brown267

I've heard that you re-open with a double when LHO overcalls your opener (and everyone else passes) with a hand like this: [hv=pc=n&s=s2hkt74dak83cqjt2&d=s&v=0&b=11&a=1c1spp]133|200[/hv] The rationale is that partner might have a good hand with good cards in the overcaller's suit (spades in this case), and can pass your double for penalties; else he/she has a poor hand, in which case you want to prevent the opponents from stealing the contract at such a low level anyway. That makes sense, but then what should you do with these types of hands? Is making the natural bid or doubling better? ( a )[hv=pc=n&s=sakqj763h52da2c75&d=s&v=0&b=11&a=1s2hpp]133|200[/hv] ( b )[hv=pc=n&s=saqt763h5dackjt87&d=s&v=0&b=11&a=1s2dpp]133|200[/hv] ( c )[hv=pc=n&s=saqhakt85dqjt73ck&d=s&v=0&b=11&a=1h2dpp]133|200[/hv] ( d )[hv=pc=n&s=sa5hakq85dkj7cq93&d=s&v=n&b=15&a=1h2cpp]133|200|This might result in an awkward situation if partner rebids 2 spades with only 4 spades.[/hv] Take note that NS are vulnerable and this is duplicate MPs, so failing to double might see EW gain 80-90% even when 4 or 5 down as most NS pairs would be making game.

Duplicate MPs, EW vulnerable: [hv=pc=n&w=sakq742h7dakqj64c&d=s&v=0&b=11&a=1c]133|200[/hv] At the table I doubled and East passed for penalties (holding ♣KQJ10xx). This ended up down 4 (declarer scored ♣A and ♥AK), so 800 points to EW. I thought this was pretty good until I saw almost any other table had made a 6♦ or 6♠ slam. So is there any way to force partner to bid after an opponent has opened showing a freak two-suiter of any kind? Michaels and Unusual NT would not work here because both would show length in hearts, and an overcall might be passed out.

I received the following North hand on an express tournament in BBO a few months ago: [hv=pc=n&n=sk7hakqj965d7cj65]133|100[/hv] I thought that my luck was extremely good (for once) and opened 1♥. East passed and then South raised to 4♥ (I had 7 hearts, so I assumed that his raise was a game raise and not preemptive). I was expecting 4♥ to comfortably make (I had seven tricks in my own hand) when I had a rude shock: West bid 5♦. I sort of panicked after that as I had never seen a high-level overcall before. In the end, I chose to bid 5♥ because I was very worried that West might make 5♦ on his hand alone. What should I actually have done in the situation, bid 5♥ like I did, double for penalties or pass and shove the decision to my partner? (For those who are interested, the full layout was as follows: [hv=pc=n&s=sq6ht743dj2cakt42&w=st32hdakqt98643cq&n=sk7hakqj965d7cj65&e=saj9854h82d5c9873&d=n&v=0&b=1&a=1hp4h5d5hppp]399|300[/hv] As you can see, 5♥ could and should have made, but I made the stupid mistake of trumping West's second-round diamond with a small heart and got overtrumped by East, and so went one down. :( )

A few days ago, I was dealt this hand as West at a bridge game (South was dealer, EW vulnerable): [hv=pc=n&w=sjt95hq7dajt762c3]133|100[/hv] South opened the bidding with 1♣, and I overcalled 1♦. North then bid 4♣, suggesting that he had at least 5 clubs. Surprisingly, my partner then bid 5♦, implying that he held 6 diamonds. South then bid 6♣ (I strongly suspected that he held the void in diamonds and a lot of clubs). Despite being vulnerable, I decided to take my chances bidding to the 'level of the fit' and bid 6 diamonds. Obviously South doubled me. The layout turned out to be: [hv=pc=n&s=sa7hj9853dcakj764&w=sjt95hq7dajt762c3&n=sq8hakt62dqcqt982&e=sk6432h4dk98543c5]399|300[/hv] So, with hindsight, I was 'correct' to bid 6♦ (we were down 2, costing us 500 points, while the opponents would have made 500+120 points with their slam (drawing trumps, cashing all their hearts and winning ♠A)). However, what should actually have been done in the situation (or in similar situations where you have a weak hand but a massive fit in another suit)? EDIT: Sorry I forgot to mention that we were playing rubber bridge and NS had earlier made 1♥.