What would *you* do?

[whereagles]

Double: if partner bids 2N lebensohl, we are screwed. We sure can't bid 3♣: he'll likely pass it. We can't bid 3 red, since that shows a hand utterly unlike what we hold

Well, equal level correction fixes this problem :P Without ELC I probably wouldn't double.

[Apollo81]

I think problem 2 is the most difficult ....

Agree.

[Flame]

Double: if partner bids 2N lebensohl, we are screwed. We sure can't bid 3♣: he'll likely pass it. We can't bid 3 red, since that shows a hand utterly unlike what we hold

Well, equal level correction fixes this problem ;) Without ELC I probably wouldn't double.

I thought over 2 openings, equal level is the std and there is no supper double.

[mikeh]

Double: if partner bids 2N lebensohl, we are screwed. We sure can't bid 3♣: he'll likely pass it. We can't bid 3 red, since that shows a hand utterly unlike what we hold

Well, equal level correction fixes this problem :) Without ELC I probably wouldn't double.

I thought over 2 openings, equal level is the std and there is no supper double.

Not where I come from :)

 

It is true that ELC affords an easier solution on this board if we have the tool available and so long as partner does not go nuts with 6 or 7 ♣ and a moderate hand.

 

But I truly dislike ELC even after weak 2 bids. It is insane (in my view) in direct seat, when one can expect responder to often bounce, leaving partner either forced to pass when you have 1=4=4=4, or turning a plus into a minus when you were 2=4=6=1.

 

It is less insane in balance seat for two reasons: the first is that the opps are not going to further the preempt after this start, and the second is that partner is less likely to bid an inconvenient number of ♣s given that he passed originally. However, the possibility that one plays ELC will cause partner NOT to bid aggressively with long ♣ even when we hold ♣s: what the devotees of tools like ELC usually ignore or downplay are the consequences when our double is 'normal' but partner has to fear it is ELC.

[whereagles]

Well, ELC allows for more flexibility on the double. It works quite ok when you can correct clubs to diams or hearts to spades. Heck, that's why it's called equal level correction :)