[Antrax]

Matchpoints, none vul. You deal yourself:
♠Qxx ♥Q ♦KJxx ♣ATxxx
Playing 15-17 NT, do you open this hand?
If you do, 1♣ or 1♦?

[P_Marlowe]

Hi,

I would open 1C, intending to rebid 2C, but will raise
1D / 1S to 2D / 2S.

Passing is not out of the question, but usually you dont
seek reason to pass, you try to find reason to open.

With kind regards
Marlowe

[EricK]

I open 1♣. I rebid 1NT over 1♠, and raise 1♠ to 2♠.

[the hog]

I open 1D and rebid 2C

[HighLow21]

Antrax, on 2012-March-28, 01:15, said:

Matchpoints, none vul. You deal yourself:
♠Qxx ♥Q ♦KJxx ♣ATxxx
Playing 15-17 NT, do you open this hand?
If you do, 1♣ or 1♦?

NV/NV is the perfect time to bid. I open 1D, intending to bid 1NT over 1H and 2C over 1S.

[aguahombre]

When deciding whether to open on marginal values, we often choose not to do so with 4-5 in the minors.

With this one, we would not open. Put that stiff queen in one of the minors, and we open 1D and rebid 2C. QXX X KQXX AJXXX, or whatever.

[655321]

I have a 12 count so I open. Clubs is my longest suit so I open 1♣. Easy game.

I would do this at any vulnerability at any scoring, but you especially want to get into the auction w/w at matchpoints.

[Antrax]

Could anyone explain the W/W principle? I haven't heard of it before.
Codo, over 1♥, your rebid?

[Codo]

As you asked directly: 1 NT

W/W ist white/white, so both non vulnerable.

I would open this all day a week, 1 ♣ usually, 1 ♦ if I have that agreement.

After
1 ♣ 1 ♦ 2 ♦
1 ♣ 1 ♥ 1 NT
1♣ 1 ♠ 2 ♠
1 ♣ 1 NT 2♣

So, I do not see any rebidproblems and have full values for my opener.

[y66]

Of possible interest ... how some experts handle 1345 11-14 HCP hand types. Curtis Cheek's comments near the end are pretty funnny.

[Antrax]

I know what W/W is. Why should I be more active in bidding when that's the vulnerability?

[Antrax]

Thanks for the link y66, it's pretty comprehensive. It seems I undervalued the singleton honor too much - it seems you should actually count it as an asset that lets you rebid 1NT more easily.

[Zelandakh]

Antrax, on 2012-March-28, 04:11, said:

I know what W/W is. Why should I be more active in bidding when that's the vulnerability?

To answer this let me take you to a specific (common) MP case. The bidding is at 2♠ - should we bid 3♣ or pass or double them? Let's assume for the moment that there are 16 tricks available. Then

w/w:
2♠= vs 3♣-1
-110 vs -50 (-100 if they double)

2♠-1 vs 3♣=
+50 (+100 if we double instead) vs +110

Summary: it is always good to bid


w/r
2♠= vs 3♣-1
-110 vs -50 (-100 if they double)

2♠-1 vs 3♣=
+100 (+200 if we double instead) vs +110

Summary: it is good to bid if they are making


r/w
2♠= vs 3♣-1
-110 vs -100 (-200 if they double)

2♠-1 vs 3♣=
+50 (+100 if we double instead) vs +110

Summary: it is good to bid if we are making


r/r
2♠= vs 3♣-1
-110 vs -100 (-200 if they double)

2♠-1 vs 3♣=
+100 vs +110 (+200 if we double instead)

Summary: bidding is alwys fraught with danger


This kind of graph explains why the best colours to compete aggressively at MP are w/w and the worst are r/r. There are other factors too but I think the mathematics at work here show it as well as anything else.

[Antrax]

Thanks Zel.