Help?

[Guest Jlall]

The auction 2H 3N can generate some difficult problems as it may be bid with something like:

 

Qx Ax Kx AKQxxxx or

 

Q KQTx KQJxx AKx or

 

xx AQJ KQJxxx AQ

 

etc.

 

Basically it has a wide range on points and shape. Anyways my question is what to do after the opponents continue bidding on an auction that starts this way.

 

Say it goes 2H 3N 4D.

 

Are we in a force?

What does double by responder mean? What is the minimum he should have to double?

If we are not in a force, which hands does opener reopen with? If he reopens with a double, what does that mean?

 

What if the auction was 2H 3N 4H? Does that change anything?

[pclayton]

I wouldn't think that (2♥) - 3N sets up a force on responder if 3rd hand takes a call.

[han]

I don't think so either, the 3NT bidder does not have to have a powerhouse. So I'd play the double as values, expecting the 3NT bidder to pass with all three hands.

 

Obviously 4NT should be to play, and 4S as well. It makes sense to play that 5C is pass/correct, as the 3NT bidder often has a long minor (with the 1-4-5-3 hand you'd probably still be in a decent fit). I don't have that agreement though.

[Guest Jlall]

How much is enough to X?

 

is AQTxx xxx xx xxx enough?

[Halo]

Auction is 'very high expectation it's not finished'.

 

Opener's double shows the top heart or top of range - so if AQxxx is within agreements it's a double for me.

[pclayton]

How much is enough to X?

 

is AQTxx xxx xx xxx enough?

I think so - seems like a minimum though.

[Finch]

Say it goes 2H 3N 4D.

 

Are we in a force?

What does double by responder mean? What is the minimum he should have to double?

If we are not in a force, which hands does opener reopen with? If he reopens with a double, what does that mean?

 

What if the auction was 2H 3N 4H? Does that change anything?

Funnily we were discussing our forcing pass agreements a couple of weeks ago, and we have agreed that this auction _does_ set up a force, although a 3NT overcall of a 3-level pre-empt or a 1-level opening does not.

 

However, this was one of the closest decisions we had, and I think the auction is rare enough that no-one really knows what is right. Possibly it should depend on the vulnerability, but none of our other FP agreements are vulnerability-dependent so we didn't want to have just one that was.

 

Anyway, if pass is not forcing double by responder just shows random high card values. It's effectively take-out, as with scattered points including in their suit a 4NT bid (NATURAL) is quite likely (although again vul-dependent).

 

If pass is non-forcing Opener reopens with a double when he was big balanced. He passes on a single-suiter. (If you say you would never pass it out on some 7222 with a running suit and an ace, then you should play pass as forcing.)