[RSClyde]

Kind of a silly question but... yeah. What kinds of hands do you find that favor your style/approach/strengths? What kind tend to be bad for you?
I assume that most of us tend to play in fields in which we are above average, so we probably prefer situations which test basic skill, like a bad trump split: it's bad for everyone but the stronger player will cope better.
Or delicate slams that require some good agreements to bid. What else?
For me:

I'll do well on hands that involve:
Delicate low level balancing.
Balanced hands with lots of HCPs and a major suit fit (we routinely play those in no trump and rake up the matchpoints doing so).

I hate hands that:
It's right to take a high level push, (5 over 5).
Have stiff K's or Q's. I find the O/D potential impossible to evaluate and they seem to fit poorly into the system.

[FrancesHinden]

 RSClyde, on 2013-September-07, 17:53, said:

I assume that most of us tend to play in fields in which we are above average

Why? Surely the way to improve is play against better people, and where's the satisfaction in winning if you are the best pair there?
When I enter a teams event I may be above average compared to the field as a whole, but the whole point of either Swiss or KO events (or indeed leagues) is that you end up playing against people of a similar standard to yourself.

Anyway

I like hands on which I gain imps
I hate hands on which I lose imps

(sometimes it's been suggested that I'm a bit too competitive...)

[RSClyde]

 FrancesHinden, on 2013-September-08, 03:02, said:

Why? Surely the way to improve is play against better people, and where's the satisfaction in winning if you are the best pair there?
When I enter a teams event I may be above average compared to the field as a whole, but the whole point of either Swiss or KO events (or indeed leagues) is that you end up playing against people of a similar standard to yourself.

Anyway

I like hands on which I gain imps
I hate hands on which I lose imps

(sometimes it's been suggested that I'm a bit too competitive...)

Because external constraints prohibit you from always playing in the most optimum field. Yes, playing in a national event, I assume that we are in range of the other pairs. Playing at my local club... well it's probably a little different. Now which do you think is going to be easier to do when you a few hours to kill and $10?

[aguahombre]

Playing against a weaker field at pairs, I believe our biggest gains come not from our style, gadgets, and methods but rather from the opponents' failure to grasp when and how to apply theirs.

1)They open weak two's with cards everywhere outside.
2)They fail to raise partner in competition, giving us room.
3)They walk the dog, giving us room.
4)They make takeout doubles with support for all four suits.
5)They pass 1/1/1 losing the race to 1NT.
6)They don't open NT when they should.
7)They continue bidding with the same values they already showed.
8)They gratuitously double cuebids, just in case Pard didn't notice they have bid that suit.

The list goes on and on.

[ggwhiz]

I'm fond of 5-4-3-1 shapes.

With so many potential landing spots I get to do more bidding whether it's lighter balancing through extra values where I get to bid my 3 pieces last and play the occasional moyse from the 3 card side. Fun hands to play and often the best contract.

[awm]

I like:

1. Hands where we defend a normal contract.
2. Hands where opponents open strong club.
3. Hands where opponents open 1m natural in a weak notrump base.
4. Hands where partner opens with a preempt.
5. Hands where I have a good 7-card major and 11-15 high.

I don't like:

1. Hands where partner has a crazy distribution.
2. Hands where we have a difficult slam decision without detailed agreements.
3. Hands where opponents open a (sound) preempt.
4. Hands where we need a director ruling.

[fromageGB]

 RSClyde, on 2013-September-08, 07:20, said:

Now which do you think is going to be easier to do when you a few hours to kill and $10?

Expensive bridge in your neck of the woods, unless the £ has risen dramatically. £2 to £3 here.
Love the hands where we open 1♣ and we get to use some of our more unusual transfer stuff. It's fun.
Hate it when opps can't see that transfers over 1♣ when balanced is exactly the same principle as them transferring over 1NT, and think it shouldn't be allowed.

