[miamijd]

Stop worrying so much about helping the opponents, especially at IMPs. Hands like these are all about finding your best spot and making it difficult for the opponents to find theirs. 2nt succeeds on both counts. It gets you to the right 3level spot quickly and it makes it tougher for the opponents to find spades. Who knows. Partner might have

xxx. xx. Axxxx . AJxx

in which case 5c imay make and 5s is most likely off one. You won't be happy going minus 420

Cheers
Mike

[GrahamJson]

Whether 2NT makes it difficult for oppo to find spades depends a lot on their standard. Good oppo are likely to have agreements which give them big advantages. For example they have two suits in which to cue bid, then they can double immediately or on the next round, in effect having the ability to play both penalty and take out.

It seems to me that the best argument for bidding 2NT is that if you are not going to bid it on this hand then what are you going to bid it on given that you could double with better defensive values.

[PhilG007]

Jinksy, on 2016-April-05, 11:07, said:

2N seems far more likely to help the opps than us, but it's their hand, so I want to take up space - I'll opt for 2♥, or perhaps 2♠ if we need a swing.

I don't think the ♥ suit is long enough for a 2♥ jump overcall which should show
a 6+ suit even it does contain 3 honors one of which could fall to the Ace. 1♥ is quite sufficient.
And if partner can support the ♥...well.....

[helene_t]

rmnka447, on 2016-April-05, 12:28, said:

1 ♥ now because if partner gets on lead that's what I want led. May bid ♣ later, if possible.

Wouldn't that suggest longer hearts and wanting a club lead? I mean, if you want to show your clubs at all with this shape you have to bid 2NT so failing to do so will give p some negative inference.

This has been an instructive thread, though. My initial thought was "2nt, wtp?" but really, it is too unlikely that the hand belongs to us. Especially is p doesn't have heart length. And if he has, 1♥ probably works just as well.

[Jinksy]

PhilG007, on 2016-April-06, 05:55, said:

I don't think the ♥ suit is long enough for a 2♥ jump overcall which should show
a 6+ suit even it does contain 3 honors one of which could fall to the Ace. 1♥ is quite sufficient.

In his book on preempts, Alan Mould recalls Brian Senior opening a third seat weak 2♦ on xxxx xxx Jxx xxx. Admittedly, at this vulnerability I imagine he'd have wanted a side-suit doubleton.

You don't have to play an aggressive style if you don't like it, but a third seat preempt hasn't promised six of the suit since about 1970, let alone any number of honours. It is a captaining bid (which partner is not invited to respond to), so arguably it doesn't 'show' anything, any more than Stayman or RKCB need do.

[quiddity]

Phil, on 2016-April-05, 13:31, said:

Good example of a hand not to bid 2N on. It's 10:1 we will play this contract and showing declarer our shape will allow him to pick the hand clean.

I don't think 2nt is as bad as all that. If I were LHO and a 90% favorite to play the contract I'd prefer to start describing my hand at the one-level, thanks very much.

[Phil]

quiddity, on 2016-April-06, 11:24, said:

I'd prefer to start describing my hand at the one-level, thanks very much.

You are describing your hand. To the wrong player.

[aguahombre]

Phil, on 2016-April-06, 15:28, said:

You are describing your hand. To the wrong player.

Phil: he was referring to Responder having a lot more space if we bid 1H than if we bid 2nt.

[passell]

an automatic bid

[gszes]

I am somewhat torn between 1h and 2h and the decision to bid 1h was based mainly on the idea it is less likely to get hammered at these colors. 2H is indeed preemptive here and may even cause the opps to misjudge either the bidding or the play but those are anything but tangible rewards while the escalated risk of getting axed seems to make the idea too scary at IMPS. At MPI think 2h would be a much better tactical bid while not hating 1h. I do not consider 2n psychotic but it surely has a ton of risk associated with it and fails to reap any benefits as a lead director. Pass Well at least it is SAFER than any of the alternatives. 2c taking this to the 2 level with this moth eaten suit just invites disaster in so many ways it seems scary even at MP. Maybe just barely better than 2n in some ways while worse in others.

IMPS
1h = 8
2h = 7
p = 4
2n = 3
2c = 3