05-26-2013, 11:54 PM
(This post was last modified: 09-18-2013, 10:45 AM by ToreadorElder.)
I formulated adjusted meld for a couple situations:
1. 14 meld, no aces around but 6 aces. I sure want to encourage partner.
2. SOOOO many yahoos think any 16 is 20, and they get their partners overboard. Sometimes it's their partner's fault for unrealistic expectations, but other times it's just a serious overstatement. Remember: I expect 15 from my freely-passed partner (that is, he had a way to show 20 and passed). 16 meld with no tricks...that's spot on. So there's no need to give 20.
9 card suits without a run are tricky, but ask yourself: do you meet 35-7-6? You have the trump length, and you probably have the tricks. Add your trick points (2.5 points per trick) to your meld. Do you have 35? Generally, you need something additional, but if you're really shapely:
it's worth taking a chance. Note that this is a 10 trick hand.
Another case, albeit rare: I'll open this
I have 8 tricks total playing in spades and cashing my short aces, perhaps *1* anywhere else. I don't care that I have no trump ace. I have plenty of meld with the double pino. This hand makes 60 on its own, with NOTHING from partner...no meld, and not 1 trick.
EDIT: mick pointed out the original posting had only 19 cards. I added the.
Runs are nice, but they're just meld. Meld can be critical in a competitive auction, but may not be in a non-competitive one. Let's say you have this hand:
In first seat, you open 52. Opponents will both pass.
#1: Partner bids 53. You bid 54, partner passes. You have to bid 54, then name SPADES. Partner just saved, so in diamonds you may only have 26 meld or so. You need to pull too much. In spades, you only need 20, and the diamonds aren't good enough to make up for the meld loss.
#2: Partner bids 54 or more. He doesn't have a suit. You do. You bid 1 more, and name DIAMONDS, which is the much safer trump suit. You figure to win about 4 tricks with your diamonds, plus the 2 aces, and you're much better protected against a terrible trump position against you just because you have 2 more.
1. 14 meld, no aces around but 6 aces. I sure want to encourage partner.
2. SOOOO many yahoos think any 16 is 20, and they get their partners overboard. Sometimes it's their partner's fault for unrealistic expectations, but other times it's just a serious overstatement. Remember: I expect 15 from my freely-passed partner (that is, he had a way to show 20 and passed). 16 meld with no tricks...that's spot on. So there's no need to give 20.
9 card suits without a run are tricky, but ask yourself: do you meet 35-7-6? You have the trump length, and you probably have the tricks. Add your trick points (2.5 points per trick) to your meld. Do you have 35? Generally, you need something additional, but if you're really shapely:
it's worth taking a chance. Note that this is a 10 trick hand.
Another case, albeit rare: I'll open this
I have 8 tricks total playing in spades and cashing my short aces, perhaps *1* anywhere else. I don't care that I have no trump ace. I have plenty of meld with the double pino. This hand makes 60 on its own, with NOTHING from partner...no meld, and not 1 trick.
EDIT: mick pointed out the original posting had only 19 cards. I added the
.Runs are nice, but they're just meld. Meld can be critical in a competitive auction, but may not be in a non-competitive one. Let's say you have this hand:
In first seat, you open 52. Opponents will both pass.
#1: Partner bids 53. You bid 54, partner passes. You have to bid 54, then name SPADES. Partner just saved, so in diamonds you may only have 26 meld or so. You need to pull too much. In spades, you only need 20, and the diamonds aren't good enough to make up for the meld loss.
#2: Partner bids 54 or more. He doesn't have a suit. You do. You bid 1 more, and name DIAMONDS, which is the much safer trump suit. You figure to win about 4 tricks with your diamonds, plus the 2 aces, and you're much better protected against a terrible trump position against you just because you have 2 more.