[rmnka447]

With a 2 loser hand, I'm opening 2 ♣ on this hand.

If I ever chose to open 1 ♣, then I think 2 ♠ followed by 3 ♠ would be right. There's no reason not to show the 6-5 nature of the hand. After 3 ♠ if partner bids 4 ♥ and gets doubled, you can sit for it knowing you pretty much have told your story.

After the actual auction, I'm sitting for 4 ♥x. Partner has heard me bid the other 3 suits and still chose to bid 4 ♥.

[the hog]

Well you can open 2C of course, but good luck getting to the right strain if the bidding goes 2C (4H) P (P).
Now what? 4S and find pd with x xxxx xxxx Kxxx or 5C and find pd with xxxx xxxx xxxx x or many similar hands.

[kenberg]

rmnka447, on 2012-December-25, 12:09, said:

After the actual auction, I'm sitting for 4 ♥x. Partner has heard me bid the other 3 suits and still chose to bid 4 ♥.

The problem with this, I think, is that opener has not exactly bid the other three suits, at least not in the sense of showing the other three suits. For exampel, opener would not be happy to have 3♦ raised to 4♦ by a responder who holds, say, six hearts that he has shown and four diamonds that he has not shown. The 3♦ bid requires interpretation. I have belatedly come to understand that the most reasonable interpretation is that the 2♥ bid has improved opener's hand. Of course it did no such thing, and that is why there is a real problem after 4♥ gets doubled.


I really think that 1♣ is the right opening on hands like this. My thinking is that it is very unlike to be passed out, and after that I will be in a fine position to effectively deal with my shape. Take, for example, the sort of auction Hog suggests. I start with a club, the opponents come in with hearts, partner passes, it's at the 4♥ level when it comes back to me. I now call 4♠. Does partner know what I have? Not exactly, but in this rapidly developing auction there is good reason to believe that I want to be in one of the black suits and also good reason to believe my partner will correctly choose which black suit that should be. True, we might end in 5 when we should be in 6 or end in 6 when we should be in 5, but the chance of ending in a completely ridiculous contract is much less than if I start with 2♣ and have to make a choice when it comes back to me at the 4♥ level.

I realize I am more or less just going on with what the Hog already said, so you could just take this as "Me toot".

[rmnka447]

the hog, on 2012-December-25, 21:54, said:

Well you can open 2C of course, but good luck getting to the right strain if the bidding goes 2C (4H) P (P).
Now what? 4S and find pd with x xxxx xxxx Kxxx or 5C and find pd with xxxx xxxx xxxx x or many similar hands.

Your point is well taken.

Opening 1 ♣ also may just let the opponents compete, exchange enough information, and find a good sac against your game whereas 2 ♣ might be high enough to prevent that from happening. And of course, pard might also just have x xxxxx xxxxxx x and after 4 ♠ over 4 ♥ you're still out to lunch.

In the end, you pay your money and take your choice.