University of IAC > Standard American

Some basic stuff.

(1/1)

kenberg:
I got the June ACBL Bulletin today and I was browsing. I want to stay on the right side of copyright laws so I will  take it easy, but I doubt anyone would mind if I grab a couple of suggestions.

Larry Cohen has an article on pp 49-50 where he discusses, among other things, fourth seat openings at the 2 level.  He suggests this be on "roughly 10-13 HCP". I mention this because in IAC I have from time to time encountered people  treating it as something like 15-17.  What LC suggests is, I believe, very standard. I think of it this way: If I open 2S in fourth seat I figure that if the unseen points are distributed reasonably then I can have a good chance of making 2S. Moreover, I don't much expect partner to be making a game try unless his hand is exceptional  I wish to play 2S. I expect LC would not much quarrel with this formulation.

I have, at various  times, bemoaned the clash of expectations in pick-up games in IAC. I am hoping some posts such as this could help clear things up.  If a pair, by agreement, wants to play that a fourth seat 2S is 15-17, or whatever they wish, of course that is their business. But  if not discussed, I think LC is stating the default.

I am thinking to put up a few more of these with the same general flavor.

OliverC:
I'm sure you're right, Ken: Nobody in their right mind plays this as weak (who are you pre-empting, after all, when there have been 3 passes?).

I suspect that 90% of the Bridge world will play it as intermediate. Pick the exact range with your regular partner. I don't think it really matters as long as you and partner are on the same wavelength.

Personally I can't see much point in playing it as 15-17. If you happen to find Partner with a perfect fit 10-count and there's scope for a sub-minimum slam, you've deprived yourselves of a whole round of bidding space you might otherwise have used for slam exploration. Opening such a hand with 2M goes against all of the development of approach/forcing bidding that has taken place over the past 60 years. You might as well be playing Culbertson! LOL

Navigation

[0] Message Index