[pescetom]

 jillybean, on 2023-November-12, 19:06, said:

I ended up competing to 5♣ - 1
Not at all proud of the bid, I was let off lightly

We've seen worse
In this case, from EW.

[mikeh]

I had to deal with a 1H opening on my right. But, had RHO passed, I think it’s clear to open 1C. The only plausibility alternative would be a weird 3C, intending to bid spades as high as the 4 level. 3C does rate to make it difficult for LHO since he probably lacks the spades for a takeout double of 3C, plus bidding spades later should tell partner what we have. However, it’s too weird even for me

Opening 1D is just silly imo

Imagine partner bidding 2 of red suit, forcing to game. You have zero chance of having partner even come close to knowing what you have. Opening 1S is partner destroying and is for people who think they have to be in control and to hell with partner. 2C then spades and spades shows 5=6 and partner will understand that with 5=6 blacks one should open aggressively. This hand has slam potential if partner fits either black suit and there’s little hope of reaching a good club slam on a 7-3 fit after 1S. Anyone who claims otherwise is likely deluding themselves

[HardVector]

This hand is an example of a hand that I have a disagreement with one of the sayings I heard when I started up. The saying was there was no hand that was too strong to open weak, but too weak to open normally. Basically, the saying was indicating that if you have a playable hand, you must act immediately and shouldn't pass. I disagree with this. With single suit hands, yes, you should take a stance and act on it. With 2 suiters like this, I find it can really pay off to pass initially and hope something happens that clarifies where you should go or allows you to show the strange nature of the hand.

The plus side of this approach, is that if it's your partner who has the good hand, then they won't push it to places it shouldn't go because you don't have enough to really open. For example, partner insists on bidding 3n and now you get to guess if that is right. The downside, is that the opponents may find a good place to play because you have given them room to figure out where to play.

If you disagree with this idea and insist on bidding now, then this hand is way too good to preempt opposite an unpassed partner. This hand can easily make a black suit slam opposite a lot of normal openers. Of course, it can also go down several opposite a lot of powerful openers. The way to figure it out easily is in the first paragraph, imo.

[Cascade]

 TylerE, on 2023-November-12, 04:24, said:

I hate opening 1m on hands like this, because you can never seem to both: Actually convince responder that 3 card support IS support, *and* stop at an appropriate level. Plus, for most people clubs then spades would be strength showing reverse, and this sure as heck ain't that.

1♣ 1♦
1♠ is not a strength showing reverse and I don't think that

1♣ 1♦
1♠ 1NT
2♠ etc is either.