double by weak NT opener

[Stephen Tu]

[hv=d=w&v=b&s=sk7hk542dkt2ckj85]133|100|Scoring: MP

You are South[/hv]

Bidding:

p-p-p-1nt;

p-2♣-dbl-2♥;

p-p-3♣-?

 

My partner & I had a disagreement about this board.

Systemically, stayman promised no values, it can be weak with both majors, or weak 3 suiter with short clubs. His pass of 2♥ therefore limits hand to ~0-10. After East bids 3♣, is South supposed to pass or double here?

 

My contention is South should pass, because partner can be rather weak, and should be allowed to defend 3c undoubled. This could be your par spot (well, having failed to pass it out); 3h could go for 200 doubled or undoubled, opps could be +110. If North had a maximum 9/10 count, four hearts, he can double, and South could pass this hand, but pull with something more like KQx KQxx Axxx xx. Am I out to lunch here? How much effect is there on your choices because this is a 4th seat opener, opps probably limited to ~21 or so, at least if they have an average 1st/3rd seat opening style?

 

Side question: should opener bid 2♥ over the double, pass, or redouble? What should each action show & deny?

[luis]

Of course opener must pass, as far as opener knows pd can be very weak with both majors for example.

 

Over the double of Stayman I think you are close to XX to suggest a contract when pd has a good hand and 3 or 4 clubs, I would redouble with 5 clubs or 4 strong ones, probably not with this hand so I think 2♥ is fine.

 

Luis

[han]

I agree with everything you wrote Stephen, opener should pass, and responder can double 3C with a maximum for the auction.

 

I would also bid 2H over the double of 2C.

[P_Marlowe]

Hi,

 

first of all, I would have passed as

opener.

I have told p anything worth while,

with the sole exception of his club suit.

 

If opener bids, dbl is clear.

Opener knows, that the stayman bidder

has +5HCP, ... so he may try for the magic

200, since you play MP, anything goes ...

 

With kind regards

Marlowe

 

PS: To answer your side question, that is

partnership agreement depend, one possible

aggreement

XX - good suit, suggestion to play

pass - 4 low cards

2D - no 4 card mayor

2M - 4 cards

 

Bidding 2M has higher prioritty than showing xxxx

in clubs.

 

With kind regards

Marlowe

[awm]

Opener can double. It's penalty. This is obviously not without risk, as partner could be quite weak. However, given the auction (4th seat opening) partner is bound to have something. The positional club values are what makes the double good -- partner will not know to double on a random 6-count (which could easily lead to an awful result). At matchpoints I think this sort of "speculative" double is virtually mandatory.

[han]

Good point about the 4th seat opening, that makes the double a lot more attractive (and of course the fact that it is matchpoints does too).

[Double !]

something very strange about the bidding

rho was not good enough to open in 3rd seat but is suddenly good enough to complete to the 3-level.

what could account for this?

at imps, IMO, pass seems appropriate

at MP, however, the decision is harder. How many of the other E/Wpairs are going to bid to 3Cs? Why didn't rho pre-empt 3rd seat? What would you have done over 3rd seat 3C bid by rho?

 

If most of the field is playing stronger 1NT openers, the likelihood is that many will open 1C with your hand, so few E/Wpairs would likely bid to 3C after that.

 

If you are sure that you could have made 110 or better in hearts, then, IMO, you need to double because, otherwise, you might risk a fix by passing when you go +100 when the field is +110 or better. I suspect that rho has most of his/her hand in the minors, but not certain of that. P rates to have some cards on this hand, maybe can contribute a trick or two.

 

I really don't know if this is the winning bid, but +200 is usually a very good matchpoint score. This is a toughie.

 

DHL

[Codo]

I think double at mps is clear cut and it is winning at imps too.

Both opps passed, 3. Hand with quite trick taking potential in Clubs. So they should have at most 21 HCPS, which gives us 19. SO pd has at least 6.

And that is the worst case.

[Free]

It's been said, and I agree: opener should pass, and over the Dbl the best choice is 2♥ because ♣s are a crappy suit...

[whereagles]

Opponents have both passed already, so how can RHO suddently butt-in at the 3-level all by himself? That's outrageous and he should be penalized for this savage bidding.

 

Besides, pard can't be that weak in this auction: he'll have 7-8 hcp, at the very least.

[helene_t]

RHO's bidding looks indeed "savage" so it's quite possible that 3♣ undoubled is good for us. Who knows, maybe he overlooked two aces when he failed to open and is now trying to wake his partner up.

 

However, I would double to let partner know that I do not want to compete to 3♥.

[Al_U_Card]

Could this be RHO's hand?[hv=s=sqjxhxdxxxcaqt9xx]133|100|[/hv]

 

He didn't want to pre-empt in 3rd seat at the 3 level and felt that 1 C was a bit rich.

He now feels that pushing you to 3H is required at mp and with H lying badly it should work out okay either way.