pooltuna

If partner can't reopen sometimes you'll write a silly result like +250. That's the way takeout doubles work: sometimes partner can't reopen and you can't get 800 but they work better than penalty doubles because next time (I mean the next 10000 times) you'll have x AQJT Axxx QJxx and you'd rather you had agreed to play takeout doubles. It is a (very nearly) identical situation to 1m-p-1H-(2S) - if you have 17 with 4135 you can pass and if partner cant reopen sometimes you miss a penalty, but you have the huge bonus of being able to double for takeout when instead of 4-1 in the majors you're 1-3 or 0-3 or 2-3 or 2-2.Your choice for an example of a TOX, IMO shows you are overrating the advantages of a TOX in this situation. Support with support!!

7 NT may be a safer contract as you will have two possible suits to run if partner has the ♣K as well as the ♥AQ

RKC assuming 2♥ is a positive response. Most players realize a positive response needs some suit quality as well

What I am trying to point out is a hand with ♠ and invitational or near GF opposite a minimal advancer may be better off playing the double as penalty since asking partner to reopen with minimal values tends to create too wide a variation in side values

If this is takeout does this make 2♠ by the opps nearly a risk free bid? No? Partner is allowed to reopen with a double which you will always pass with 4 good spades. Partner can also pass your takeout double if he has 4 good spades. If your opponents play penalty doubles on this auction you should preempt 2S more often, not less, as they will have a really hard time bidding in the far more frequent cases that they have a takeout X shape. So partner is expected to make a reopening X with [hv=s=sxhkxxxdqxxxcjxxx]133|100|[/hv] ?

If this is takeout does this make 2♠ by the opps nearly a risk free bid?

my plan is to pass here and see if partner has a penalty X of their runout suit.

Double, The clowns I usually end up getting as partners either never play forcing pass or don't consider this a forcing pass auction so I will try to get what I can.

The problem is that they are red vs white and 2♥ by good opps does not make sense except as good suits ready to handle a double

assuming no F1NT and 4♣=splinter partner should hold a max of 3♠ (or 4 trashy ones), a max of 2♥ so with a stiff♣ he is left with 7♦ he should probably hold 3 key cards in the non♣ suits. This should not conflict with 3♣ as invitational

Won't be the first time :P But you did tell us that the opponents were playing Muiderberg not Flannery.

Is really a terrible double when... YES! How do you know clubs are badly placed? How do you know declarer has more than one diamond? Are you really touting the massive strength of T532 of trumps? You act like I'm passing with KQJ98 of hearts or something lol. Our trumps suck, we have no aces, our hand is balanced, double is nothing but random wild speculation. Sure if your opponents are beginners or having a terrible misunderstanding then double will work (though passing gets a good score anyway). But why should that be the case? The proof is in the pudding! May we see the whole hand please OP! This is not MP BTW. Last I checked the more points you earned the more IMPs you got.

Is this really a terrible double when ♣s and ♦s are placed badly for declarer, trumps are breaking badly and big enough to cause over ruff problems in ♣ and while ♠ are an unknown nevertheless they also rate to be badly placed? Do you EVER double for penalties? :P

So what do you do with [hv=s=skqxhxxxxxdaxcxxx]133|100|[/hv]

3♣ is terrible even if it is a limit raise. Partner could be 4333. If you want to show your hand as a limit raise 2♠ has to be better. I would rather bid 2NT than make a call that should be an invitational NT call if partner has a ♠ stopper when I have at least a semblence of one myself. No 3♣ ain't perfect but your best shot IMO for a game try. BTW the odds of partner not having 4+♣ are under 50% and even with just 3 they don't rate to be xxx and if they are partner is bidding 3NT

an obvious Kamakazi X <_<

Really depends on your RHO. If he is a random then sure I agree with you. If he is a good player then I would say he rates to have something like 8 tricks in his hand for a r/w 3H overcall. You might still get 500 if some of his tricks are like KQ of spades and you ruff them after a spade lead, but it should be very unlikely. I would probably not double a sound good player but it's close. If RHO is an overly aggressive good player or a random I would def X for penalty if I could though. Expecting to crush a red/white 3H overcall over a 1N opener when you have 3 small trumps is really a sign of playing against weak competition very often imo (no offense meant by this, I often play against weak opposition too lol). Pretend you were playing against yourself, and think of what hands you might overcall 3H with at these colors. Gettin pretty scary isn't it? at IMPS I for sure agree with this but for MP I expect even the good players to loosen up a little.

Since you probably would bid 3♦ over both 3♣ and 2♥ give them a chance to find 3♥ by passing now <_<

The obvious choices look to be 3♣ and 1NT. Since it is MP I would try 1NT sacrificing game chances for the better partscore opportunity

A feasible, albeit maybe not the best, line 1)J or A♣ 2)x♣ 3)A♠ 4)A or J♣ pitching a ♥ from dummy 5)T♦

repeat three times the word spelled by the letters "B" "A" "W" "K"

3♠ because I have the Q♥ a stiff and 2 other side kings

almost always 2♥!!! There you go downgrading again :lol: umm, I consider it an upgrade to bid 3H with 15 and that shape (obviously it's different if I have 7 hearts). Seriously people are routinely bidding 3H with 15 and 6322? probably just upgrading more hands than you are :)

almost always 2♥!!! There you go downgrading again :lol:

Clearly you have an agreement for opening only sound hands in 1st and 2nd chair so your partner is at fault as he must act to protect your holding.