[sceptic]

What advice would you give about letting opps play in 1 level contacts

1C p p 1nt p p p

1C p 1H p p p

1S p p p

p p 1S p p p

p p p 1C p p p

just some examples, I am looking for genral opinions about 1 level contratcs

[pclayton]

It really depends if we have a fit or the balance of power. Hard to judge without specific examples.

Some players (some very good) will balance on anything at the one level. However, at MPs, this isn't always wise:

1. You may push the opponents into a higher scoring contract,
2. You might push the opponents into a game (I don't usually worry about this).
3. We may have more of an undoubled penalty if we bid.

At IMPs, I'll balance if I think it I can change a minus into a plus. I don't worry too much about trying to salvage a -110 into a -50.

[Free]

Jlall, on Mar 23 2005, 07:27 PM, said:

if you have nothing to bid, dont bid. This applies even when the opps are at the one level. These rules about "never let the opps play at the 1 level" are absurd

I agree, however, I rarely pass these situations.

[han]

pclayton, on Mar 23 2005, 12:17 PM, said:

It really depends if we have a fit or the balance of power. Hard to judge without specific examples.

Some players (some very good) will balance on anything at the one level. However, at MPs, this isn't always wise:

1. You may push the opponents into a higher scoring contract,
2. You might push the opponents into a game (I don't usually worry about this).
3. We may have more of an undoubled penalty if we bid.

At IMPs, I'll balance if I think it I can change a minus into a plus. I don't worry too much about trying to salvage a -110 into a -50.

You should be very careful about balancing when you are short in the other major and not too strong. For instance if you have x Jxx AQxxx KJxx and the bidding goes 1H pass pass to you, you know that partner either has a bad hand or they have a spade fit. If both are true and you balance, they might easily have a spade-game!

[han]

You should check out Mike Lawrence's book called "the complete book on balancing", it is excellent.

[joker_gib]

Jlall, on Mar 23 2005, 01:27 PM, said:

if you have nothing to bid, dont bid. This applies even when the opps are at the one level. These rules about "never let the opps play at the 1 level" are absurd

Hi Justin !

I totally agree with you.

"Never" is a word that should be banned from bridge vocabulary

Alain

[hotShot]

Dear sceptic,

this rule was formed in a time, when openings where solid, and you needed an opening of your own to enter the auction too. This way you knew, if a contract ended at the one level, partner must have something. Playing a 7 card fit, was sacrilegiously.

"modern" bridge has weaker openings and even weaker interferences. Even limit raises are weaker then they were. So you should ask yourself, what positive hand could partner hold at best, withing the limits of your system.

case 1:
1(something) - pass - pass - 1(something more)
pass - pass -?
If you had something to say, you should have done so. So if your hand is worth something now, your first pass was wrong. If your partner had anything extra he should have said so.

case 2:
pass - pass - pass - 1 (something)
pass - pass - ?
see case 1.


case 3:
1 (something) - pass - pass - ?
This is the only case where bidding might make sence. Your partner might hold a one suited hand with the suit your opp opend. He might be strong and just left without a bid. Your LHO might have even psyched your partner out of his bid. A reopening might be a good idea, but most of the time your LHO is hoping you keep the bidding open, so he can show his 18+ HCP now.