[mr1303]

6. Pairs, Unfavourable. Opponents again silent, you deal and open 1♦ holding:

♠ J3
♥ AKQ
♦ KJ7543
♣ Q9

Partner responds 1♥. What do you try now?

Some may have opened this 1NT. Having opened 1D, you now appear to have several choices, none of which seems to be completely ideal. So you have decide which is the smallest lie to partner.

[Echognome]

If I didn't open 1NT, it was because, for some reason, I'm judging this to be a 2NT rebid, so I'm going to make that bid I guess. The only other option to me is 2♦.

[Gerben42]

2NT. Didn't Meck say when in doubt, choose the slight overbid? I'm surprised how many of these problems are nonproblems in my favourite system

[Foxx]

Two diamonds. Should abstain, to be quite honest. The hand calls out to be opened 1NT. After my bean-counting 1♦ opening, I have no good rebid. Three hearts overstates the trump support, never mind that I have all the royalty; a heart contract could become a mess if my dummy is forced to ruff the third round of either black suit. As far as I am aware, there is no good way to find out whether partner's hearts are ♥xxxx or ♥J1098x. Two notrump overstates the playing strength, as does three diamonds. I'll try to scrape up whatever matchpoints I can still get by staying low. If partner can rebid two hearts, I do have enough to raise to three.

[mikeh]

I also would have opened 1N, precisely because I have no good rebid over 1major. It is a little heavy...16 with a 6 card suit, but the AKQ tight of hearts is not a good holding (before the auction starts). As it is, I am NOT trying a fancy 2♣, since that doesn't get me anywhere even if partner bids, and I don't rebid 3♦ with this suit and Jx spades.... so 2♦ it is.

[skjaeran]

I really hate this position, since there's no way to correct the misbid last time. This really is an obvious 1NT opening IMHO. Now nothing is right, but 2♦ is't got to be. That's the best shot to land on our feet again. 2NT is WAY to much.

[pclayton]

I think opening 1N on this is just wrong. The doubletons suck and the suit is broken.

I've looked for a 2.5 diamond call in my box and can't find one.

I know this is sick, but I'll make the matchpoint distortion of 2♥.

Very tough problem.

[mike777]

Strongly agree 1nt opening.

If the waiter bid my hand first, I am back and I guess 2d now.

[jdonn]

Totally obvious 1NT opening, the rebid problem over any bid partner makes was completely forseeable. Also Jx and Qx are excellent holdings to declare notrump. Now I like 2♥ I guess. 2♦ is certainly way better than 3♦ or 2NT.

[Fluffy]

I am just gonna be consistent with previous bid, if I judged my hand to be a 1+3♦ hand on the round before, I will stick to it (even if its sick)..

[mr1303]

This hand has caused me a lot of grief, as despite listening to everyone's points of view, I'm still not convinced which is the right answer. I would also have opened this 1NT to save this problem.

Anyway, I decided to go with my personal choice of 2H, since:

a) A raise is more encouraging to partner than a simple rebid of the first suit
3D is too much with this ropey suit. Partner will expect a better trick source than this
c) Neither 2NT nor 3H seemed right (2NT an overbid, and 3H suggests a better hand for hearts, with some questionable black suit values).

The scores:

2H = 100
2D = 60
3H = 50
3D = 30
2NT = 20

[mikeh]

Could you please set out the votes for the calls, and (if you can identify real experts whose votes can be counted) the expert breakdown? Maybe some quotes, if people emailed you but did not post here?

I know that doing the scoring can be tough... but I don't think that merely setting out your reasoning and then going with your choice as 100 is the way to score a poll like this.

Now, it may be that your expert panel is not very expert... perhaps the level of interest from players such as Fred or Ritong or Frances (to name just 3 who have not so far posted) was so low that you really only have a tiny sample of experts... and maybe you don't want to hurt anyone's feelings by not considering them as an expert for the purposes of score evaluation.

But, the poll loses its attraction (at least to me) if we don't hear from the scorer on these issues.

I hope this doesn't offend you: it was good of you to take on the job, and I am trying to be constructive. BTW, I didn't score 100 on all of the problems I posted in the last poll.... when the expert consensus disagreed with my choice, the expert consensus got 100.

[jtfanclub]

mikeh, on Jul 16 2007, 02:30 PM, said:

Could you please set out the votes for the calls, and (if you can identify real experts whose votes can be counted) the expert breakdown? Maybe some quotes, if people emailed you but did not post here?

I am hoping/assuming the real experts emailed in their choices, us lesser folks posted (with some experts doing both).

If I should not be posting on these (I don't email), then please let me know.

[BebopKid]

I would never open that hand 1NT. I would rebid 2♦.