Hi Bobby

I would like to get your 2 cents on bidding.
Holding AQJ98x, void, 9x, QT9xx, I opened the bidding with 1S.
If partner responds J2NT, what should I show himfirst? The void (our splinters responses are voids) or the clubs?
for the record, bidding a suit or void implies a non-minimum hand.

Now suppose LHO preempts 3H over the opening bid, and partner bids 4NT (not playing ex. BW).
Do you show just 1/5 aces? If so, what would you do over partners 5S response?

thanks in advance

Hi Avi,

Perhaps I do not have 2 cents to offer, but I’ll try, even if it turns out to be only worth 1 1/2 cents.

In the old days (probably many years ago), your hand would likely be passed originally with the idea of coming in next round.

After one gets experience, he realizes that, yes this hand is potentially strong enough to easily be worth opening the bidding, but that strength will need a trump fit with partner to measure up, otherwise and since that is not guaranteed, some will choose to be conservative and test the waters later.

Having said the above, and choosing to open 1 spade, then immediately being told by partner that he fits the spades, our offensive potential is now worth exploring.

I, playing Jacoby 2NT (as you verified) would simply bid 3 hearts (shortness) since even if my partnership played a now jump to 4 clubs would show at least 5 clubs, both my overall lack of strength (for an opening bid) and the weak clubs would suggest to me that my heart shortness (especially a void rather than a singleton) is more of an important asset than my club length.

Regarding your question about strength, one must learn that once he decides to open 1 spade he MUST follow through with what that convention requires and bid his hand, although his partner should keep in mind that his high card content (with this hand a prime example) may be shaded.

Jumping to your next question about Ace responses, my partnerships have always played that over the bidding you have suggested, a bid of 5NT in response shows 2 aces and a void TBD, while a jump to 6 of my void, if a lower suit than trumps (which it is) would then show a heart void and, of course, 1 ace. Note: If our trump suit is a lower one than is my void I would jump to 6 of my trump suit which would guarantee 1 ace and a higher ranking suit void.

BTW, although not usually emphasized by key card BW advocates, the extra key card (king of trumps) to be shown often complicates that procedure, sometimes resulting in guesswork.
That fact is not to say that KCBW is wrong, it is only to suggest that not all that glitters is all positive.

Summation of what has been discussed:

1. Opening light has certain advantages, but also like KCBW in worth, should keep a partnership from penalty doubling close hands in competitive auctions or else disaster will sometimes occur when least expected (on your example, that 1 spade opening will often not come close to taking even one defensive trick) if, as the bidding indicates partner has a substantial spade fit (4+).

2. As the partner of an opening bidder, one needs to understand the modern treatment of “bid early and force the opponents to sleep in the street” principle has to compromise his bidding judgment and make different competitive decisions than when playing in a partnership which promises at least some defense (taking tricks) when opening with a one bid. BTW, it is more than just possible to open your example, 2 spades, when vulnerable as a compromise suggestion.

I hope that the above is worth the 1 1/2 cents I advertized it to be.

Another question- If a partnership tends to open with a one bid this light (HCP), does this need to be alerted? Recently there was a discussion on another blog concerning HCP. I thought ten HCP was the lower limit unless a pre-alert is made. Then it becomes an issue if some clubs won’t allow it in first or second seat.

I have no problem opening this hand two spades but some don’t like to do this with a void. Holding another five card suit is OK with me as I will bid it next if I get the chance. What say you about preempts with voids? Does it matter which seat you are in? What wouLd you do with this hand in fourth seat passed to you? Opening the bidding for the opps with 13 hearts out there may not be very wise if partner has no fit with you.

Thanks in advance.

Hi Bobby, Jane, Avi,

I have a similar query on the best opening bid on this black 2-suiter. In 3rd seat, for example, is there even a case for opening it 3S? I can even imagine circumstances (green vs red, 1st or 3rd, needing a swing or a top) where I might just bash 4S and randomize matters. Is it more sensible as a general approach to bid early with such hands (I suspect it is) or to pass first then back in later?

An apocryphal story concerning trap passes is one where a player at high stakes rubber bridge trap passed with 10 solid spades and 3 singletone, 1st in hand. Three passes dutifully followed. The opener plaintively asked his partner if he’d had much and was told “I didn’t fancy opening a 1-4-4-4 hand with just the 3 aces and poor intermediates”, it might let the oppo bid spades”. You can see how trap passes could lose their appeal.

Regards,

Iain

Hi JaneA,

First, the top of the morning to you.

Second, opening bids such as the 6-5 in the blacks have been becoming commonplace, so likely the ACBL would not require any advance warning, because if so that hand holder would retort “I have 9 HCPs, 3 for the void and 1 for the doubleton arriving at 13 points and, what is to most, a one level opening bid.”

However I think it ethical practice to write on the CC, we tend to open light, especially good distributional hands. Also, if so, to verbally announce it to opponents would be an ethical practice, but only by the opener’s partner, and not just when he had a great defensive hand.

In other words, no con jobs along with! However by so doing, other shrewd players during that game will get to know this partnership for what they are, and should soon be targeted for discipline.

Yes, both a 2 or 3 spade opening would be close to a standard choice (to which I would choose, the amount determined by the habits to which I thought my opponents belonged.

I wouldn’t worry about the missing 13 hearts since my partner figures to have enough of them to offer at the very least, a bad trump break for them.

In my heart of hearts I do not believe that an opener of a hand like this is trying to fool the opponents, but merely to consider this hand the equivalent offensively of a hand with more HCP’s, and not worry about no defense, but let partner be the one to handle that. True, that will remain as a reasonable possibility the opponents will be cowed out of the auction, particularly if partner is able to raise immediately, but that is only the nature of our game, so luck in that fashion will be earned, at least IMO.

Hi Iain,

Of course, all of your feelings and thus possible actions are, IMO, on course to have a good chance for success with opening this hand any number from 1 to 4 spades and especially in the later original seats.

I could relate a real story occurring at a money bridge club when I was still a teenager with absolutely no positive reputation and holding 10 solid hearts with 3 worthless singletons and opposite a partner who overcalled vulnerable 2 clubs over his opponents 1 diamond opening bid. My RHO then raised to 5 diamonds to which I bid 5 hearts, passed around to righty who persisted with 6 diamonds. I then stubbornly bid 6 hearts and everyone doubled, whereupon partner slung his hand on the table saying, “Son, you left bridge learning school much too early. It is impossible to bid that way and soon you’ll be penniless if you are not already”. He then proceeded to lay down s. Axxxx, h. void, d. xx, c. A109xxx and left the table.

I am not sure when (or if) he returned as I took my profit, left the game and never saw him again, but did dream about him a few times always wearing a red suit and carrying a pitchfork.

Hi Bobby,

Lovely story and a lesson not to judge partner until trick 13! Napoleon’s dictum on generals may still apply to partners now matter how grim things initially appear.

Regards,

Iain