Are you a paper tiger?

[pclayton]

r/w IMPs

 

♠AQT7x ♥K8xx ♦Qx ♣Ax

 

(3♥) - pass - (3N) - ?

[helene_t]

If I were confident about what to lead I might double.

 

Pass and lead a small spade.

[mikeh]

I don't know about you, but if I were your RHO, I might hold a near yarborough with 8+ diamonds. I did that once: partner preempted, I held KQ10xxxxx in clubs and out, my rho screenmate clearly made a reluctant pass and I bid 3N down 8 on misdefence. I am not claiming a brilliancy prize but anyone who passes this hand without thought has to understand that this scenario offers a free shot to an imaginative rho. The main factor pointing the other way is our heart holding, which at least makes it unlikely that rho is psyching on his way to 4♥ if doubled.

 

So, do I double?

 

Yes (I'm very brave at the computer screen, not so much in real life) and lead the Spade Q (in case the Jx or stiff J is in dummy.. if rho has a real 3N bid, partner is not getting in anyway.. I pay to declarer having Kx and dummy Jxx and if declarer has long spades, I am not likely to beat this anyway).

 

I doubt that they can make more than 2 redoubled overtricks.

[cherdano]

The only problem with double: I actually play this as takeout on BBF...

[Fluffy]

double, lead spade Ace.

[Sambolino]

of course bluff is likely here and there are 2 options imo - solid minor or heart supp but as mike said our h holding almost excludes 2nd variant. thus it's quite realistic rho is actually strong and i don't want to gamble for pard to have sJ (or pick singleton on the table etc) to achieve what? -1?

[MickyB]

Pass. Imaginative opponents are rare, eight card suits even rarer. Plus double is takeout of hearts.

[hatchett]

I also play double as take-out of ♥s, so would pass.

I would also pass if I played double as penalty.

[Guest Jlall]

Yep, double is takeout of hearts. I pass. They probably got me.

[nige1]

r/w IMPs ♠ AQT7x ♥ K8xx ♦ Qx ♣ Ax

(3♥) - pass - (3N) - ?

IMO _P=10, _X=6.

The 3N bid would have more of a niff if your ♥ were fewer and weaker.

[655321]

Obvious pass because double is takeout of hearts, the meaning of double shouldn't depend on what I was dealt even on BBF...

[pclayton]

I passed. Pard had some 4-1-4-4 8 count with the ♠K. 4♠ is tricky but somehow our teammates made it easier than it should be. RHO was Paca who held some random 10 count with ♥Ax. LHO had a crappy 1633. At the other table the bidding started (2♥) - pass - (3♥) - ?

 

+150 held the loss to 10 IMPs.

 

I play double as takeout of hearts too, but I haven't had a hand like that in awhile, and it seems RHO just raises hearts when RHO has hearts, so I'm wondering if double should be more flexible.

[TimG]

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