[benlessard]

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Whats the pts ranges here of North here ?

How many pts do you need to be to be too strong to pass (holding long spades) on round 1 ?

[PhantomSac]

The first one is not strong, it is just very good spades and a hand willing to play 2S. For instance KQJT9x xxx AKx x would want to play 2S. It could be even less on high cards with a 7th spade or w/e. If you have a strong hand you start with auction 2. Auction 2 starts around the low end of a strong NT with good spades, something like AQJTx Ax xxx Axx would clearly double and I think it could be lighter than that. It depends on how good your spades/controls are, and with what kind of hands you would overcall 1N with (for instance r/w I think more people just overcall 1N even with spades as a primary suit, whereas w/r people pass and double far more often, as they should).

I think there is basically no upper limit, when your primary suit is spades you should often start with pass to describe that; when you bid later it will be known you have spades. If you have more you can catch up later. I mean I suppose if you have like a 2C opener with spades (23 points or something) at this vul you have to bid since the risk of all pass is great, but it is unlikely that you ever hold that.

[mikeh]

The only thing I would add to Justin's post is that there would be (very rare) hands on which one might choose to bid more spades in the balancing seat. 4♠, for example. You'd have no slam interest opposite partner's passed hand, and you expect to make game, so the hand would be rare.

I wonder what 3♠ should mean? I can see it as either a strong 2♣ type of hand with long spades, or as quasi-preemptive (but expecting to have a play). The first meaning would make sense only if you decided that such a hand is effectively trapped, initially, by the opening bid...which is a reasonable take since doubling then spades may be confusing.

[whereagles]

If I recall correctly, auction 2 is defined by Mike Lawrence as "take-out or penalty", meaning partner looks at his hand and (supposedly) figures out which is the case.

Take-out is like 8-11 and 1444ish shape.
Penalty is like "pass and lead a spade please".

[benlessard]

Thx Justin

My gut feeling was 2S, 9-14 , pass and X 15-20 (2 ways X is ok here imo as long as its a perfect takeout with 0 or 1 Spade) and 21+ you start with X. With 21 or more I would start being afraid that it go AP.

If the opps are vul ill be upping the range by 2 pts and probably pass even if im 22+