[PhilG007]

I have 3 types of hands that are my bête noir
1. Hands with bad trump splits
2. Hands where all finesses fail.
3 Hands that are total misfits

[RSClyde]

 fromageGB, on 2013-September-08, 13:47, said:

Expensive bridge in your neck of the woods, unless the £ has risen dramatically. £2 to £3 here.
Love the hands where we open 1♣ and we get to use some of our more unusual transfer stuff. It's fun.
Hate it when opps can't see that transfers over 1♣ when balanced is exactly the same principle as them transferring over 1NT, and think it shouldn't be allowed.

Well I might get back some change

I play transfers over 1♣. You get some interesting reactions, like people who trap against your artificial suit.
Or this auction:
1♣ 1♥ (alert, shows spades)
1nt 2♥
at this point one of the opponents frequently gets this look like "Aha! It didn't really show spades!"
I guess systematic bids can't have followups.

[losercover]

I like hands where the system I play makes bidding simpler and more successful than the field plays. Finding games and slams that are missed and staying out of bad contracts. I don't like hands where I have to guess. I've played a stupid number of hands with robots and am forced to guess, because the tin can can't bid correctly. I win more than my fair share and eat it on some. When I guess right... when I guess wrong... Skill should count for more.

[Zelandakh]

 awm, on 2013-September-08, 12:39, said:

I like:

3. Hands where opponents open 1m natural in a weak notrump base.

I am surprised about this one Adam. The 1m openings are a strongpoint in (English) Acol. Perhaps you mean within a 5 card major system though.

As for the OP, I like hands where I can systemically bid more aggressively than the field, particularly with weak hands. I also enjoy slam hands in general and the occasional baby psyche. What I dislike are hands where my partner and I do not have the right agreement to handle scientifically. Since I am never the strongest card player in a field, I also dislike hands that are decided purely through (my) card play. It is probably 50-50 whether that is good or not but I sure feel bad on the times when I do not make the star play.

[CamHenry]

I like:
- hands where I hold 9-15 balanced, third in nonvul, following two passes
- hands where I have enough shape to justify a light (9+) opening
- very strong 2-suiters, since partner and I have comparative system advantages here

I dislike:
- hands where I'm missing Qxxx of trumps and have a two-way guess
- hands where oppo open my suit

[Vampyr]

 fromageGB, on 2013-September-08, 13:47, said:

Expensive bridge in your neck of the woods, unless the £ has risen dramatically. £2 to £3 here.

Really? Wow, want to play in your clubs.

[billw55]

I love penalty doubles. If I haven't sent someone for 500 or more I generally consider the session a failure. Well, maybe that's an exaggeration, but not much.

[mgoetze]

I like opening with 14 HCP balanced.

[aguahombre]

 mgoetze, on 2013-September-10, 10:42, said:

I like opening with 14 HCP balanced.

Yes, but are you a suiter or a notrumper?

[RSClyde]

 billw55, on 2013-September-10, 09:04, said:

I love penalty doubles. If I haven't sent someone for 500 or more I generally consider the session a failure. Well, maybe that's an exaggeration, but not much.

Agreed, getting to use the red card is generally good news.

[manudude03]

I like:
1. Hands where I can open a non-standard pre-empt.
2. 5-3 major suit fits. In club fields, many can't diagnose these, especially in ACOL-land.
3. (related to 2.) having a 5 card suit when partner opens then raises.
4. AAA balanced 12 count hands. I find these are really undervalued.

I hate:
1. 54(31) INV+ hands opposite a 1NT opener.
2. (23)44 hands opposite a 1NT opener just shy of a 4NT bid, especially at MPs!
3. Opponents finding a superior 5-2 fit when they don't play 1H-1S-3H as promising 6 (plus it's never disclosed ).
4. Wild misfitting hands.

[PhilKing]

I get a warm fuzzy feeling when I pick up a 4333 with no tens, particularly if I hold 11 points.

[Cyberyeti]

I like low point count minor suit slams that come from a 1m opener, particularly with a 4-4 fit.

And to Vampyr, it's £2 at the club I play at in Norwich, London is another planet from that PoV.