Interesting hand 14

Recently picked up this splendid hand KJ73 void AKJ863 AKJ. 20 nice points and a void!.Are you going to open 1 or a strong 2? Unfortunately the player on my right was dealer and opened 1NT. What do you now bid?

Also later in the evening my partner picked up K963 KJ52 AJ86 5. Would you open this hand? If you would what would you rebid over partner's response of 2?

 

The replies

You do pick up interesting hands.
On this hand I would bid 2D to show 8 playing tricks, expecting my partner to cue bid an aces if holding any, your system etc. That would immediately show whether a slam was on.
If RH0 had opened 1NT I would assume that they held AQ of spades, a good hearts holding and both minor queens.
I would therefore double. There are many things that could happen subsequently, all of which I have considered when doubling but as you haven't asked about the possible sequence of events I'll just answer what you did ask.

On the hand your partner picked up, I would open, 1 Heart, then after a 2 Club response I would simply b id 2 diamonds.

I'm always interested in your comments. In fact I find it fascinating and could willingly spend a lot of time doing this instead of getting on with the increasing number of chores that await me.

Over one no trump I would probably double and await events. Cannot say what the final outcome would be, possibly game in diamonds or even a slam somewhere

The second hand is tricky. I might no bid because these sort of hands often do not play as well as the points suggest. If I opened it would be one heart and rebid two diamonds if partner responded two clubs. If you play 5 card majors what do you do? Open one diamond and rebid two diamonds !

I would double first hoping to get a big penalty if it was not removed. If taken out I am going to bid diamonds at at at least the 3 level. Bit worried by lack of hearts with the double but a great feature in a diamond game. The second hand I would open one heart and rebid two diamonds

What actually happened

I doubled and the bid came round to the opener who bid 3 hearts. So I reckoned 1NT was some sort of pyshe bid so I bid 4 hearts. Must be a forcing bid. Partner bid 4 spades and the opener bid 5hearts, so I bid 5 spades and after this strong bidding partner passed holding AQ in spades, so 6 would make. Partner could respond 4 on no points and a spade suit headed by the 10. Bizarre

The second hand partner opened 1 and over my 2 then bid 2. Surely this shows a good hand (not what he had!!), and I went on to 3NT, two down.Over my 2 partner has to "lie" and bid 2, the least of all evils!There is an excelent case for NOT opening the second hand because 4-4-4-1 hands need to be down valued

So the experts can get it completely wrong