keylime

Normally, a double sets up a forcing pass auction through 4 of a minor. I use Steve Robinson's agreements in Washington Standard with regards to this bid; I find them logical and well-presented.

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I read it, and immediately resumed eating lunch. Blah blah.

I think passing on this hand when you have a decent suit is losing bridge. I will remain mute on who stated this rather contrary statement. Whoever said that most would pass, hasn't play around here in D.C. lately. The texture of this suit is excellent, you do have 2 quicks, and you hold a doubleton spade. Green light values to take one stab at the pot.

1. G/F is most methods unless you play Gazzilli. 2. In expert standard, nonforcing, since you have new minor forcing available to you. Without checkback or nmf, nonforcing, since you can jump to 3H to force.

I voted for the 4 card majors and big club, since that's what I'm playing currently. The transition wouldn't be as hard as it would be for something else.

1. I like 2NT here, but 3C is close. 2. I play over their 2D this: double is ability to hit one or both of their majors. With this hand there is great merit to bidding 3NT, to play, and letting the defense figure out how to defend. The problem I have with bidding 2NT to force 3C, is you might get 3H/S pass/correct bid to be endplayed in the bidding. KISS method here, is highly underrated.

Double. Nice cozy bid.

3S for me. The J-x-x of hearts is a downer. 4S maybe white on red depending on opps' quality.

Silence is golden. I pass and lie in wait. Unless declarer is very competent or cautious, the 5-0 split will get them to do the "oh crap!" routine.

Mike, Part of the reason for my involvement in this thread, was to examine whether the active style we have was optimal or not. With the frequency of preempts being high, I had thought that being active early would benefit partner - after this thread tho, I'm not so sure if this is the way to go. There's certain parallels to this as in let's say, handling weak NT openings where you tend to be more constructive in bidding versus the aggressive strong NT defenses. Hence my changing thoughts about whether this is really "sound" and "rational". Both Phil, Han, and you have given me much food for thought.

According to the "rules" (yeah I know loaded comment) the ACBL bars any treatment that would be deemed "destructive" to the opponents' methods. There were a couple of appeals from prior casebooks if memory served coupled with other developments that lead to the "13 card bid of 1♠" being barred. FWIW, our 1S in our strong defense is the 13 card bid with shortness of spades, thusly "legal" in the eyes of Big Brother.

Pass for me, followed by a gulp of my rum and coke.

Han, with the given hand, at the wrong colors it may not be safe. The clubs are not as much the issue as the Q-x of spades which is an unknown value. My shortness in diamonds is attractive but the soft spade holding isn't. On 12-14 counts the best holding pard could have is the AS, the AH, and the AQ of clubs, and I'd expect a double with that hand unless it is square. At favorable colors I probably come in versus unfavorable.

I tested it on my Mac tonight and it worked very well. Huge grins erupted when the knowledge of being able to play BBO and not having to deal with emulation software hit me - I bought software for the sake of playing BBO and doing one other program that the Mac could not do.

The balanced 12-14 handtype makes sense in this context - I can't see doubling with this hand and having pard bid 3♠ in response. Would pard then double on 12-14 with 2/3 dead in their suit? With 2 dead there is some merit to doubling but not on 3 dead.

I tend to agree with Justin. Not a probable action here.

I'm quite versed in the never preempt a preempt deal. It was burned into my psyche when I was greenhorn a few years ago. Since we are hyperactive in 2nd seat, pard knows to give us some room with regards to invites and such, and we have agreements to cater to a slightly larger range. Preempts being of the aggressive nature these days has helped to determine our above average overcalling style. Phil, if I held xxxx and pard didn't act, why would you balance? Furthermore as an adjunct, how sensitive are we to colors and such?

Justin, Since you're staring at a 1 loser suit, making a trump asking bid is rather futile. :-)

Justin, With the given restraints, there are certain bids that wouldn't work very well: 1. 5S = well you're staring at good trumps so that doesn't work 2. 4S = giving up on a possible slam 3. 4NT = what's 4NT, RKC? quant? 4. 4H = why are we lying about our major lengths? I vote for the least damaging bid: 4D. Call it the "all purpose forward going bid". It gives just enough space for responder to do the right thing.

I voted for the K-J-x-x holding because normally I'm hyperactive in 2nd seat. If I couldn't find a call there, my 4th seat balance better be reasonable (I might balance on K-T-x-x or A-T-x-x but that wasn't listed). I've been doubled balancing on similar handtypes down a lot because I felt honor-bound to balance until RHO pounded it and my J-x-x-x suit didn't amount to anything opposite 2 dead in the dummy.

The major item of interest for me, was the sizable increase of masterpoints that are going to be offered in certain areas: - club games now can offer up to 2.5 MPs a shot with section awards remaining at 1.5 (at .10 per table which is the normal rate) - Swiss matches increase (I'm somewhat happy to see this) - overall awards start at 16 tables and up (makes sense from above) - match awards for A/X increase by 20% (I like this) - strength awards will be uniform (I REALLY like this) It seems that they attempting to provide some equity to things. This is a positive.

I wish I had some form of G/B 2NT here. I agree about 2NT being 6-4 in minors locally; have had it used against me twice. I will not sit a double here, and I probably pull directly.

Ditto Phil in every area.

I'm going for the gusto here: 5C. Why wimp out at 4C making 150?! <making chicken sounds>