better decisions in competition #1

[bftboy]

[hv=d=w&v=n&s=sj8hak104d762c9854]133|100|Scoring: MP[/hv]

 

At MP, lefty passes, P bids 1♠, rho passes, and you bid 1NT. Now lefty bids 2♥, passed around to you. What action do you take and why? :(

[Free]

Pass, what else would I do? I'm happy to defend 2♥.

[pooltuna]

Pass, what else would I do? I'm happy to defend 2♥.

you mean besides double, er penalty double?

[aguahombre]

aside from my three? trump tricks, this hand might not defend very well. Probably down in 2S. Probably down in 2H. Probably pass.

[Siegmund]

Looks like an IMP pass but a MP double to me. (And yes, I would play X as penalty here... with 2S/3m to play and 2NT as pick-a-minor by my hand, doesn't seem any reason to add an exception to the "after somebody bids notrump, doubles are all penalty" rule.) Partner may still yank it with a void in hearts or some other weak crazy hand.

[kfay]

Since when does 1♠ promise anything?

 

I hope to hold this to -110.

[jdonn]

Easy pass. No reason to double, and I wouldn't play it as penalty anyway.

[PhantomSac]

I'd pass

[the hog]

Pass.

[bftboy]

wow, I'm surprised at the consensus. obviously, defending 2 ♥ only makes sense if 2♠ is going down. Why does everyone think that it is, esp. if N/S play sound openers? not being argumentative, I just would appreciate your thinking. :)

[hanp]

Double is takeout so pass.

[andy_h]

wow, I'm surprised at the consensus. obviously, defending 2 ♥ only makes sense if 2♠ is going down. Why does everyone think that it is, esp. if N/S play sound openers? not being argumentative, I just would appreciate your thinking. :D

It's because some of us might prefer support for 2♠ (assuming some weak raises might begin with 1NT) but assuming that's not the case, there is no reason to be pushing to play in a 5-2 fit when we are looking at AK10x of trumps. Nothing is wrong with defending and also partner didn't make a takeout double which makes 2♠ contract less and less attractive. We are also not 100% sure that 2♥ will go off so we pass and take what we can get.

[jdonn]

wow, I'm surprised at the consensus.  obviously, defending 2 ♥ only makes sense if 2♠ is going down.  Why does everyone think that it is, esp. if N/S play sound openers?  not being argumentative, I just would appreciate your thinking.  :rolleyes:

Or if 2♥ goes down 3, or if they have a better fit in a minor we let them find, or if they compete and then partner over-competes expecting more offense.

 

I think the trick on hands like this is to not get too concerned with outcomes, just go by what your hand says. You have a defensive hand that likes the opponents in hearts, so let them play in hearts.

 

That being said 2♠ could work of course, but I don't like it.

[bftboy]

wow, I'm surprised at the consensus.  obviously, defending 2 ♥ only makes sense if 2♠ is going down.  Why does everyone think that it is, esp. if N/S play sound openers?  not being argumentative, I just would appreciate your thinking.   :)

Or if 2♥ goes down 3, or if they have a better fit in a minor we let them find, or if they compete and then partner over-competes expecting more offense.

 

I think the trick on hands like this is to not get too concerned with outcomes, just go by what your hand says. You have a defensive hand that likes the opponents in hearts, so let them play in hearts.

 

That being said 2♠ could work of course, but I don't like it.

nicely stated, I think that's exactly what I did. 2 ♠ could make, but P didn't find the line to make it. thx, :rolleyes:

[Free]

Pass, what else would I do?  I'm happy to defend 2♥.

you mean besides double, er penalty double?

why would you play Dbl here as er penalty? :)