Rather than bid with the field and gain in declarer play, I believe backing my bidding judgment can gain as well. Much more than the typical field player I sometimes upgrade (or downgrade) into or out of the NT range. Sooner or later this will bite me in the ass, but I need to back my judgment when needed. (See recent articles by Woolsey in Bridgewinners) Here are a few recent examples:
1)Partner holds A9xx AJx Axx Axx and is either old enuf (88) or has listened to me enuf to treat 4 aces as 17, therefore NOT open 1NT. I hold Q108x KQxx xxx xx and it goes 1C-1H-1S-2S-4S. At most or the other tables it goes 1NT-float. Well this isn't the greatest game in the world even after avoiding the killing diamond lead (LHO held Kx 9xxxx Q10 Jxxx) but with Kx spades with opening leader, 420 is an absolute top. The flip side is that just getting to spades wins, as +170is 14/17 and +140 is an average. The upgrade for 4 aces won the board.
2) I hold AQ108 Qxx AQ10 10xx. Well the 4333 and unsupported heart queen are drawbacks, but I DO have 3 tens, two of then in important AQ holdings, and my evaluation tells me these are worth at least 1HCP, so the worst this hand can be worth is 14 1/2+. I open 1NT and catch partner with Jxx AKJ9x xx xxx and not all are in the game. Our 650 was 16/17 and even 620 was 15/17.
3) Holding K109 K108xx Axx KJ with only 5 controls and ugly club holding, this is probably not quite worth an upgrade, but those lovely major spots lulled me into opening 1NT in a team game. Partner held a 10 count with 3=1=5=4 distribution, so had I opened 1H it would have died in 1NT (not forcing). Soft defense led to +660 opposite partscore at other table. The KR calculator dubbed this at 14.45, so just a tenth off of a legitimate upgrade.
While these don't always work I';ve found that getting to a making game on 14 opposite 10 (or 9-11) happens quite often. Also, partner never plays me for an upgrade, always a normal 15-17, as he should.
He does know however that I tend to upgrades very good 17s with spots and long suits.
I also tend
1)Partner holds A9xx AJx Axx Axx and is either old enuf (88) or has listened to me enuf to treat 4 aces as 17, therefore NOT open 1NT. I hold Q108x KQxx xxx xx and it goes 1C-1H-1S-2S-4S. At most or the other tables it goes 1NT-float. Well this isn't the greatest game in the world even after avoiding the killing diamond lead (LHO held Kx 9xxxx Q10 Jxxx) but with Kx spades with opening leader, 420 is an absolute top. The flip side is that just getting to spades wins, as +170is 14/17 and +140 is an average. The upgrade for 4 aces won the board.
2) I hold AQ108 Qxx AQ10 10xx. Well the 4333 and unsupported heart queen are drawbacks, but I DO have 3 tens, two of then in important AQ holdings, and my evaluation tells me these are worth at least 1HCP, so the worst this hand can be worth is 14 1/2+. I open 1NT and catch partner with Jxx AKJ9x xx xxx and not all are in the game. Our 650 was 16/17 and even 620 was 15/17.
3) Holding K109 K108xx Axx KJ with only 5 controls and ugly club holding, this is probably not quite worth an upgrade, but those lovely major spots lulled me into opening 1NT in a team game. Partner held a 10 count with 3=1=5=4 distribution, so had I opened 1H it would have died in 1NT (not forcing). Soft defense led to +660 opposite partscore at other table. The KR calculator dubbed this at 14.45, so just a tenth off of a legitimate upgrade.
While these don't always work I';ve found that getting to a making game on 14 opposite 10 (or 9-11) happens quite often. Also, partner never plays me for an upgrade, always a normal 15-17, as he should.
He does know however that I tend to upgrades very good 17s with spots and long suits.
I also tend
Having fun with upgrades