Double in competition

[ArtK78]

Playing with a self-proclaimed expert in an ACBL matchpoint game on BBO, you pick up:

 

ATxxx

K

Axxx

Jxx

 

No one vul.

 

The auction:

 

(2♣*) - P - (2♥*) - 2♠

(3♥) - x - (P) - ?

 

2♣ was Precision, 2♥ was constructive but not forcing.

 

The double of 3♥ was undiscussed.

 

Your move.

[semeai]

I've got four diamonds, so I bid four diamonds.

 

On second thought, what does my partner's profile say? If it's "STAYMEN BLKWD 1N16-18 2C19+," I may have to reconsider.

 

More seriously, I think/hope it's some combination of takeout/cards/transfer-to-3N. I don't think we're making 3N, and 4♦ is pretty likely to be at least an okay place to play.

[Phil]

Pass. Playing a takeout specifically for the 4th suit seems like a bad idea.

[ArtK78]

What about invitational raise in spades with 3♠ being merely competitive?

[pigpenz]

looks like were trying to be to fine or too much of an expert for an undiscussed bid

I would pass if partner has spades he should support them

 

were not playing in the Blue Ribbons Pairs, but an ACBL BBO game the only real experts have stars by their names

and in some cases that even doesn't apply.

[semeai]

What about invitational raise in spades with 3♠ being merely competitive?

 

I've never heard of this meaning for a double unless spades have been agreed beforehand. This is a possible meaning on the auction 1C-1S-2H*-2S;3H-X (*NF), but I just don't see it here.

[gnasher]

A takeout double in this sequence would have five diamonds and ♠Hx. However, that hand would have overcalled over 2♣, so he can't have that. He probably has a balanced opening hand without primary spade support. I have two aces and a trump honour, so pass seems sensible. That also caters for the other possibility, which is that he just has a penalty double.

 

It may be a good idea to play double as a spade raise here, but it's a very bad idea to assume it undiscussed.

 

I'd lead ♠A. A trump may well be best, but I'd like to see how good dummy's clubs are before deciding on the defence.

[Fluffy]

opponents have supported themselves and are in a partscore I am not passing this with singleton trump. When the opponents support themselves no double is penalty, at least for me.

 

I would try 4♦

[akhare]

A Snapdragon X (showing tolerance for pard's suit, length in the unbid suit and a weakish hand) at the 3-level?

 

I don't think so...

[jeannief]

x sounds like a game try in spades, where 3S is comp.

The 2S bid can be wide ranging. Penalty X seems unlikely

on the auction and position.

[aguahombre]

Change "self-proclaimed expert" to "reasonable player with whom we haven't discussed a lot of competitive situations", and then Phil, Andy and Mr. Pig would be on track.

 

Bidding 4D now and finding a 2-4-3-4 13 count across the table would not be ideal.

 

The alleged reasonable player pretty much knows my count if he is paying attention to the auction. With spades, he will raise spades. There is no "invite".

[SteveMoe]

I'd want to know more about the 2♣ opening bid and how the pair treats 2♦ (are 43/34=1=5 patterns allowed?). Assume 2♣ requires 6♣s. The raise would normally imply a maximum. However trusting partner, I would expect partner to have something like 2=3=4=4 or 2=3=5=3 or 2=2=5=4 and about 10 HCP. This means responder bid on 5 HCP. (Partner might be gambling on a 1=3=5=4 hand). Opponents likely have a 9 card ♥ fit (10 is possible).

 

I don't like bidding to the 4 level on this hand. I will bid 3♠ and hope Opener is 3=3=1=6. (If opponents open 2♣ with 5 card ♣ suits and a major then 3=4=1=5 is possible (unless of course they put that shape into 2♦)).

[pigpenz]

putting this into a sim with no understanding of what North's bid is

and setting just basic constraints for E and W

which can be corrected

W

♠0-4

♥3-4

♦0-5

♣5-6

and just 11-15 hcp

 

East

5-6♥ and less than a forcing bid of 2♦

 

3♥ makes 67% on just spinning in cards

 

now we can tighten stuff up by making West Max 14-15 hcp and North 10+hcp and see what happens

so if we give partner 10hcp now 3♥ only makes 32% of the time

 

 

Now maybe we need to be asking ourselves what is really going on here????

Having played preciscion for years years in the 70's I would say EW are up to some MeckWell shenanigans.

 

East bid has hardly any values and most likely is predicated on a club fit with partner or big club fit and

singleton heart which it doesn't look like this cause we have stiff K♥ so most likely 5-6 ♥ and club fit

which makes it more likely we do have spade fit.

 

so now putting this in above clubs with hearts

4♠ for us now makes 62% of the time

 

EW can take this number of tricks in ♥

7-76%

8-47%

9-21%

10-9%

 

this is all easy to say after the fact but at the table probably we wont work all this out, so I guess if partner has spades he should just BID THEM