[Joe_Old]

The problem with opening this hand 2♣ is that there are too many spades and too many points for the opponents to stay silent. You will not have an uninterrupted auction. The discussion between the 2♣ and 1♥ bidders illustrate the problem in separating a strong offensive hand from a strong hand, particularly when trying to make high level decisions in a contested auction. If you deal, and the auction goes:

2♣ 3♠ P P
4♥ P 6♥ 6♠

do you Pass and sweat out partner's decision? Or bid 7, expecting to go minus? While you're waiting for partner to bid, wouldn't you rather have A1098 AKQxxx AK A and double 6♠ rather than hold the subject hand where you have no clear idea whether to pull partner's double?

For the record I'd open the subject hand 1♥ unless I was playing precision, but I hate the idea of giving up on (most of) the strong pre-emptive nature of the ♥ suit.

[SteveMoe]

Joe_Old, on 2017-February-20, 15:49, said:

The problem with opening this hand 2♣ is that there are too many spades and too many points for the opponents to stay silent. You will not have an uninterrupted auction. The discussion between the 2♣ and 1♥ bidders illustrate the problem in separating a strong offensive hand from a strong hand, particularly when trying to make high level decisions in a contested auction. If you deal, and the auction goes:

2♣ 3♠ P P
4♥ P 6♥ 6♠

do you Pass and sweat out partner's decision? Or bid 7, expecting to go minus? While you're waiting for partner to bid, wouldn't you rather have A1098 AKQxxx AK A and double 6♠ rather than hold the subject hand where you have no clear idea whether to pull partner's double?

For the record I'd open the subject hand 1♥ unless I was playing precision, but I hate the idea of giving up on (most of) the strong pre-emptive nature of the ♥ suit.

My pass over 6♠ shows first round control

[JLilly]

bberris, on 2017-February-20, 10:39, said:

Open 4NT ! Asks for specific aces, and prevents opps from finding a save.

http://www.bridgeweb...204NT%20BID.htm

That'd tempt me if you move an x into ♠ and give OP the A♦:

♠ x
♥ AKQJ109xx
♦ AJx
♣ x

Then, Blackwood can give you the info you need to place 5 vs 6 vs 7 ♥. With the void and the soft suit in diamonds, ace-asking is not the first step.

[661_Pete]

Another freak:

---

Have the BBO guys been eating too much goulash? 9-carders don't come my way very often!

Anyway, as you can see, a cold grand slam. I figured - correctly I suppose - that I'm far too strong for a simple 4♥ opening - but that's where we ended up anyway. I'm sure others can do better.

Interestingly, no-one was in 7♥ - half the tables were, like us, in 4♥, the other half in 6♥.

[mycroft]

Anybody who bids 1♥-4♥ with that hand deserves what they get. Having said that, anybody who passes with the north hand after that auction *also* deserves what they get. I'd expect to be making 8 more often than not making 6!

[JLilly]

With that freak I'd open 2♣. You need to force partner until the right heart contract is determined. It's even semi-legit for 2♣, with three losers in the black suits and what I'd count as approximately one loser in hearts given that the rest of the three hands can have only four between them. You don't have voids to complicate the matter so as soon as you establish hearts, go to Blackwood and you'll learn all you need to know.

[JLilly]

I have scant tournament experience -- would an ACBL tournament director take issue with 2♣ for 661_Pete's hand? The outside ace makes it more constructive. . .