Jump to content

What's the double? And what do you do about it?


Jinksy

Recommended Posts

[hv=pc=n&s=sahqj7dj73ca87632&d=s&v=n&b=15&a=1c1sp2sppdp]133|200[/hv]

 

You’re playing 5cM with better minor. Teams, unfavourable (hands rotated for convenience).

 

W is a strong club player, E is fairly weak.

 

How do you understand the double? And what do you propose to do about it?

  • Upvote 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Why didn't North make a Neg-DBL at his first turn ?

 

there is a good chance they do not have 4 hearts

If they were to have 4 hearts then they felt too weak to double last time around and now want to step in at the 3 level at unfavourable. In that case the opponents are not going to let us have it at 3 anyway.

 

I know what you mean though - if partner were old school they would play this double as penalty. But if we were playing penalty doubles here then I would have felt under pressure not to pass last time around, since we suddenly have no way of competing on many simple part-score battles.

 

Edit: you still play penalty doubles in this sequence Phil? I must be seriously out of touch.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Yes this is a penalty double. Apparently RHO has raised on a doubleton (LHO having overcalled on a 4-card suit is not plausible since good players do that only with good 4-card suits). Maybe RHO or LHO missorted his hand.

 

How nice, LHO overcalled with 4 and RHO raised with 2 (or some other weird action similar to this) and our double is penalty because we are prepared and spared a low level double for this ! I don't know if it will be our opponents or US who will win the comedy contest.

 

I am with Zel on the theory side of discussion, but things do not add up much for a negative double here when i look at my hand.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

How nice, LHO overcalled with 4 and RHO raised with 2 (or some other weird action similar to this) and our double is penalty because we are prepared and spared a low level double for this ! I don't know if it will be our opponents or US who will win the comedy contest.

 

I am with Zel on the theory side of discussion, but things do not add up much for a negative double here when i look at my hand.

 

 

Well when partner has made a penalty pass and they raise it will be great if he can double for penalties. If We had a spade void instead of the Ace I bet everyone would pass in a flash. So if we were to agree that double here is takeout for the minors, this means that we give up the ability to punish them when they raise.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I remember having a bid argument with a partner about a similar sequence when I held Kx of their suit.

 

Partner had intended it as a light take-out double. My argument was that I had decided to trust partner rather than opponents.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Well when partner has made a penalty pass and they raise it will be great if he can double for penalties. If We had a spade void instead of the Ace I bet everyone would pass in a flash. So if we were to agree that double here is takeout for the minors, this means that we give up the ability to punish them when they raise.

 

You won't miss much by not using penalty doubles at 2 level when they bid and raise.

 

 

 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

throw me in the penalty x camp. P had an impossible 2 nt bid if they wanted to treat their hand

 

as take out (xxxx Kx Qxxxx xx for ex). p knows from the bidding you are short in spades and

 

have at least 4 clubs and the 2n bid is the only way to get diamonds (and a probable fit) into

 

the picture while still leaving 3c as a possible contract. This hand also shows why p could not neg

 

x first time around:))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))

 

 

 

 

Even though my hand is hardly top notch I pass:)))))))))))))

 

 

 

 

 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I play this as "do something intelligent", not pure penalty.

 

The only person in my room that overcalls on a 4-bagger (and it'll be KQT9 or better, since they don't have the ace) is me. I know of people who raise on two, but they've trained their partners to be the most honest person on the block. Partner could have Jxxxx and stuff, I guess, but why he would look for penalty at the 1 level on that I can't really set up.

 

We also play "the only pair that plays two-of-a-fit undoubled is us"; I'm expecting that partner would be happy to see me pass, but as this isn't a traditional OBAR BIDS situation, she could be stuck for a call that says "DSI,P, but don't pass".

Link to comment
Share on other sites

We also play "the only pair that plays two-of-a-fit undoubled is us"

Does this apply at teams (as OP states this was) as well as pairs? And even if opponents are reasonably honest they could presumably have a 7-card fit, even if they are unlikely to be violating Burns' Law of Total Trumps.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Helene_t has the hands dead on:

 

[hv=pc=n&s=sahqj7dj73ca87632&w=sq9642hat5dkt82c4&n=sjt875hk642dq94ck&e=sk3h983da65cqjt95&d=s&v=n&b=15&a=1c1sp2sppdp3cppp]399|300[/hv]

 

How nice, LHO overcalled with 4 and RHO raised with 2 (or some other weird action similar to this) and our double is penalty because we are prepared and spared a low level double for this ! I don't know if it will be our opponents or US who will win the comedy contest.

 

This makes no sense to me. As it happened E had flipped, but on the diagram above, are you telling me you wouldn't bid 1S on W's hand? Then give E two of my Ss for the KS and a small D for eg, and N's (my) pass looks conservative but sane (if you disagree with can adjust a bit further to subtract a soft side-suit point or two from me), her 2S looks automatic, and my subsequent X still looks marked.

 

Quite aside from that, as someone pointed out, nothing that's happened other than you happening to have an extra trump honour is inconsistent with trumps being 5530 around the table, (or 5431 with P having the SA instead of you), so what's so abnormal about having a penalty double to prepare for that?

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I don't like passing with the North cards one bit. If partner doubles for takeout and we pass, I guess quite often they will be 1 down and 4 would be on, partner has shortness opposite our Jxxxx. If N passed not planning to defend 1X North will be stuck to find a bid after partner reopens. 1N is un underbid and 3 is ridiculous when partner often has 3.

 

So holding 4s and a reasonable hand I think it is obvious for North to double at the first turn.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

... holding 4s and a reasonable hand I think it is obvious for North to double at the first turn.

I was West at the other table in this teams match, and North did indeed double at his first turn. My partner passed as East (anyone for redouble?), South rebid 2C and that was the end of the auction.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Join the conversation

You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.

Guest
Reply to this topic...

×   Pasted as rich text.   Paste as plain text instead

  Only 75 emoji are allowed.

×   Your link has been automatically embedded.   Display as a link instead

×   Your previous content has been restored.   Clear editor

×   You cannot paste images directly. Upload or insert images from URL.

Loading...
×
×
  • Create New...