Worth a double?

[jdonn]

[hv=d=s&v=e&s=skjxxhadkj9xxcqxx]133|100|Scoring: IMP

1♦ 1♥ PASS 2♥

??[/hv]

[effervesce]

Double. If you pass they'll probably be left to play in 2H as partner is likely to have a few hearts-so at this favourable vul you want to compete for the partscore.

[Dwingo]

Well, it depends on what agreements you have over 1♦ - (1♥). If 1♠ can be dished out with 4 card ♠, then pd would have bid 1♠ the first time around, and now it is not safe as most likely you will be at the 3 minor level. So you pass.

 

If pd needs to have 5 card ♠ to respond over 1♦ - (1♥), then the odds of buying the contract at the 2 ♠ level increases with a Double.

[mike777]

dbl.

[helene_t]

Pass. OK, the vulnerability is right and at matchpoints I might try to chase them into 3♥. But I don't think it's worthwhile at IMPs. Opps can probably make 3♥ so there's not much to win, and occasionaly a dbl could be expensive.

[jillybean]

Dbl, My minor honors are not well placed behind overcaller but I'm happy to compete to 2♠, partner is likely to have 4

[jchiu]

Dbl, My minor honors are not well placed behind overcaller but I'm happy to compete to 2♠, partner is likely to have 4

Although it wouldn't surprise me to find some honors behind me, assuming this is always true against anyone but a very sound overcaller would lead to excessive conservatism. However, I am glad that you double despite this qualm.

[P_Marlowe]

Pass, exchange the Ace of hearts

with another low spot card, and I

would say dbl is ok, we are green,

which does also play a role, being red,

I would pass.

 

With kind regards

Marlowe

[whereagles]

Dbl and yes it is obvious :P

[Gerben42]

Not obvíous, depends on what partner COULD have bid before.

[Edmunte1]

Pass, just not enough to compete

[Finch]

Not at imps.

[Apollo81]

Not at imps.

agree

[pbleighton]

"Not at imps."

 

Ditto.

 

Peter

[jdonn]

Just to say it's a pickup partnership, so no special agreements about partner's potential double at his first turn. It would have just been a negative double showing 4 spades and enough to be bidding.

 

Why are people always assuming or wondering about special agreements in these polls! If there was anything more relevant, I would have posted it :)

[pclayton]

Pass. I might even pass at MPs.

 

Stiff Aces are bad cards to hold, and pard is probably sitting on a balanced hand that couldn't bid 1N.

 

Having the agreement that a double by pard of 1♥ denies 4♠ helps define this auction, since pard isn't stuck with a flat 8 count and no call.

 

By the way, if pard reopens with a x, its penalty, but 2N should be minoresque.

[1eyedjack]

Opps can probably make 3♥

There are 3 unseen hands at this table, and don't see where the evidence is to suggest that opps are making 9. I double.

[MFA]

I voted pass. About 1½ point short of a double. I pass at mp too.

[jdonn]

Here was the full hand.

 

[hv=d=s&v=e&n=s92ht92d74ckjt543&w=st4hkqj43daq85ca6&e=saq875h8765dt6c97&s=skj63hadkj932cq82]399|300|Scoring: IMP

S W N E

1♦ 1♥ P 2♥

P 4♥ PPP[/hv]

 

Though it's not completely trivial, the hand can and probably will be made, essentially by taking a correct view in spades. Meanwhile our side has an easy 300 sacrifice that could win 8 imps.

 

I was actually west, and had a discussion with south about it after the hand. He thought doubling shows a better hand than he held. My own opinion is that passing there with this shape is like rolling over and dying.

[Free]

Yeah I agree that pass is just giving up while you have the perfect shape for a double. People sometimes tell me that I double too much for takeout, but on this hand it would definitely pay off (as it does a lot).

[MFA]

Here was the full hand.

