thad3

Thanks for the advice against the lead-directing double. Obviously if a have a long strong suit I just bid it, assuming that the prospect for a profitable sacrifice outweighs the downside of information provided to the opponents if they play. The two-suited situation (assume 5-5 or better) seems riskier because it depends more on what my partner has. If he is 1-2 in my suits, but has a stack in the major they would play in he won't be happy if he is forced to bid one of mine if opener chooses to pass my call. I'm trying to come up with the cases in which an interfering call would make sense after opponents' 2/1.

The ACBL website has two documents covering alerts: http://web2.acbl.org/documentLibrary/play/AlertChart.pdf https://web2.acbl.org/documentLibrary/play/AlertProcedures.pdf The Alert Chart says that doubles, redoubles, and passes are alerted if they are "highly unusual or [have] unexpected meanings". The Alert Procedures gives examples, including several examples of lead-directing doubles with no alert. So no alerts needed for lead-directing.

What prompted the question was an auction where in that position I made a double. My intent was lead directing, but partner misunderstood. The opponents got the contact and I didn't get the lead I wanted. Partner thought that the double was for takeout, but that didn't make sense to me given the 2/1 at that point. Would you use a double for lead? I would think that a 2-suited bid would have to be very good given the strength shown by the opponents. I suppose a double could be for the other two suits, but at least 5-5. Would you play 2NT for the minors?

The opponents are playing 2/1 GF. Let's say the bidding was 1h-p-2c-?. What calls might you make in 4th seat? Why?

Thanks for the suggestion. How do I look at the profile from the app?

I enjoy playing both individual tournaments and drop-in (first available) casual games using the Android BBO app. I notice, however, that I sometimes get in bad contracts because of assumptions about partner's conventions. Recently I was kicked out of a game after bidding 3H, supporting partner's suit, after a 2/1 sequence that I assumed was forcing. It must have made 6 or 7 (I was scuttled after partner looked at dummy and realized the underbid). Partner and I both had BBO numeric ranks showing, so I assumed he was playing 2/1GF. Is there a recommended way of handling agreements in casual games? It doesn't seem right to ask or tell during the auction.

Thanks, all, for the helpful comments. I am leaning towards adopting the approach suggested by rmnka447, as it is more compatible with our existing understandings. Here was the full layout: [hv=pc=n&s=skj63hq95d9ckj975&w=saq9hkjt87432dq5c&n=st875hdt873ca8632&e=s42ha6dakj642cqt4]399|300[/hv] Double dummy EW makes 7♥ or 10 ♦.

[hv=pc=n&w=saq9hkjt87432dq5c&e=s32ha6dakj642cqt4]266|100[/hv] My occasional partner and I had a bid misunderstanding in a local game and got a bottom board. When E opened 1♦, I, as West, wanted to explore slam in ♥, but we ended up playing in a splinter suit. It makes 7♥. Playing 2/1, how would you explore for slam?