Interestingly, Gavin Wolpert just released a video in his channel talking about opening 1NT with exactly the Board 2 hand. In this set, I almost did it, but ended up not doing it because of the vulnerability, as it kind of hinders the value on preempting.
I am not claiming that opening 1NT with under strength and a six card minor may not be a clever tactic. But anyone claiming you will make as many 3NT with 23 HCP combined and a six card minor as with 25 HCP and a balanced hand are deceiving themselves. Gavin is wrong when he thinks he does not deceive his opponents. He does and should alert his 1NT opening.
Fairly similar throughout - didn't continue to compete on board 2 but held 2H to nine tricks for a decent score, passed in board 4, then just made on the last board for nearly but not 100%
literally never had a set like this, first four boards straight were 100%! B1 - I thought it was marginally too strong for 1N with two 4 card majors, aces and kings and the 98 of hearts as well so upgraded ... W came in with 1S, so we ended in 3N which made 10 tricks. B2 - exactly the same as here B3 - I just doubled 2S, which i assumed was takeout, obviously got lucky with partners hand, and that went 3 off for 800 B4 - I played T clubs trick one which held, then spade to hand with east popping up Ace. East switched to club to West's ace, then cashed the Ace of diamonds, then spade lol. So a bit fortuitous again but allowed me to make the extra trick. rest of the set was pretty unremarkable, although B7 was another 100% after a cheeky 1N opening lol. overall 82.6%
Congrats, although I was getting most of my good results at the end. I got 100% on the last two boards with 1NT+1 on each. Also had 2Sx - 3 on board 3, but only 82.1% for 2H= by S on board 4. Sadly only 67.4% since I pushed them into game on board 2. And I'd thought about opening 1NT too but decided it was a bit too far out.
First time ever, beat Pete! 71% for the game. Got 100% in bd2 by doubling and setting 4H. Made 4H+1 on bd 3. Made 1NT bd 8 for 96%, otherwise similar results.
Board 2: "The general thought is that the six card suit has sort of equivalent playing strength to having two extra points." Really? On the current deal the HCP are equally distributed between North-South and East-West, yet North - South have 4 tricks at notrump, their top tricks no more, and East-West can make 3NT against any defense. (The cards lie favorably for East-West). What the six card suit does, is it changes your offensive/defensive potential. If the bidding could get competitive and this is common when you have a six card minor and the strength of a weak notrump , opening 1NT is some of the time advantageous, not least because opponents are deceived. Sometimes it is more important to deceive opponents than partner. (North was just shy of trying for game in spades opposite a strong notrump) East, white against red, did not raise to 3 Hearts probably because West only promised a four card heart suit the variant of Cappelleti the robots play. If South opens 1D East will raise hearts.
Board 8: why not cash your spades first before playing back a heart? If they're 3-3 you can use the heart as an entry?
Interestingly, Gavin Wolpert just released a video in his channel talking about opening 1NT with exactly the Board 2 hand.
In this set, I almost did it, but ended up not doing it because of the vulnerability, as it kind of hinders the value on preempting.
I am not claiming that opening 1NT with under strength and a six card minor may not be a clever tactic. But anyone claiming you will make as many 3NT with 23 HCP combined and a six card minor as with 25 HCP and a balanced hand are deceiving themselves. Gavin is wrong when he thinks he does not deceive his opponents. He does and should alert his 1NT opening.
On board 3 4H+1 wouldn't have been a top in my session. I doubled the 2S bid to give partner more room and we played there, making 800.
Same! I'm surprised Peter didn't even consider double
Fairly similar throughout - didn't continue to compete on board 2 but held 2H to nine tricks for a decent score, passed in board 4, then just made on the last board for nearly but not 100%
On bd3, isn't dbl a better bid than 3h?
double is reasonable but you are going to struggle to find a 5-3 heart fit and more likely to end in 3NT which I was trying to avoid.
Definitely worked here! Of course the vulnerable overcall was psychotic.
When in doubt, open 1NT against the bots.
literally never had a set like this, first four boards straight were 100%!
B1 - I thought it was marginally too strong for 1N with two 4 card majors, aces and kings and the 98 of hearts as well so upgraded ... W came in with 1S, so we ended in 3N which made 10 tricks.
B2 - exactly the same as here
B3 - I just doubled 2S, which i assumed was takeout, obviously got lucky with partners hand, and that went 3 off for 800
B4 - I played T clubs trick one which held, then spade to hand with east popping up Ace. East switched to club to West's ace, then cashed the Ace of diamonds, then spade lol. So a bit fortuitous again but allowed me to make the extra trick.
rest of the set was pretty unremarkable, although B7 was another 100% after a cheeky 1N opening lol. overall 82.6%
#4 Pete's play of a low club on trick 1 was a blunder.
Congrats, although I was getting most of my good results at the end. I got 100% on the last two boards with 1NT+1 on each. Also had 2Sx - 3 on board 3, but only 82.1% for 2H= by S on board 4.
Sadly only 67.4% since I pushed them into game on board 2. And I'd thought about opening 1NT too but decided it was a bit too far out.
Thank you.
I got 800 on board 3 so even 450 would not be a top ;)
First time ever, beat Pete! 71% for the game. Got 100% in bd2 by doubling and setting 4H. Made 4H+1 on bd 3. Made 1NT bd 8 for 96%, otherwise similar results.
Board 2: "The general thought is that the six card suit has sort of equivalent playing strength to having two extra points." Really?
On the current deal the HCP are equally distributed between North-South and East-West, yet North - South have 4 tricks at notrump, their top tricks no more, and East-West can make 3NT against any defense. (The cards lie favorably for East-West). What the six card suit does, is it changes your offensive/defensive potential. If the bidding could get competitive and this is common when you have a six card minor and the strength of a weak notrump , opening 1NT is some of the time advantageous, not least because opponents are deceived. Sometimes it is more important to deceive opponents than partner. (North was just shy of trying for game in spades opposite a strong notrump) East, white against red, did not raise to 3 Hearts probably because West only promised a four card heart suit the variant of Cappelleti the robots play. If South opens 1D East will raise hearts.