Downgrading this out of a 14-16 NT is just silly. There's an AK sequence and a KQ sequence, a average number of 10s, it's really a pretty straight down the middle 14. The only way you are downgrading this is if your partner was the one who wanted to play 14-16 and you went along but secretly wanted to play 14+ to 17- instead. And citing K&R isn't going to convince me... I love K&R but only for suit contracts.
Upgrade to 1NT, playing 15-17 no special agreements #2 white vs red, 1st seat
#21
Posted 2014-November-14, 15:52
"One of the painful things about our time is that those who feel certainty are stupid, and those with any imagination and understanding are filled with doubt and indecision"
-- Bertrand Russell
-- Bertrand Russell
#22
Posted 2014-November-17, 06:57
mgoetze, on 2014-November-14, 15:52, said:
Downgrading this out of a 14-16 NT is just silly. There's an AK sequence and a KQ sequence, a average number of 10s, it's really a pretty straight down the middle 14. The only way you are downgrading this is if your partner was the one who wanted to play 14-16 and you went along but secretly wanted to play 14+ to 17- instead. And citing K&R isn't going to convince me... I love K&R but only for suit contracts.
I'm not interested in K+R for balanced hands either. And I wouldn't agree to 14-16 and then play 14+ to 17-. But I'd want to agree that "14-16" means 14+ to 17- (and if p didn't agree, well, I'd play 14-16 straight).
"Pass is your friend" - my brother in law - who likes to bid a lot.
#23
Posted 2014-November-17, 07:49
I'm struggling to grasp why you'd downgrade this out of 14-16 straight NT range though as Bill Patch is advocating. Like.. really? Maybe if it was match points and you wanted to be with the field on a 1C-1M-1NT auction or something, but even then. I'm going to be much happier when I get the entire hand of my chest with 1 bid, and that bid is 1NT (playing a 14-16, as I do). Then I'm much better positioned for any subsequent auction, and I've got 3-3 in the majors so none of the usual concerns about playing in a 5-2 major fit apply.
Maybe if it was the totally garbage J65 Q42 AQT KQ82 or something similar (Q65 Q42 AQT KJ82), but the hand at question is a lot better than that.
Plus partner 'knows' that you don't have a decent 14 and thus is much less likely to invite than the field (he's going to be inviting hoping for game opposite a good 12, so plenty of stuff your supermax '13' is going to make game against is going to pass 1NT imho, like so-so 11 counts), so I'm not even sure that is a good idea.
Maybe if it was the totally garbage J65 Q42 AQT KQ82 or something similar (Q65 Q42 AQT KJ82), but the hand at question is a lot better than that.
Plus partner 'knows' that you don't have a decent 14 and thus is much less likely to invite than the field (he's going to be inviting hoping for game opposite a good 12, so plenty of stuff your supermax '13' is going to make game against is going to pass 1NT imho, like so-so 11 counts), so I'm not even sure that is a good idea.