 

[hv=d=s&v=e&n=s92ht92d74ckjt543&w=st4hkqj43daq85ca6&e=saq875h8765dt6c97&s=skj63hadkj932cq82]399|300|Scoring: IMP

S    W    N    E

1♦ 1♥ P 2♥

P 4♥ PPP[/hv]

 

Though it's not completely trivial, the hand can and probably will be made, essentially by taking a correct view in spades. Meanwhile our side has an easy 300 sacrifice that could win 8 imps.

Hmm, how do you expect to escape for -300 in 5♣? It will be hard to avoid a heart loser.

[jdonn]

Here was the full hand.

 

[hv=d=s&v=e&n=s92ht92d74ckjt543&w=st4hkqj43daq85ca6&e=saq875h8765dt6c97&s=skj63hadkj932cq82]399|300|Scoring: IMP

S    W    N    E

1♦ 1♥ P 2♥

P 4♥ PPP[/hv]

 

Though it's not completely trivial, the hand can and probably will be made, essentially by taking a correct view in spades. Meanwhile our side has an easy 300 sacrifice that could win 8 imps.

Hmm, how do you expect to escape for -300 in 5♣? It will be hard to avoid a heart loser.

Well firstly 500 in 5♣ is win 3 imps :o but anyway

 

On a club [EDIT: I meant spade] or diamond lead, piece of cake. On a club lead and continuation it is also easy, as either suit you lead toward dummy will lead to success.

 

Lets say a heart lead. Surely with the strong hand to declarer's right it's best to lead a suit off dummy. A diamond is probably best since you have better spots. If you try a diamond he will certainly play the queen (if he plays low he is too good) and then it's 300. If you try a spade then they can set you 500 by tapping dummy with a heart, and later playing A and a club. I certainly think in practice the odds of just going for 300 are very high, as it takes the best lead, a misguess of what to play at trick 2, and the best continuation all in combination to set you 500.

[Finch]

I'd have thought the defence are 100% likely to lead ace and a club against 5Cx, which I agree leads to a fairly easy 300 whether you play on diamonds or spades (diamonds looks normal).

 

But 4H is a delicate enough contract (particularly on a non-diamond lead) that I don't think this hand really proves anything.

 

Though it's not completely trivial, the hand can and probably will be made, essentially by taking a correct view in spades....

I was actually west, and had a discussion with south about it after the hand. He thought doubling shows a better hand than he held.

 

The implication is that you were declarer in 4H. Did you make it?

[jdonn]

I'd have thought the defence are 100% likely to lead ace and a club against 5Cx, which I agree leads to a fairly easy 300 whether you play on diamonds or spades (diamonds looks normal).

 

But 4H is a delicate enough contract (particularly on a non-diamond lead) that I don't think this hand really proves anything.

 

Though it's not completely trivial, the hand can and probably will be made, essentially by taking a correct view in spades....

I was actually west, and had a discussion with south about it after the hand. He thought doubling shows a better hand than he held.

 

The implication is that you were declarer in 4H. Did you make it?

Lol I'll fess up, though it sounds like an excuse.

 

It was the last hand of a team match with barometer and the result was already decided (we lost by a lot). It went diamond lead to K and A, king of hearts to ace, diamond J to Q, QJ of hearts drawing trumps, and I ran the ten of spades to the jack. Club return, I won the ace and played another spade and when the 9 appeared of course I had a 100% make by winning and running a spade the other way. But I announced to the table that since we were losing so bad I would go for a "pride overtrick" so I finessed (I thought the finesse was more likely to work since I thought RHO had more like KJ in clubs, but of course I would take the safe play to make under normal circumstances.) Going down did little for my pride hehe.

 

I think said something like "sorry I didn't know rho [a friend of mine] is such a wimp" and he said "wimp?" and that's how the discussion got started.

[Stephen Tu]

Wouldn't drawing just 1 round of trumps and ruffing two minor suit losers be a much better line than having to guess spades? (pitching club if North ruffs in).