that is my desicion, 7nt could be try.

INTERESTING Precision bidding ( but I believe somewhat unusual -unless by established partnerships ) -- BUT the 7NT is STILL on a guess I think u are saying (correct me if I misunderstood) -- but 7♥ is there -- so I for one will NOT try 7NT on a guess -- mainly because a precision type auction (like the one I posted earlier which is more 'mainstream' precision [imho]) will get u to GREAT grand slam -- which MAYBE the field will not find???

[Gerben42]

What kind of precision is that?

Standard Precision starts 1♣ - 1♥ = positive with ♥s

Of course the posters don't want to know about an auction like:

1♣ - 1♥
1♠ - 1NT
2♣ - 2♥
2♠ - 2NT
3♣ - 3♦
3♥ - 4♣
4♦ - 5♣ (Axxx Kxxxx x Kxx without ♥Q)
...

Standard + gadgets will start:
2♣ (strong, or weak 2 in ♦ if the $@$! regulations allow it) - 2♦ (GF opposite strong)
3♥ (♦s + 4♥)

Now responder can count ♦Q as useful card and is on the road to the grand!