[mike777]

Fwiw2

If you want your partners to open aggressively,
As responder don't make thin invites on 9-11 range hands without great distribution that really "boosts" the value of the hand.

[Zelandakh]

mycroft, on 2024-October-31, 10:41, said:

And okay, "you have to do something". At matchpoints, it's probably right.

I'll ask again since Mike doesn't want to answer - what are you doing?

[mycroft]

mike777, on 2024-October-31, 12:59, said:

Fwiw2

If you want your partners to open aggressively,
As responder don't make thin invites on 9-11 range hands without great distribution that really "boosts" the value of the hand.

I don't really care about partners opening aggressively; I don't want them to decide they have to misbid their off-shape 16s to avoid missing cold games.

Whether it's 1NT on a stiff ♥K, or jumpshifting because "well, last time you passed a clear invite", I want partner to trust that I will look for game with a potential 26 HCP and not fool around. Even if it means getting to the 3 level on a (fit auction!) 21.

Or, you know, play a limited opener system that doesn't have to bid the same way with a 3=5=1=4 11 count as a 1=5=2=5 17 count.

[mycroft]

Zelandakh, on 2024-October-31, 17:37, said:

I'll ask again since Mike doesn't want to answer - what are you doing?

Me? I'm passing. I've seen Gavin Wolpert get away with bad 2-level overcalls, but I've seen Meckwell get away with bidding every 24 HCP game that flies by, and I don't do that either because I don't play as well as they do.

But Mike is probably correct that on average, a 2♦ call is both effective and matchpoint EV+. It's just so awful when it's wrong. And if partner isn't completely onboard with eating the zeroes when they happen and taking the (mild, but frequent) plusses when they happen, it's not worth the hassle.

Every time I say something like this, I get comments from good players (who I trust! Who I believe are right, for their partnerships!) that "if you think this is enough to hurt a partnership, you must be a lot more sensitive than you should be". And yeah, maybe it's true. But I hear the griping from 3 of 9 opponents today when their partner did something "obviously stupid", and wonder: "what if they did something dangerous but EV+, and went for a number this time?"