[Cyberyeti]

mw64ahw, on 2023-May-16, 08:36, said:

No, but only one pair ended up in 5♦ which may say something about the quality of the field.

Did any end up in 3N ? which also may well make although 5♦ may make 6

[mw64ahw]

Cyberyeti, on 2023-May-16, 08:44, said:

Did any end up in 3N ? which also may well make although 5♦ may make 6

Surprisingly no - lots of part scores and a couple of ♥ contracts with the top scores being 5♦ & 1♥X. I was surprised at the 1♥X as these were competent pairs.

[Cyberyeti]

mw64ahw, on 2023-May-16, 08:56, said:

Surprisingly no - lots of part scores and a couple of ♥ contracts with the top scores being 5♦ & 1♥X. I was surprised at the 1♥X as these were competent pairs.

1♥x competently defended would score well if opps were vulnerable, as it is taking 300 out of 2♥x looks like it scores fine

[mw64ahw]

Cyberyeti, on 2023-May-16, 09:08, said:

1♥x competently defended would score well if opps were vulnerable, as it is taking 300 out of 2♥x looks like it scores fine

Both NV, but max IMPs

[jillybean]

Mike, thanks for your reply.

I am under no delusion that I have stumbled across a valuable new bridge concept that noone has considered before. I'd love to play on the Canadian Women's Team but the reality is, I'm not going to get there and my thrill will be placing in the overalls in an Open Pairs at a Regional. I play most of my bridge in club games, against some very good pairs but the majority are average club players. Of course I like to win but again, I am under no delusion that it is all my brilliant play. A number of top boards come from the mess that my opponents get themselves into or the overtricks they gift me. (As an aside, I was rarely successful and used to say I hated MP because I could never get the overtricks, now I can)

That brings me to why I would like to play 11-14 1NT overcalls, but know that if I am playing my best bridge, I shouldn't, hence the title of the post.
Like Multi, it could be fun! And unlike Multi, I am allowed to play it in North America.

Your comment about listing the positives, not negatives was fair. I am in Hawaii and I was on my way out to the Bridge Club, snorkeling and viewing the wild life.
I did say that I could go for a number and with more time and thought I would have added that giving up the strong NT overcall is a significant downside, it messes up the rest of my overcall system.

[jillybean]

Tramticket, on 2023-May-16, 07:15, said:

If you do the normal thing and pass with the West cards, do you imagine that partner will just fold up the cards and put them back in the bidding box?

---

What is your call? Only seeing your card of course.

[mw64ahw]

jillybean, on 2023-May-16, 11:35, said:

What is your call? Only seeing your card of course.

Takeout X with 6/5.5 modified losers, but partner's failure to bid raises the possibility of playing in a Moysian. North is too weak to support directly for me.

[mycroft]

[Edit: "What do I do with the East hand after 1♥-2♥?"] Double.

Much prefer it to 1NT on West's dreck. Yes, we bid 1NT for takeout on 4333s (and probably shouldn't), but they're very much on the top edge and with no wasted values. 11 including their Ace, and not 4 spades? No thanks. For why, swap the North and East hands. Just as likely. I guess the only thing I think is more dangerous is 1NT natural on that hand.

Am I going to find diamonds? Probably, but maybe not after 3♥ by South (*). Am I going to find 6 diamonds? You know, guessing 3 cards - Did North raise on "ace and out", did South bid with KQJxxx and the club Ace alone, or do we have this hand? - isn't exactly a sinecure. I mean, you know somebody bid light, and you know South has KQJxxx... Do they play Precision and open most 10 counts NV?

And whether you or I would raise on the North hand, with or without interference, there are people who do. They are more likely to raise in competition (either X or 1NT "double", or 1NT strong balanced, for that matter) than with a pass, but people do. And you have to be able to deal with it. Having said that, how do you do against 1♥-p-p?

* But I could see 1♥-p-2♥-X; 3♥-p-p-X getting floated at MPs. Ace-and-out and we should hold them to 5 trumps and the club for 500. Not 920, but still an okay score. Even 300 should get us somewhere.

[mycroft]

Sure, 11-14 NT overcalls are legal. Go for it.

But I am reminded of the call I took in Penticton some years ago. The opponents were not happy that they didn't Announce their weak NT overcall. The bidders said they were told they don't have to. A check of the (then, but still) regs and I came back with "Yes, it's legal, and no, you are not required to Announce the range of (natural) NT overcalls. However, if it doesn't promise 14, you have to Alert it."

I happened to check their table on Sunday in the Swiss, and they were playing 15-18 NT overcalls...

[jillybean]

mycroft, on 2023-May-16, 13:45, said:

Sure, 11-14 NT overcalls are legal. Go for it.

But I am reminded of the call I took in Penticton some years ago. The opponents were not happy that they didn't Announce their weak NT overcall. The bidders said they were told they don't have to. A check of the (then, but still) regs and I came back with "Yes, it's legal, and no, you are not required to Announce the range of (natural) NT overcalls. However, if it doesn't promise 14, you have to Alert it."

I happened to check their table on Sunday in the Swiss, and they were playing 15-18 NT overcalls...

So I'm a bit behind the times. I'm sure it's just a faze, like gambling 3nt, and if it ever gets on the card I will drop it after a few disasters.

Of course if we did play it I would alert a weak nt overcall, [sarcasm] everyone alerts when it is required don't they? I wouldn't want to gain any advantage by keeping it concealed [/sarcasm]

[thepossum]

Pass but I am so late to the party I imagine there aren't any decent nibbles left