[eagles123]

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first in none vul MP

do we open a diamond or a heart - or something else!

is it close?

thanks

Eagles

[Hanoi5]

I open 1♦ and I'm not afraid of reversing in hearts. If that's an issue open 1♥.

[Fluffy]

1♥ and no its not close, by opening 1♦ we will find problems if the bidding comes back at 4♠ or 5♣

[PhilKing]

Fluffy, on 2015-January-07, 18:31, said:

1♥ and no its not close, by opening 1♦ we will find problems if the bidding comes back at 4♠ or 5♣

If it comes back at 4♠, we are better placed having opened 1♦.

[TylerE]

Forever 1♥. Because if I don't it's very hard to get there and last time I checked hearts scores more...

[aguahombre]

Here is the guarantee: "Simple Question" will generate more than four pages.

[the hog]

Agree with 1♥

[mikeh]

1D. Rock-bottom for me, and it is so close that I would open 1H if 0=5=6=2. Suit quality is just good enough to reverse. Wouldn't do it with say Kx KJxxx AQxxxx void.

Those who say hearts are tough to find are too pessimistic and while hearts score more, that is true only when both denominations make the same number of tricks. I heard a rumour once that bidding one's shape makes finding the best denomination easier. Let's go out on a limb and bid descriptively, rather than masterminding. Who knows? Maybe partner's a bridge player.

[biggerclub]

What's our system?

As I am way too often forced to play 2/1, I would open this 1D in that system, rebid and re-rebid Hs.

Playing my preferred Precision (which, if I'm not mistaken, Tyler E also plays), I open 1H . . . not sure why. I guess because Precision by design accentuates the MAJs in limited openings. Of course, when I get dealt this hand I wish I weren't playing Precision. Or playing a version of P that uses 2MAJ to show 2 suited hands.

[mikeh]

biggerclub, on 2015-January-07, 23:01, said:

What's our system?

As I am way too often forced to play 2/1, I would open this 1D in that system, rebid and re-rebid Hs.

Playing my preferred Precision (which, if I'm not mistaken, Tyler E also plays), I open 1H . . . not sure why. I guess because Precision by design accentuates the MAJs in limited openings. Of course, when I get dealt this hand I wish I weren't playing Precision. Or playing a version of P that uses 2MAJ to show 2 suited hands.

Opening 1H in precision is, IMO, nuts. It is a close call to open D in a standard-based method because doing so obliges you to reverse, and partner will at least initially play you for a far stronger hand in terms of hcp. One of the benefits of playing precision is that your non-1C are limited in hcp. This is an easy reverse in precision. While precision emphasizes majors, that is a bug, not a feature, of the method. The method sacrifices minor suit acuracy not because it favours the majors but because it sees the advantages of limiting the 1-level openings and using the strong 1C as offsetting the cost in the minors. Minor suits don't lose their utility as slam trump suits just because they are often more difficult to show in precision...so when you have a n easy way to show 5=6 reds, it is crazy not to do so.

[Mbodell]

mikeh, on 2015-January-07, 23:20, said:

Opening 1H in precision is, IMO, nuts. It is a close call to open D in a standard-based method because doing so obliges you to reverse, and partner will at least initially play you for a far stronger hand in terms of hcp. One of the benefits of playing precision is that your non-1C are limited in hcp. This is an easy reverse in precision. While precision emphasizes majors, that is a bug, not a feature, of the method. The method sacrifices minor suit acuracy not because it favours the majors but because it sees the advantages of limiting the 1-level openings and using the strong 1C as offsetting the cost in the minors. Minor suits don't lose their utility as slam trump suits just because they are often more difficult to show in precision...so when you have a n easy way to show 5=6 reds, it is crazy not to do so.

This. I bid my 5 card majors before my longer club suits reluctantly only because 2♣ starts higher and has less space to untangle and 1♣ is artificial. But 1♦ and then showing the major is fine for 6+♦ and shorter 5+ major.

I also in general, including in a 2/1 construct, would rather try to describe my shape accurately, even if my strength inaccurately rather than my strength accurately and my shape inaccurately. My first priority is right strain, my second priority is right level, my third priority is right sided.

[mcphee]

I am not big on bidding short suits first and see no reaspn not to open 1D. Sure opening 1H will let you get in both suits (normally) but lets say partner is 2/2 reds playing in H may not be so easy when H are 4/2. If we open 1D if you so choose you could rebid 2D after a S response, just maybe partner will bid over 2D if you did that, somedays they even bid 2H on a 3 card suit looking for 3 card S support. A reverse is also a consideration and although a tad shy not the end of the world

[Vampyr]

mikeh, on 2015-January-07, 20:05, said:

1D. Rock-bottom for me, and it is so close that I would open 1H if 0=5=6=2.

Very interested to know why.

[mr1303]

I open 1D playing any naturalish system. This is good enough to reverse on. It's rare that I won't open my longest suit with 6-5s and this is far from minimum.

[lowerline]

eagles123, on 2015-January-07, 17:49, said:

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first in none vul MP

do we open a diamond or a heart - or something else!

is it close?

thanks

Eagles

1♥. Yes, it's close to 1♦.

[kenberg]

I open 1D. I am far from certain ths will work best, but I do it.
After 1D-(1S) or 1D-(2S) I will hear about if if partner has four hearts (and some values). If he passes over 1 or 2 S, and if there is a 4S bid on my right, I guess I bid 5D. It's in the nature of bridge that we must sometimes guess. 1D is my guess. I do not think it is clear-cut.
Generally when I am 6-5 I try to become the declarer. That is not always right either. I think any answer to what your opening bid is has to include a thought about what you plan to do next.

[aguahombre]

PhilKing, on 2015-January-07, 18:34, said:

If it comes back at 4♠, we are better placed having opened 1♦.

mikeh, on 2015-January-07, 20:05, said:

1D. Rock-bottom for me, and it is so close that I would open 1H if 0=5=6=2.

Vampyr, on 2015-January-08, 04:14, said:

Very interested to know why.

Related quotes, IMO. With 0-5-6-2, it is a bit more likely it WILL come back at 4♠ than if we are 2-5-6-0. We can try 4N and pull 5C to show the reds with longer Diamonds over that 4S barrage.

Can't do that if it comes back 5♣ when we opened 1D. But we might be willing to try re-entering with a Diamond bid after opening 1H and getting a Club blast from the bad guys.

Edit: Also, if there is no competition, Leben could get ugly after a reverse when you have no clubs & fear of playing it there --- unless 3D is also a minimum.

[mikeh]

aguahombre, on 2015-January-08, 09:57, said:

Related quotes, IMO. With 0-5-6-2, it is a bit more likely it WILL come back at 4♠ than if we are 2-5-6-0. We can try 4N and pull 5C to show the reds with longer Diamonds over that 4S barrage.

Can't do that if it comes back 5♣ when we opened 1D. But we might be willing to try re-entering with a Diamond bid after opening 1H and getting a Club blast from the bad guys.

Edit: Also, if there is no competition, Leben could get ugly after a reverse when you have no clubs & fear of playing it there --- unless 3D is also a minimum.

In addition, if partner has a goodish hand with a 6 card black suit, I am happier with him playing me for a good hand when that suit is spades than when it is clubs.

[biggerclub]

How do people feel about a 2H opening, if it shows 5+ Hs and 4+ Ds (Ds may be longer) or a 2H opening if it shows 5+ Hs and an undisclosed minor 2 suiter?

[eagles123]

well like it or not I bid 1H. The bidding continues:

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how many diamonds?