The Right Weapon

[kfay]

Your partner opens 1NT

 

RHO overcalls 2♣, showing a single-suited hand.

 

You decide you'd rather penalize them then go for game, how do you do it?

 

Say you double 2♣, ostensibly stayman, can partner ever pass this?

 

Etc. etc. etc.

[aguahombre]

If the opponents cannot pass 2C, and you want to penalize whatever they bid -- then I would recommend not bidding stayman (dbl) or anything else which starts eliciting partner's input. Passing now, then doubling what they bid for penalty works for me.

 

Of course, many will explain how everything is always takeout. I am compiling a list of those against whom I can make bad competitive bids.

[Phil]

I have found in these single suited auctions it is very valuable to find out RHO's suit. Therefore, a pass can be a strong hand and our usual Lebensohl / Rubensohl structure is on over RHO's call.

 

If LHO is cagey and passes 2C then opener needs to reopen. Most of the time this doesn't happen IRL.

 

If you really want to go headhunting, start with a double. I'm staring to believe its better played as a hand thatis interested in showing 'cards' rather than Stayman.

[karlson]

It's hard to think of any hand where I would say "no matter what lho's suit is, I want to defend doubled".

 

If you don't want to commit, just pass. They never know to pass out 2c. Maybe partner will have a takeout double of their suit. Maybe you'll realize that you don't really want to defend after all. You're never worse off than if they had just bid their suit.

 

I'll keep my stayman, btw, I think it's perfectly useful.

[MarkDean]

If the opponents cannot pass 2C, and you want to penalize whatever they bid -- then I would recommend not bidding stayman (dbl) or anything else which starts eliciting partner's input. Passing now, then doubling what they bid for penalty works for me.

 

Of course, many will explain how everything is always takeout. I am compiling a list of those against whom I can make bad competitive bids.

Please put me on the list. Thanks.

[whereagles]

Since I usually play system on, dbl = stayman and the rest is business as usual.

 

So the way to dbl them is to do pass + dbl = pure penalty.

[nigel_k]

I would rather not play system on after any kind of interference, but given the conditions I think you have to pass and hope it doesn't go all pass. It usually won't. However I wouldn't force the 1NT bidder to always reopen with a double after 2♣-P-P because that will lead to a silly contract quite often.

 

Definitely play takeout doubles of whatever they do next. Please don't claim it is safe to bid on bad hands against me because I play takeout doubles. It's not true and penalty doublers lose a lot by wasting valuable bidding space.