Interested to see your comments on Game-force’s hand. I’d veer towards 2N too on the basis that decent opponents tend not to lead from DKJxxx or AJxxx round to the opening bidder’s strength so a club lead will probably give me 8 tricks in NT and even a passive spade lead will soon see the oppo under pressure. Accusations that I’m hogging the hand are of course valid.
Needless to say, if the wrong person tried it they’d find Sxxx HKxx Dxx CAJ9xx opposite and get a diamond lead, crashing off in 3N when 6S is reasonable ….
.
Regards,
Iain
bobbywolffOctober 4th, 2021 at 6:52 pm
Hi Iain,
Turning the scene into Shakespeare’s “Julius Caesar” and Mark Antony’s stirring soliloquy at his funeral with 2nd Citizen’s significant response “Methinks there is much reason in what he says”.
I tend to think like you do, but even more, I would open a strong 2 bid (2 clubs, artificial, but then a rebid of 2NT should usually show the strongest version of the 2NT opener. 23-24).
While I do not have any objection, as an opening leader” while playing “matchpoints”
to lead conservative rather than aggressive, in order to save an overtrick for them, I do not subscribe to that treatment at IMPS or rubber bridge.
No doubt the subject hand is at the top of the list of, “at least being very close to GF”, instead of a normal balanced 20+.
True, bridge bidding (especially early) turns into just stabs, rather than sheer science, to which intellectuals sometimes exaggerate it’s potential.
Bridge is still a gambling game and should remain that way for, if nothing else, excitement and even more so, allowing the best players to differentiate themselves by some having better
“feel” than others, but, today’s discussion hand is a “beast” rather than a “telltale” of what and how to begin.
Key issues may include the diamond jack (at least with another one) and, of course, the specific distribution to which we will find partner. How about partner holding: s. 10xx, h. xxx, d. x c. Axxxxx where a 6 spade small slam is practically (or close) within percentage and s. 10xxxx, h. KQx, d. Jxx, c. Qx being cold for 3NT, but not 4 spades.
Methinks there is sometimes a wicked bent to lady luck, and to deny her presence, as all men who have grown up know, is to ignite her into
exploding all logic heretofore established.
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HI Bobby,
Interested to see your comments on Game-force’s hand. I’d veer towards 2N too on the basis that decent opponents tend not to lead from DKJxxx or AJxxx round to the opening bidder’s strength so a club lead will probably give me 8 tricks in NT and even a passive spade lead will soon see the oppo under pressure. Accusations that I’m hogging the hand are of course valid.
Needless to say, if the wrong person tried it they’d find Sxxx HKxx Dxx CAJ9xx opposite and get a diamond lead, crashing off in 3N when 6S is reasonable ….
.
Regards,
Iain
Hi Iain,
Turning the scene into Shakespeare’s “Julius Caesar” and Mark Antony’s stirring soliloquy at his funeral with 2nd Citizen’s significant response “Methinks there is much reason in what he says”.
I tend to think like you do, but even more, I would open a strong 2 bid (2 clubs, artificial, but then a rebid of 2NT should usually show the strongest version of the 2NT opener. 23-24).
While I do not have any objection, as an opening leader” while playing “matchpoints”
to lead conservative rather than aggressive, in order to save an overtrick for them, I do not subscribe to that treatment at IMPS or rubber bridge.
No doubt the subject hand is at the top of the list of, “at least being very close to GF”, instead of a normal balanced 20+.
True, bridge bidding (especially early) turns into just stabs, rather than sheer science, to which intellectuals sometimes exaggerate it’s potential.
Bridge is still a gambling game and should remain that way for, if nothing else, excitement and even more so, allowing the best players to differentiate themselves by some having better
“feel” than others, but, today’s discussion hand is a “beast” rather than a “telltale” of what and how to begin.
Key issues may include the diamond jack (at least with another one) and, of course, the specific distribution to which we will find partner. How about partner holding: s. 10xx, h. xxx, d. x c. Axxxxx where a 6 spade small slam is practically (or close) within percentage and s. 10xxxx, h. KQx, d. Jxx, c. Qx being cold for 3NT, but not 4 spades.
Methinks there is sometimes a wicked bent to lady luck, and to deny her presence, as all men who have grown up know, is to ignite her into
exploding all logic heretofore established.
No offense meant to either gender present.