[apollo1201]

Here's the most exteme and disappointing hand I dealt myself at all green (IMPs, as it probably matters):

x
x
x
QT98765432

Yep, a 10-carder, but in the cheapest suit, lacking AKJ, and 3 small singletons on the side.

Whodoeswhatnow?

[The_Badger]

5 ♣ My thinking is: It might make your partner's life difficult, but there are twice as many opponents that it could make life difficult too. Play the odds. Any other bid just makes it easier for the opponents to compete.

[Cyberyeti]

I have held pretty much exactly this hand before (missing AK10 rather than AKJ). I bid 5 and after 3 trump losers got a horrible result when they didn't bid as many at the other table, still think it's right though.

[eagles123]

no doubt Red Spawn will tell us that you can't possibly preempt on such a suit, but imo anything other than 5c is over thinking it

[RedSpawn]

eagles123, on 2017-July-23, 04:53, said:

no doubt Red Spawn will tell us that you can't possibly preempt on such a suit, but imo anything other than 5c is over thinking it

This preemptive suit has 2 honors and a 9 in it unlike our prior example which was headed by a strong 10 and had a dubious side queen of diamonds trapped in a doubleton.

The queen is in the right place!

Any open less than 5♣ would be uncivilized as you want the opposition to work extra hard to find their major fit at the 5 level.

[nullve]

RedSpawn, on 2017-July-23, 05:34, said:

This preemptive suit has 2 honors and a 9 in it

Don't forget the 4!

[neilkaz]

5♣ for me as well.

[ggwhiz]

In a random club game I directed a Canadian junior playing with his 80+ year old buddy picked up void, Jx, x, JT 10th in 1st chair and opened 2nt hoping to pass stayman. I kinda like it on this one too.

[The_Badger]

ggwhiz, on 2017-July-23, 11:45, said:

In a random club game I directed a Canadian junior playing with his 80+ year old buddy picked up void, Jx, x, JT 10th in 1st chair and opened 2nt hoping to pass stayman. I kinda like it on this one too.

That made me laugh. It would have been really funny if his 80+ yo partner had an actual 2NT opener at the table and just bid 7NT. (I think emergency services might have had to be called after the hand though.)

[apollo1201]

ggwhiz, on 2017-July-23, 11:45, said:

In a random club game I directed a Canadian junior playing with his 80+ year old buddy picked up void, Jx, x, JT 10th in 1st chair and opened 2nt hoping to pass stayman. I kinda like it on this one too.

Haha very funny! Didn't think that far, though. After the excitment of seeing all those clubs cooled down realizing the suit quality, I just opened 5♣️ like everyone else here. I thought I had gone mad (they all said so at the table) but no it seems. Or we'll be in good company at the asylum😉

[ggwhiz]

The_Badger, on 2017-July-23, 12:43, said:

That made me laugh. It would have been really funny if his 80+ yo partner had an actual 2NT opener at the table and just bid 7NT. (I think emergency services might have had to be called after the hand though.)

I didn't bother with the rest of the story since I posted it before but it's even better.

Ole Mort had something like Kxxx, AKQx, AKxx, AK added 20 - 21 to that and bid 7nt

That put the spade Ace on lead. 7 clubs was just cold and any notrump contracts made 7 from Morts side (the heart J is an entry to the clubs) when the leader had QJT9 of diamonds and no reason to lead anything else.

And Mort played at least once, usually two times a week with this "kid" (who will be a GLM sooner rather than later) and barely raised an eyebrow.

[johnu]

ggwhiz, on 2017-July-23, 14:30, said:

Ole Mort had something like Kxxx, AKQx, AKxx, AK added 20 - 21 to that and bid 7nt

Only 7NT? Very conservative, I would have bid more.

[Caitlynne]

5C. The suit may be bad, but I have got 10 of them. You preempt to the 4 level with an 8 card suit. The 11 trick level is usually right with a 9 card minor suit. Again, the suit might be bad, but I've got 10 of 'em!

[hamish32]

That is a 1NT opening. 5C should provide a safe landing spot later if necessary - but we would like to buy it for less than that.

[Zelandakh]

ggwhiz, on 2017-July-23, 11:45, said:

In a random club game I directed a Canadian junior playing with his 80+ year old buddy picked up void, Jx, x, JT 10th in 1st chair and opened 2nt hoping to pass stayman. I kinda like it on this one too.

Have you considered playing Wicked 2NT? Seems like it might be a good fit for you...