An Auction

[bluecalm]

Ok, I get it.

I think you are crippling yourself by adopting this treatment. I fully understand that I may be wrong on this one as you are much better player than me :rolleyes: Thanks for explaining this way of playing to me.

I will be more careful in assuming what is "expert standard" next time.

 

EDIT:

 

I may well add why I think playing t/o double here is superior.

First I much prefer not having 18-20 balanced in my 1♦ opening because then responder can remove the double to 5♦ every time he is 5♠-4♦ even playing "standard" though t/o double still gains in the following ways:

 

-we always get to play 4♠ if we have 8+♠ and majority of high cards which I believe is a good thing

-we never get to play 4♠ on trumps 5-2 and almost never on trumps 6-1

 

The downside is that hands like : x AKx AJxxx AJxx have to pass and if partner doesn't re-open they play undoubled. I believe it's not that bad thing though because:

-those hands are rare; we are much more likely to have 2♠ on this auction than 3+ decent ♥

-partner is very likely to reopen (imo) as most of his range consists of GF hands

-we probably couldn't make anything anyway if partner doesn't reopen

 

As I said above if 18-20 balanced is removed from 1♦ opening situation is even better as the way is open for 5♦ contract which is basically lost playing "standard". I think this is why Italians play that way and also many polish pairs open 1♣ with 5♦-3-3-2 and 18-20 (so if 1♦ opener doubles in subsequent bidding it promises extra distribution).