[sheilafran]

Could you recommend a bidding sequence

Opener

A109
K
K763
A8742


partner holds

J76
T73
AQ85
Q53

If opener bids a club - what should responder say and is a club the correct bid

Thanks

[EricK]

It partly depends on what bidding system you are playing. If you are playing a strong NT and are prepared to raise a major suit repsonse with 3 card support then 1♣ seems a fine opening bid. You can support ♦ or ♠ and bid 1NT over a ♥ response.

Playing the above methods, the responding hand looks like a 1♦ response to me. If partner supports ♦ (as he would here) you are happy. If he bids a major suit to show an unbalanced hand you can show your ♣ support, and if he bids NT that also looks OK.

[firmit]

EricK makes a good point.

One should give some thought about the second bid before making the first on this one. If you do not fancy supporting partner with a 3 card (here spades), one could consider opening 1D, which will give you the option of bidding 2C on the next round. For me, I would always open 1C and support partner after 1D/S and 1NT after his 1H response with this hand.

Some like bidding 1NT without a 4 card major, especially playing 5 card major. 1C-1D gives the 4th seat the cheap 1H overcall. They will probably compete to 3H. So, the 1NT response will probably have its supporters.

[Double !]

In thinking about how to bid this hand, you might wish to ask your partner the following two questions:
If you open that hand with one club, left-hand opponent overcalls say 1H, and partner makes a negative double, 1) do you promise a 4-card spade suit if you rebid 1S, and 2) will partner interpret a 2 diamond response to the negative double as showing a reverse?
Reverse your heart and spade holdings, and the issue becomes even more interesting, i.e. whether you will promise 4 hearts if P makes a negative dbl of a 1S overcall. The issue of a 2D showing or not showing a reverse still applies IMO.

DHL

[hrothgar]

sheilafran, on Feb 18 2007, 10:24 AM, said:

Could you recommend a bidding sequence

Opener

A109
K
K763
A8742


partner holds

J76
T73
AQ85
Q53

If opener bids a club - what should responder say and is a club the correct bid

Thanks

I'll recommend two possible sequences:

1♦ - 1N
2♣ - 2♦

1♦ - 3♦

[inquiry]

Open 1♣, bid longer suits before shorter ones.

After 1♣

• raise 1♦ to 2♦
  
• bid 1NT over 1[he[
  
• raise 1♠ to 2♠
  
• pass 1NT but you might raise to 2NT depending upon your 1♣=1NT range

[Gerben42]

Quote

Open 1♣, bid longer suits before shorter ones.

Open 1♦, anticipate your rebid when choosing an opening bid.

Inquiry and I will always disagree on this opening bid I guess, there are many right answers you have to choose the one you like best.

Regardless of what minor is opened, partner bids 1NT. Then if you bid 1♦ - 1N - 2♣ depends a bit on vulnerability and scoring, because now opps will find ♥ and you have to decide if you want them to or not.

[Edmunte1]

There are 2 majors schools here

1) 1♦ openers, with the advantage of the easy 2♣ rebid, also managing better in some competitional sequences: 1♦-(1M)-DBL-(pas/2M). The biggest drawback of this treatment is that partner will take you more often for 5♦+4♣, and sometimes you will land in a 4-2 fit (or 4-3 instead of 5-2/5-3)

2)1♣ openers, with the continuations
-bidding 2♦ over 1♦ and showing an unbalanced hand
-bidding 1NT over 1♥, and then 3♦ after a forcing relay from partner
-bidding 2♠ over 1♠ and having some method to question about the nature of fit