email hand.-5

[mike777]

IMPs

unfavorable

 

JT532

AQ96

AQT

5

 

p p (1c) ??

 

 

 

This is an email hand that has been passed around and is getting various responses that surprised me.

[hrothgar]

The disparity in suit quality in the majors is enough that I like X

[mikeh]

It's close...since many of the times we defend we are on lead, and if LHO is playing notrump, maybe the spade lead works out anyway..so 1♠ seems ok...provided that we are committed to bidding again after a 1N or 2♣ call on our left, passed back to us (or pulled to 2♣ on our right.

 

I think the hand (barely) qualifies for that treatment so I bid 1♠, rather than double.

[655321]

1♠ for me, double with 54 majors is against my religion and with a singleton club we have an easy double next round anyway.

[mike777]

......... and with a singleton club we have an easy double next round anyway.

that will be an illegal bid...but.......glad everyone is thinking of future bidding.

[Jlall]

1♠ for me, double with 54 majors is against my religion and with a singleton club we have an easy double next round anyway.

truth.

 

In fact I think X is terrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrible

[the hog]

X is certainly not terrible with such a disparity in the suits. However, on this hand i will bid 1S.

[mich-b]

X is certainly not terrible with such a disparity in the suits. However, on this hand i will bid 1S.

Agreed.

[Codo]

I never double with 54 in the majors, but this hand is 4431... :)

[P_Marlowe]

Hi,

 

X, I would not be able to comment on any other call.

Even if you usually believe in overcalling spades with this shape,

the suit quality makes X clear cut.

 

With kind regards

Marlowe

[Fluffy]

doubling the next round sounds like a gross overbid to me.

 

I am bidding 1♠ and probably just 2♥ next.

[hanp]

1S.

[bluecalm]

I was in "1♠ wtp?" camp but after generating some layouts I am not that sure anymore.

It seems that double will place as in better suit most of the time. 1♠ leads to some passouts and some inferior♠ partscores. On the other hand after double we often land in ♦ fit instead of ♠ fit which is disaster at MP's.

 

I think double makes sense at IMPs. I am not sure if I can make myself to produce it though.

[pooltuna]

I never double with 54 in the majors, but this hand is 4431... :)

It appears we (most of the responders) are treating the auction (P) P (1♣) ? exactly the same as - - (1♣) ? The former suggests to me that we are in a part score battle vs the latter where we are just probably in a part score battle. Should we choose 1♠ blindly in this case or does a TOX lend us an advantage in possibly finding a game say in an auction that looks like this

(P) P (♣) X;

1♥ 1♠ 2♣ ?

Do we upgrade the hand now to a 3♠ call?

presummably the other auction could have been

(P) P 1♣ 1♠:

(X) 2♠ (P) is it easier to move now?

[Old York]

Double has an advantage that nobody has commented on. Partner can convert to penalty by passing with long clubs

Imps is the nearest thing to rubber. All rubber players know the value of penalties in partscore battles.

 

Tony

[hanp]

Tony, that must be one of the worst arguments I have ever seen. (not counting pooltuna's which is about equally terrible: a hand that freely bids 1S after a takeout double raises a 1S overcall to 2S?).

[jdonn]

Definitely 1♠ and I don't care for double at all. If the majors were reversed double has a lot more going for it as we are much more likely to miss spades after 1♥ than hearts after 1♠.

[pooltuna]

Tony, that must be one of the worst arguments I have ever seen. (not counting pooltuna's which is about equally terrible: a hand that freely bids 1S after a takeout double raises a 1S overcall to 2S?).

It was a 1♠ response after X and 1♥

[hanp]

Tony, that must be one of the worst arguments I have ever seen. (not counting pooltuna's which is about equally terrible: a hand that freely bids 1S after a takeout double raises a 1S overcall to 2S?).

It was a 1♠ response after X and 1♥

Without the 1♥ bid partner would be forced to bid, after 1♥ he could pass. That's why it is called a free bid. Presumably partner has more than 3 spades for his FREELY bid 1S.

[pooltuna]

Tony, that must be one of the worst arguments I have ever seen. (not counting pooltuna's which is about equally terrible: a hand that freely bids 1S after a takeout double raises a 1S overcall to 2S?).

It was a 1♠ response after X and 1♥

Without the 1♥ bid partner would be forced to bid, after 1♥ he could pass. That's why it is called a free bid. Presumably partner has more than 3 spades for his FREELY bid 1S.

Where do you see in my post that I am suggesting he has less? In fact I think 3♠ is probably correct by the TOXer.

[hanp]

Here:

presummably the other auction could have been

(P) P 1♣ 1♠:

(X) 2♠

[pooltuna]

Here:

presummably the other auction could have been

(P) P 1♣ 1♠:

(X) 2♠

Well yes but that is a different auction where instead of a TOX 4th hand chose to overcall 1♠ and his partner could easily have 3♠ for his raise or do you require 4 which IMO would put you in a distinct minority.

[phil_20686]

The primary gain of bidding 1s is surely that you are much moirelikely to find game when you ahve a large fit. Also you are less likely to get closed out by a preemtive club raise, and more likely to find a good sac if the opps get to 5c.

 

On the other hand dble will surely gain on hands where noone can make game.

 

I am undecided. Were partner unpassed i would certainly be in the 1s camp, but he has, and while i can construct hands that make game quite good, its not at all obvious that we wont reach them after I start with a doube as with the 4 good spades necessary partner will be prepared to enter the auction an a reasonably high level i suspect.

 

AKxx

x

Kxx

xxxx

 

This hand will surely be prepared to back in with at least two spades, and would probably bid 3s over 3c which is my principle worry. With my own spades being so poor im not sure that a 5-3 spade fit will play so well.

 

Finally, if i double now partner may be in a much better position to hit some number of clubs later as a dble promises far more defensive strength than a 1s overcall.

 

ALl in all i have convinced myself that maybe i should double here, although i would normally bid 1s with this shape.

[gwnn]

mike777 what replies surprised you? surely 1♠ and x are both unsurprising bids. I mean it's obvious that some people will choose 1♠ and some will choose x. I guess there will be some people who bid 2♣. Anything else would be a surprise for me. 1 lead directing canape ♥ (double adjective bridge) or pass would be surprising and I am sure nobody would ever do anything else.

 

that said of course 1♠ is clear.

[Hanoi5]

I bid my 5-card Major. If I double I'm sure my partner will bid diamonds.