[kfay]

I'd be tempted to bid 6♥ but since LHO already passed I would probably just try to live with 5.

If partner opens 2♥ at this vul. in 1st seat then I'll definitely bid 6.

I wouldn't be surprised if the opponents could make 7♣ on this hand so there is reason to pass... but I'll bid 6♥.

[kfay]

655321, on Jan 15 2008, 09:27 PM, said:

Apollo81, on Jan 15 2008, 09:34 AM, said:

I'd bid 6♥.  Passing when 6♣ is cold (which it could easily be,so could 7♣) is a way bigger disaster than phantom sacrificing for 300-500.

If 6♣ is making then yes, you want to bid 6♥.

But it is not correct that missing a good save is way bigger disaster than taking a phantom.
The IMP scale flattens the difference. For example, assume the other table plays in 6♣:
   (a) 6♣ is cold, and you miss a -300 sacrifice: You have lost 14 IMPS (-500 is 13 IMPs)
   ( 6♣ is one down, and you take the -300 phantom: You have lost 9 IMPS (-500 is 12 IMPS)

So only if you are pretty confident 6♣ is cold do you want to save.

Incidentally on this particular hand, if 6 ♣ is cold you would not be surprised to lose 1 club, 2 diamonds, and at least 2 spades in 6♥, for 800+.

Looking at my hand I give 6♣ a 95% shot to make.

I'll give 7♣ a 40% shot mostly depending on the location of the ♦A.

[bid_em_up]

Assuming this was against the pair who inquired if you still psyched, this would definitely be the hand to do it on. You can even argue that is not a psyche but a tactical bid, infuriating them even further.

You could try 3D first, followed by 4C, followed by 4H.
You could try 2N followed by 3N followed by 4C followed by 4H.
You could try 3N followed by 4C after the double.
You could try 4N (RKC) directly.

None of these should work, but the great part about it is everyone at the table will know what you are doing. Now the opp who hates psyches will become even more irritated and likely decide he is going to double you for penalties no matter what, instead of paying attention to whats really going on at the table.

Or you could pass and see how high they end up before deciding what to do. You will bid 6H over 6C. I think you pass if the they stop in 5C though.

Or, you can bid 6H directly giving them the last guess.

I think bidding 5H just assures that the hand with the heart void will commit to slam, which we can be reasonably sure is making.

[mike777]

Cascade, on Jan 16 2008, 12:53 PM, said:

Codo, on Jan 17 2008, 03:22 AM, said:

And I believe that you will get many bad results from opening this hand in a 2/1 system. You simply cannot stop the train opposite say Kxx,x,Axxx,AQxxx and this is by no means a minimum for 2 Club over 1 Heart.

I wouldn't want to force to game with less than that in a misfit hand.

A clear 1nt semiforcing for me....yes that means partner may pass......not a game force if you open 1H with this hand type.

[Cascade]

bid_em_up, on Jan 17 2008, 08:09 AM, said:

I think bidding 5H just assures that the hand with the heart void will commit to slam, which we can be reasonably sure is making.

Who has a heart void?

The presence of a heart void depends on how often partner has six hearts and how often he has five. I have even opened 2♥ at these colours with four hearts.

I would expect 2♥ to be only five close to half the time in many partnerships - maybe more often.

[jdonn]

kfay, on Jan 16 2008, 01:35 PM, said:

Looking at my hand I give 6♣ a 95% shot to make.

Wow, I would have said 50% to 60% or so. The opponents were under great pressure and we have 3 possible tricks, one of which is pretty likely to cash. Also partner is allowed to have something outside his suit.

[Winstonm]

I am somewhat stunned by all the bidders. The 5N bid was not a grand slam try; it came under tremendous pressure; and I have a smattering of defense.

I pass now, wondering if 4H may have worked better than 5H.

[Codo]

mike777, on Jan 17 2008, 07:17 AM, said:

Cascade, on Jan 16 2008, 12:53 PM, said:

Codo, on Jan 17 2008, 03:22 AM, said:

And I believe that you will get many bad results from opening this hand in a 2/1 system. You simply cannot stop the train opposite say Kxx,x,Axxx,AQxxx and this is by no means a minimum for 2 Club over 1 Heart.

I wouldn't want to force to game with less than that in a misfit hand.

A clear 1nt semiforcing for me....yes that means partner may pass......not a game force if you open 1H with this hand type.

Okay Mike, shall we ask Ben to look at bridge browser how many 2/1 auction he finds which started with 1 Heart 1 NT, where the 1 NT bid contents 13 HCPS?

You are allowed to play a system where you can systematically open 7 HCP hands. But I doubt that this approach fits well into the system Richard played on that weekend with that partner.

And I doubt that this approach fits in any 2/1 system at all.

[mike777]

Well this hand looks close to 9 hcp or something. Not what I would consider close to a sound opening bid which is 14 hcp or a few 13 hcp for me.

That is why I opened 2h..several days ago.
If that was allowed.

If you are going to make me open on junk then pls let me bid 1nt with 13 hcp responder hand.

[Cascade]

mike777, on Jan 18 2008, 05:09 AM, said:

Well this hand looks close to 9 hcp or something. Not what I would consider close to a sound opening bid which is 14 hcp or a few 13 hcp for me.

That seems a very conservative opening style.

If you really open only a few of your 13 counts then you can close to double your opening frequency by opening the rest of the 13 counts and 12 counts and 11 counts. With the 6-4 shape of the hand in this thread some might even open 10 counts.

At this vulnerability I believe getting your suits in early has huge advantages even on less distributional hands. Of course there is a cost that sometimes you will get too high but I think that is minor compared with the frequency of disrupting the opponents.