the first bid was easy

[gwnn]

AKQxx

AJxxx

Kx

x

 

LHO RHO opens 1C and it goes:

 

1C-2C-p-2H

3C-?

 

all white imps.

Edited April 27, 2012 by gwnn

[Bbradley62]

your other left.

 

4♥. Sorry, can't help it...

[broze]

I'd probably bid 4♣ at the table, not being entirely sure what it would mean.

[Bbradley62]

Gerber :P

[mike777]

I assume 2c was weak or strong...will try double now to show strong type of hand.

[quiddity]

double. 4♣/4♥ are both bad; can't partner have 5 clubs and a doubleton heart?

[rmnka447]

Double seems right. Your first bid denied ♣s, so it must be card showing.

 

Partner's 2 ♥ bid was discouraging as far as major fits are concerned. But partner could still hold some minor cards and just not have any other bid.

 

Double tells your story and gives partner some choices. At worst, you could end up playing 3 ♥ in a 5-2 fit.

[AlexJonson]

4C would be my choice. If I need to make a joke (and I often do) I'd say 'forcing'.

[lalldonn]

double. 4♣/4♥ are both bad; can't partner have 5 clubs and a doubleton heart?

+100!!!

[nigel_k]

double. 4♣/4♥ are both bad; can't partner have 5 clubs and a doubleton heart?

Agree. This is a beginner level problem. Don't bid your hand twice. Double says you have extra values and no extra shape.

[Phil]

+100!!!

 

Agree, but I'd rather have 1-2 than 2-1 in the minors.

 

Can I get some love for 3♦?

[han]

No Phil, no love for 3D.

[gszes]

When I first started playing around 17000 years ago a wise

man told me the more hcp you have concetrated in your long

suits the more offensive in nature your hand is. With lots

of HCP in your short suits the more defensive your hand is.

 

The overwhelming majority of my "stuff" is in my long suits.

This is a very offensive oriented hand not defensive. I would

save x for hands like KQxxx Axxxx KJ A. The current hand

is much more suited to a 3h bid where p can appreciate the

game potential of their xx Qxxx xxxx xxx hand. Bidding 3h

does not bid your hand twice it merely helps p decide if

you hand is more offensive or defensive in nature.

[Fluffy]

When I first started playing around 17000 years ago a wise

man told me the more hcp you have concetrated in your long

suits the more offensive in nature your hand is. With lots

of HCP in your short suits the more defensive your hand is.

 

This is only true when you have a fit

[lalldonn]

Sorry but anything besides double is bad. Partner even bid your AJxxx instead of your AKQxx which adds to your defense (not that I wouldn't double if they were the other way around). And if partner has xx Qxxx xxxx xxx he should one-million-percent bid 4H over our double. He would need AK of both our majors to want to be in game, that's it. That 'wise man' was probably talking about times you had a fit and were making a penalty double, neither of which were true here. This double just says "extra values", nothing more. Partner already knows about our 5-5 in the majors so he will almost definitely make a good decision no matter what he does.

[broze]

double. 4♣/4♥ are both bad; can't partner have 5 clubs and a doubleton heart?

 

Ugh, yeah. Double is obvious and clearly right. I don't have my bridge cap on tonight. Time for bed.

 

I suppose in that case fruitful discussion could be had about what 3NT, 4♣, 3♠ etc. show...

[MrAce]

No Phil, no love for 3D.

 

:D

[aguahombre]

Can I get some love for 3♦?

5-5-3-0 with the same highcards, and you could get a little love for 3♦.

 

With 5-5-2-1, the double seems better. If Opener had not rebid, then lacking the availability of the double, I would bid 3D with the two-card fragment

[JLOGIC]

For an expert, double is completely standard operating procedure in this spot with this hand. It shows extras, almost always exactly 5-5, not 5530 (3D). It is simply superior to bidding 3H or whatever because partner sometimes has a pass, there is no reason he cant be 2245, or 2254 with some trumps and we have them massacred. Sure, 90+ % of the time he will bid 4H or 3H but then we haven't lost anything.

 

That said, I have noticed that few non experts know this bid. This thread supports that. Perhaps it is not frequent enough and is not written about commonly.

[gwnn]

Yes, it was certainly not known for this non expert. I bid 3♦. Partner has a 3433 with the ♥Q so 3♥ makes.

[JLOGIC]

3D promising 5530 is nice since that can still be your fit, and it is big for slam purposes for partner to be able to guarantee that you have a void. Also with 5521 and a strong hand you want to leave 3C X in the game.

[neilkaz]

For an expert, double is completely standard operating procedure in this spot with this hand. It shows extras, almost always exactly 5-5, not 5530 (3D). It is simply superior to bidding 3H or whatever because partner sometimes has a pass, there is no reason he cant be 2245, or 2254 with some trumps and we have them massacred. Sure, 90+ % of the time he will bid 4H or 3H but then we haven't lost anything.

 

That said, I have noticed that few non experts know this bid. This thread supports that. Perhaps it is not frequent enough and is not written about commonly.

 

Great post! One this that has become apparent to me from both kibbing hands this week at the US team trials and from listening to the pros go over hands at dinner and other times is that this double and quite are few others than are as routine as tieing one's shoes to pros are rather unknown or would be missunderstood by the average player. Many, such as this which makes perfect sense if you pause and think are not in most books and might even be unknown or untaught by the so-called expert who gives lessons at the local club.

 

.. neilkaz ..