negative and reopening doubles

[jillybean]

The more I learn, the less I know about doubles. I’ve been going back over this hand from August where I failed to make a reopening double.

 

http://forums.bridgebase.com/index.php?showtopic=27094&st=0

 

[hv=d=n&v=n&n=saq962h4dkt7ckt75&w=sjt3hdq98632cj632&e=s75hqj97532dajc84&s=sk84hakt86d54caq9]399|300|Scoring: IMP[/hv]

 

West North East South

 

- 1♠ 3♥ Pass

Pass Pass

 

At the time people said; playing negative doubles South can’t make a penalty double here and must pass expecting partner to reopen with a double.

 

No one suggested south bid 3nt, why not?

[kfay]

I really try to stretch to make reopening doubles because I need to protect just this, partner's penalty double. A normal opener with some more shape is basically the only excuse I need.

 

Here it's especially likely that partner has some hearts and wants to crush them because LHO might even have 6 hearts for this auction and so where are all the hearts if RHO didn't raise on cards or distribution?

 

Anyway DD it's clear that 3♥X is the best place to play but you've got enough strength that it becomes less likely that partner will find the honors to balance if you know they're not into all this aggressive stuff.

 

Generally I play with partners who reopen freely so when I hold the south hand It makes me feel all warm and fuzzy but at these colors 3NT seems practical if you're not confident that partner will reopen. We're getting 600+ almost for sure against maybe an 800 if I can't get out of my own way... not a big deal in the scope of things.

 

Good question, though.

 

Again I'd say it all depends on style but in my experience it pays to be sympathetic for partner's business doubles.

[barmar]

While reopening works well on this hand, I don't think you can really be faulted for passing. You have the right shape to reopen, but your hand is still a minimum.

 

Partner doesn't have to have such a good hand. West could easily have many of South's high cards and still pass, and now you're committing your side to the 4 level, vulnerable, with a minimum opposite a minimum.

[Cascade]

3NT could easily be right ...

 

but ...

 

with three-card support for spades and a weak doubleton diamond and extra values it will probably work out better to strongly raise spades.

 

4♥ looks reasonable. 4♠ is possible.

[han]

At the 1- or 2- level I play that it is mandatory for partner to reopen with shortness in the opponents suit so I could safely pass with the south hand. Partner might not double, but partner will surely not pass it out.

 

At the 3-level this is a different story, I don't play that partner HAS TO reopen every time she is short in hearts so south, by passing with a hand where game surely makes, is taking a gamble. Red against white I would not take this gamble.

[han]

Jillybean wrote:

 

At the time people said; playing negative doubles South can’t make a penalty double here and must pass expecting partner to reopen with a double.

 

I reread the thread and didn't find a single good player say that south has to pass. I did see people say that north should double, but not that south has to pass.

 

In fact I now see that the question was asked in that thread and jlall, still posting at the time, said he would not pass.

[jillybean]

Jillybean wrote:

 

At the time people said; playing negative doubles South can’t make a penalty double here and must pass expecting partner to reopen with a double.

 

I reread the thread and didn't find a single good player say that south has to pass. I did see people say that north should double, but not that south has to pass.

 

In fact I now see that the question was asked in that thread and jlall, still posting at the time, said he would not pass.

I didnt mean to imply that south should pass, all I meant to say was that south cant make a penalty double and, without another bid must pass. If partner reopens with a double south can then pass for penalty.

 

The focus of the thread was on the reopening double and to my second question I received only 3 replies, none for 3nt.

[cherdano]

No one suggested south bid 3nt, why not?

Because everybody thinks 4S is a better game then 3N. You have 3 keycards, your stopper is AK, and you have xx in a side suit. All these facts point to playing in a suit, not to playing in 3N with an 8-card major suit fit.

To me, 4♥ is clearly the right bid with the South hand.

[Fluffy]

South can pass if partner is agressive, I know my partnerss don't need anything but a singleton to reopen at the 2 level, and little less at the 3 level.

 

Still with south's hand it looks like a big risk.

 

I like 3NT at MPs, you can avoid a ♥ ruff and/or get those extra 10 points, but with such overpower, 4♠ will hardly be in hazard, and its probably safer.

[brianshark]

I'm undecided about whether South should pass, but I think North should make a re-opening double. Yes, it's a HCP minimum but you have prime controls and ideal shape. Unless RHO tanked. Then I would pass.