what now?

[mikeh]

Having earned your way into the consolation event at the verona rosenblum, and having changed lineups via substitutions, you find yourself faced with the following problem on the first board, against a fellow BBO player:

 

You hold K10xx AK Qx AJ9xx, and are red v white.

 

You are (for the purposes of the problem) South.

 

N   E   S   W

    2♥  2N  3♦

P   P   ?

 

2♥ showed a weak hand with 5♥ and 4+ in a minor. 3♦ (by your screenmate) was explained as intended as natural, to play.... your call

[Walddk]

I guess most partnerships are in undiscussed territory here, but bridge logic tells me that double is for take-out. The reason is that a limited hand can't double for penalty when responder has shown no values.

 

So in a regular partnership I would risk a double. Off-shape 2NT overcall with the black suits, most likely longer clubs, because if I had 5 spades, I had the option of overcalling 2♠ instead of 2NT, or bidding 3♠ now. Could conceivably be 4-5 in spades and clubs if the spade suit is weakish.

 

In a random game on BBO I would pass. I do not like the idea of conceding 670. Lastly, I would not be surprised if the winning action at the table is pass. Partner could easily have long hearts and then we have may have nowhere to go.

 

Roland

[hrothgar]

I agree with Roland that double should be takeout oriented.

Even so, I'm passing.

 

I'm all for bidding aggressively, however, the opponents haven't shown a fit.

I don't want to go scrambling for one at the three level.

 

BTW: I'd very much want to understand the nature of the 3♦ advance.

 

Playing 3♦ as a single suited hand with Diamonds doesn't make sense to me when partner has shown a 5-4 pattern. Most pairs that I know use a competitive 3♦ bid as some kind of paradox advance showing a hand worth playing at the 3 level opposite Diamonds or the 4 level opposite Clubs. If this is the actual agreement, then double stands out...

[mike777]

Welcome back and Congrats!

 

Pass and agree with Roland on Double here.

 

BTW is 2nt clear on this hand or is X over 2H a reasonable option?

[pclayton]

Hi Mike; welcome back to the west.

 

I think regular partnerships wouldnt be on terra firma here either. I have a couple of metarules (re: doubles) with my partners in these situations and it seems to work at least 80% of the time.

 

1. If you are trying to figure out the meaning of a double - look at your hand. If you have a stack; certainly its takeout. If you have shortness; its penalty. If you have exactly 3 - then pray you get it right .

 

2. A big factor would be what would responder's double over 3♦ mean? This one's easier, and I think most would interpret it as takeout. Therefore, when it comes back to the overcaller; double should also be takeout.

 

I think I do like double in spite of my wasted ♦Q. I have 9 cards in the unbids, and the opponents have demonstrated that they are limited.

[jdeegan]

:) Would someone explain to me the logic of a reopening double here. I'm not disputing that it is for takeout; the bridge logic of that is clear enough. What isn't clear (at least to me) is why do I want to reopen?

 

From the looks of my hand, RHO almost surely found LHO's second suit (a likely nine card fit). So, in that way it makes sense to reopen. The trouble is that unless we fit spades, we will end up at the four level in clubs. With the diamonds and hearts splitting 2-2 and with way less than 20 working HCP between us, we are very likely to be down several (possibly doubled) in 3♠ or 4♣. If partner passes, defending 3♦ doubled against their likely nine card fit makes no sense.

 

I don't see what we are likely to gain by bidding on. Tell me why I shouldn't just let them have it.

[000002]

the double is penalty because the double by partner is cooperation.

 

if u define this double as t/o ,ok,no many question but a little problem ----u will lose a punishment when u hold 3Ace & 5cards ♦:

Ax AJx JT8xx AJx

 

if u prefer to use this dbl as a t/o ,that means u have a singleton ♦ & 17hcps:

KQxx ATxx x AKJx

don't bid too aggressive with a balanced hand ,especially after ptn's negative passed.

 

 

 

regards

[Apollo81]

Having earned your way into the consolation event at the verona rosenblum, and having changed lineups via substitutions, you find yourself faced with the following problem on the first board, against a fellow BBO player:

 

You hold K10xx AK Qx AJ9xx, and are red v white.

 

You are (for the purposes of the problem) South.

 

N   E   S   W

    2♥  2N  3♦

P   P   ?

 

2♥ showed a weak hand with 5♥ and 4+ in a minor. 3♦ (by your screenmate) was explained as intended as natural, to play.... your call

Pass, even if I was 100% sure that partner would interpret my double correctly.

 

-Noble

[inquiry]

Rosenblum is an imps event... I pass, I don't have to win every board... I am not going to risk a disaster here with a casual partner.