Borderline decision with a passed hand

Subject:Borderline decision with a passed hand
Date:Tue, 9 Feb 2010 02:02:55 +0000 (UTC)
Some of the beginners' books I have say you can open a little light in
third. But other than the various flavours of Drury, they don't seem
to discuss what you should respond to a third-seat opener that may be
light.

Do you respond the same way as a passed hand that you would as an
unpassed hand? Here's an example that's kind of borderline:

Bidding style: Standard American with [too many] gadgets. You hold, in
first seat:

Jxxx
Q10x
Axx
QJx

And you pass, of course. In third seat, partner opens a 1H that could
be about a King lighter than a 1st-2nd seat opener, and this is passed
around to you. No bid you make now is absolutely forcing, and you have
been repeatedly warned about the possible weakness of your partner's
third seat openers. You play Reverse Drury, but only with four-card
support (or maybe with a singleton or void and three to an honour).

Reasonable choices in your system:

1S - technically not forcing but you can be reasonably sure would not
be passed.
1NT - possibly wrongsiding an NT contract.
2H - A point light, but this flat 10 is no better than many 9s or even
8s.
2NT - maybe systemically more correct than 1NT, but also possibly
getting you too high.
3H - definitely too high opposite a light opener.

Were you an unpassed hand, you would bid 1S over a first or second seat
opener with this hand.

Would you still do that over a third-seat opener?

Does knowing opener's minimum is lower lead you to view your choices
differently?

--
- Jon Campbell
Ottawa CANADA



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generated at 21:22:38