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Meaning of a double


Best meaning?  

30 members have voted

  1. 1. Best meaning?

    • Penalties
      21
    • Optional (cards, around 9-11 balanced, 1 likely trump trick)
      5
    • Take-out (5-4 cards in the unbid suit, some tolerance for spades)
      4


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Hi all. Suppose you have this auction

 

1 (pass) 1NT (pass)

2 (2) dbl

 

Notes:

1NT = forcing/semiforcing

2 = could be 3 cards if balanced

2 = natural, but does not necessarily imply tolerance for hearts

 

How do you feel this double should be played? Penalties, take-out or optional? Please state reasons below.

 

Also: would you make any changes to the meaning if it went, say,

 

1M (pass) 1NT (pass)

2x (2y) dbl

 

with suit y of higher rank than the unbid suit?

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It isn't an auction that you hear often, but it seems to me that the doubler could well hold something like AJx(x) of diamonds and scattered values so that he thinks it's possible to beat it on power. Second hand, for whatever reasons, didn't judge his hand worth 2D over 1S and has now come in. It seems likely to me that the double suggests that he has made a mistake.

 

If this X is played as suggesting penalties then doubler will not have length in clubs or spades, suggesting that the opponents are not apt to enjoy a run to hearts either.

 

Players are told that when one side has an 8 card fit it is likely that the other side does also. A companion thought is that when one side does not have an 8 card fit, the other side is not likely to either. Of course one side can have an 8 card fit and the other side could have three 7 card fits but more often than not the fits, and also the misfits, come together. If we have the balance of power and the hands don't fit, playing 2DX could be right, especially when the D honors are favorably placed for the defense.

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I'm trying to think of a good takeout shape. 2533? 2434? These are hard because you really want it to be penalty but you can have hands like those where a more optional style double makes sense too. I guess this is penalty just because it really sounds like it is.
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Optional (my vote) / Penalty.

 

It showes at least a strong option, i.e. 10-12bal. is the most likely

version.

 

Since 2Dx is not game, a X can be speculative, if you have a 50%

chance to beat it -1, you are basically break even (depends on vul,

but who cares about an add. 90 out of the window)

..., the 2D overcall was delayed, and if you wait until you really

have a stack, you wont be able to catch them.

It gets more interesting, if it was 2H instead of 2D.

 

With kind regards

Marlowe

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