[jillybean]

---

What are your agreements about opening bids, "rule of 20" , something else?

[RSClyde]

All 11 counts (unless it's atrocious).
Lighter with shape: rule of 20 (or so).

[blackshoe]

All 12s, rule of 22 if lighter. This hand doesn't qualify. Two aces and a king are tempting, but not that tempting.

[mgoetze]

I've never seen an AAK hand I didn't like, I'll even open 4333s with AAK. Easy 1♣ for me.

[Bbradley62]

I think this is the ultimate borderline hand. My regular partner knows that I might open this hand, and I know that she wouldn't consider it.

[Phil]

I'd open. No rebid issues, I don't have short spades, plenty of intermediates.

[neilkaz]

I agree with Phil, as usual when it comes to things like this. The intermediates make me open this along with two bullets and a king. I am not askamed to put this hand down as dummy and if PD decides to X the opps I have defense.

The only negative is that I don't want a ♦ lead, but I'll still open and note that an opening 1 bid, especially in a minor isn't an insistance that pd lead the suit.

I think this hand is a bit better than some flat scattered 12 hcp hands most all of us would open.

EDIT: I forgot to say that is PD responds 2♣ GF and we play in 3NT opposite his good 12 count I am quite happy to try for the 23 hcp game with my useful ace in his suit and good spots.

.. neilkaz ..

[Thiros]

In my early days on BBO, I had a partner who preached, among other things, to always open with AAK. This piece of advice has served me well. The two 10's and the two 9's make this a clear case. The 1♦ opening isn't a thing of beauty, but we have to do it if we're going to open.

[Siegmund]

Open if you have a rebid. Pass if you'd have an easier time describing your hand as responder. That's really all there is to it. The classic example is opening a 5-4-2-2 11 count but passing a 4-5-2-2.

On the posted hand, it comes down to the question of whether you are prepared to hear a 2C response from partner. If you have a rebid in your system that is suitable on these cards, open away.

Unlike many of the modern folk I try very hard to have more than 1 defensive trick when I open at the 1-level, and not to have more than 1 when I open with a preempt.

[dustinst22]

anyone open this in MP but not in Imps?

[gwnn]

I would definitely open. If you pass you will only get headaches next round. I have a strong opinion on this one and am not thinking of changing it.

[Fluffy]

I open all AAK except 4333 and even those sometimes.
Open most 5 card majors with 11 except with obvious flaws such as QJ or K stiff/
Open most unbalanced 11 counts.

[jdeegan]

It's a pretty good 11 HCP. It's the modern style for many top level players (e.g. Meckwell) to open these hands and sometimes steal the pot when the opps have a game. Watching these quality players on BBO leads me to think many of them tend to open even lighter when they are behind. Also, it is a proper 10 to 13- HCP 1NT opener (which Meckwell used to play in the 1990's). Also, AK, A is 3 quick tricks and everyone has always opened it (except maybe Al Roth back in the day).

The practical issue with opening 11 HCP balanced hands is whether the rest of your bidding system can handle it. SAYC and 2/1 players sometimes get too high at 3NT (etc.) with 11 opposite 13 and other such disasters. Forcing club players (esp. Precision and its variants) seem to have an easier time since opener is automatically limited to 14 HCP from the start. Responder doesn't have to push as much.

As far as the "rule of 20" is concerned, I think it was designed to help evaluate unbalanced hands. By the time it was invented I had already learned how to evaluate these hands from experience (at least as well as I was ever going to be able to). I tried using it a few times, but it didn't seem to add anything.

[blackshoe]

jdeegan, on 2013-January-05, 03:27, said:

it is a proper 10 to 13- HCP 1NT opener

Yes, and if I were playing that, I would open it 1NT.

[kenberg]

I probably pass this, but as I mentioned on another thread I am a Capricorn and Capricorns have sound bids.

The only thing that would tempt me to open is that I have two tens. Maybe the rule of twenty is that if you have two tens you can open? No.

Anyway, I pass.

[rhm]

I usually do not open balanced 11 counts.
But this hand is much closer to 13 than to 11.
Anyone, who passes this nowadays should take a class in hand evaluation.

Rainer Herrmann

[Lord Molyb]

10-13 1NT!

[Free]

In one partnership we open all 11's (playing precision), in another we prefer 4+ controls when opening lighter than 12HCP (you have 5 controls!).

[gszes]

jillybean, on 2013-January-04, 18:21, said:

---

What are your agreements about opening bids, "rule of 20" , something else?

I pass this hand however to show how close I am to opning it change the hand to

A92 T754 KT95 A6

and I become proud of my 1D opening that is enough to sway me. I will also
"stretch" my opening bids when i have both 4 card majors.

[Phil]

dustinst22, on 2013-January-05, 01:15, said:

anyone open this in MP but not in Imps?

Seems you could also make a sensible argument to pass this at MPs and open it at IMPs