Should I pull the double?

[Wackojack]

http://www.bridgebase.com/tools/handviewer.html?lin=pn|roma112,friiziNew,Wackojack,ace37|st%7C%7Cmd%7C2S267H456JD29C8JKA%2CS4JH39TD46JKC37TQ%2CS9H278QKAD378TQC5%2C%7Crh%7C%7Cah%7CBoard%2020%7Csv%7Cb%7Cmb%7Cp%7Cmb%7C1H%7Cmb%7C1S%7Cmb%7C2H%7Cmb%7Cp%7Cmb%7C4H%7Cmb%7C4S%7Cmb%7Cd%7Cmb%7Cp%7Cmb%7Cp%7Cmb%7Cp%7Cpc%7CCK%7Cpc%7CC3%7Cpc%7CC5%7Cpc%7CC2%7Cpc%7CCA%7Cpc%7CC7%7Cpc%7CHA%7Cpc%7CC4%7Cpc%7CC8%7Cpc%7CCT%7Cpc%7CS9%7Cpc%7CC6%7Cmc%7C10%7C

 

"I find these competitive situations at the 5 level very difficult especially when the opps have bid rather peculiarly. Maybe I should pull the double, but I am not totally convinced that T should. As the cards lie we go 1 off in 5H and because of hearts void in the east hand they make 4S. However suppose hearts were split 2-1 instead of 3-0 which is not unreasonable. Then 4S x goes off, and 5H becomes a phantom sacrifice. On 2nd thoughts suppose you swap your clubs and diamonds, then 5H would be a make and 4S would almost ceratainly make also. So yes I think I was wrong not to pull the double"

 

This was my email to my partner the next day. Do my comments make sense or not?

[ArtK78]

This is just one of those hands where getting it right is just a matter of what view you take on the hand.

 

At IMPs I would bid 5♥ on the North hand because it is so easy to construct hands where both sides make. As you pointed out, if you reverse your partner's minor suits (except for the duplication of the 8), the auction be the same.

 

Query: Suppose you bid 5♥ and the auction continues (P) - P - (5♠). Now what?

[nigel_k]

I don't like South's double, but maybe North should pull regardless. If South had just passed it is much easier though.

 

 

This is probably system more than judgment, but I think South has to do something other than 2♥ at his first turn. I would use both 2♠ and 2NT to show a heart raise, e.g.

 

2♠ More defensive usually with three trumps and high card values

2NT More offensive with four trumps and possibly fewer high card values

3♥ Preemptive raise

 

Most hands with four trumps and too good for 3♥ would bid 2NT and needn't have full limit raise values. There is still space for opener to make a game try and it is more important at responder's first turn to express their preference for offence over defence.

[han]

Wouldn't it be nice to make a mixed raise with the south hand? Certainly north would know to bid 5.

[gnasher]

I'd make a 3♣ fit-bid as South. That doesn't help much, does it?

[Wackojack]

I don't like South's double, but maybe North should pull regardless. If South had just passed it is much easier though.

 

 

This is probably system more than judgment, but I think South has to do something other than 2♥ at his first turn. I would use both 2♠ and 2NT to show a heart raise, e.g.

 

2♠ More defensive usually with three trumps and high card values

2NT More offensive with four trumps and possibly fewer high card values

3♥ Preemptive raise

 

Most hands with four trumps and too good for 3♥ would bid 2NT and needn't have full limit raise values. There is still space for opener to make a game try and it is more important at responder's first turn to express their preference for offence over defence.

 

Our system without intervention was limit raise to 3 and Jacoby 2NT game force and jump fits. We had not discussed fully how this changes when there is an overcall except that lowest cue = 3 card support and 2NT = 4 card support. I assume from this that a raise to 2M would likely be a 3 card suit and a raise to 3 would be a mixed raise. If so the south hand qualifies for a raise to 3♥.

 

Does this strengthen the case for pulling the double? Yes I think so, but I could still construct hands where neither 4♠ or 5♥can make. Had the opps route to 4♠ been bid and support, then the it would have been much clearer, but when 1 opp does it in 2 bites with the other saying nothing, it is not so clear to me.

[jschafer]

I think the North hand is an easy pass over the Double but then again I would never Double with the South hand. When my partner says he can beat a contract I usually don't try to second-guess that decision.

[whereagles]

Wacko: looking at your hand and at a pard who was unable to bid nothing more but a mere 2H, I'd say we'd be luck they don't make FIVE spades.

 

I would pull, on grounds of the above but based also on the fact that if pard has a set in his hand, maybe he shouldn't have bid 2H.

 

Pard could have bid 3C fit bid instead of 2H, but interstingly, if he had done that, there would have been a better case to pass to 4S lol.