Some auctions to ponder...

[inquiry]

Reminder to the experts.... this is posted in Beginner & Intermediate Bridge Discussion Forum...

 

#1

(1C)-2S-(3H)-DBL, where 2S=weak, 3H=forcing

 

What should dbl mean?

 

#2

1NT-(P)-2H-(DBL) 2H=transfer

Pass-(P)-3H-(P)

3S

 

Describe the 3Spade bidder's hand.

 

#3

Pass-(Pass)-3D-(DBL) 3D=weak, preemptive

3NT

 

What does the 3NT bid mean?

 

#4

Pass-(Pass)-3C-(DBL) 3C=weak, preemptive

3D

 

What does the 3D bid mean?

 

#5.

(1H)-Pass-(Pass)-2C

(2D)-DBL

 

What does the double mean? and finally,

 

#6.

(1H)-DBL-(1S)-DBL

 

What does the double mean?

[BurnKryten]

I'll take my shot at these, they look fun :)

 

#1

(1C)-2S-(3H)-DBL, where 2S=weak, 3H=forcing

What should dbl mean?

 

Answer #1: I haven't seen this before, usually I'm either raising partner or passing here. Absent other agreements, I think double should be Penalties. I'm probably crazy, but maybe there's a case for psyching this double on garbage and running to spades.

 

#2

1NT-(P)-2H-(DBL)

Pass-(P)-3H-(P)

3S

 

Describe the 3Spade bidder's hand.

 

Answer #2: If 2H is a transfer, and it certainly looks like it, then openers pass suggests only two spades (otherwise complete the transfer). Three hearts suggests a 5-5 hearts/spades hand for the responder. With his bid of 3 spades, opener prefers spades to hearts, so perhaps his hand is like this: AJ xx AKJx QT9xx. I'm still wondering about responder though... If RHO is doubling the transfer, then he has hearts as well, and responder knows it... and yet he bid hearts? Maybe responder, by cue-bidding RHOs suit, wants opener to bid 3NT with a heart stop, so that would make openers hand something like this: AJ, xxx, AKJx, QT9x. Dang pickup partners.

 

#3

Pass-(Pass)-3D-(DBL) 3D=weak, preemptive

3NT

 

What does the 3NT bid mean?

 

Answer #3: 3NT is either "to play" expecting to make or psychic, with diamonds and nothing else. If psychic, the 3NT bidder will run to diamonds if doubled.

 

#4

Pass-(Pass)-3C-(DBL) 3C=weak, preemptive

3D

 

What does the 3D bid mean?

 

Answer #4: We're both weak, so partner could be fooling around. Maybe it's just lead directing, and partner will retreat back to clubs. I'll be passing, in any case.

 

#5.

(1H)-Pass-(Pass)-2C

(2D)-DBL

 

What does the double mean? and finally,

 

Answer #5: This one is difficult, I'm not sure what the default agreement is. I think Double should be for blood with the doubler holding a red hand. But... what if the Doubler really holds a hand with 4 spades an game aspirations, and decides on a negative double? Passing might be a disaster. With a strange partner (and I get some strange ones) I would play it as negative, since if I pull and I'm wrong, we can still try 3NT. I haven't seen this sort of sequence in a book...

 

 

#6.

(1H)-DBL-(1S)-DBL

 

What does the double mean?

 

Answer #6: The double of 1 Spade should be penalty. The call 1 spade in this situation is frequently psychic, so it's important to be able to show spades.

 

Hope I got some of these right.

 

John

[Gerardo]

Reminder to the experts.... this is posted in Beginner & Intermediate Bridge Discussion Forum...

 

#1

(1C)-2S-(3H)-DBL, where 2S=weak, 3H=forcing

 

What should dbl mean?

Penalties I think, but it has to be a very rare auction.

Scoring method and vul are relevant here.

Why alert them H is breaking badly?

 

#2

1NT-(P)-2H-(DBL) 2H=transfer

Pass-(P)-3H-(P)

3S

 

Describe the 3Spade bidder's hand.

H support (3-4 cards min, not sure how many), but probably no stopper.

S support, or no stopper at all (3244 or so), p should bid 3NT with H stopper (why ask then?) or better/longer minor without.

 

#3

Pass-(Pass)-3D-(DBL) 3D=weak, preemptive

3NT

 

What does the 3NT bid mean?

To play or retreat if doubled

 

#4

Pass-(Pass)-3C-(DBL) 3C=weak, preemptive

3D

 

What does the 3D bid mean?

thinks 3Dx is better than 3Cx, without agreements.

Agreement could be lead directing AND thinks 3D is better than 3Cx

 

#5.

(1H)-Pass-(Pass)-2C

(2D)-DBL

 

What does the double mean? and finally,

To be discussed, could mean various different things, like:

a) takeout with lots of H, 2NT with both

:) Red hand, penalty

c) C (leading) support, if needed

 

#6.

(1H)-DBL-(1S)-DBL

 

What does the double mean?

 

I like exactly 4-card S, 2S with 5, partner has 3-card support or he can take charge of auction with his strong hand (18+)

[inquiry]

#1

(1C)-2S-(3H)-DBL, where 2S=weak, 3H=forcing

 

What should dbl mean?

 

Something to think about here. 3H was forcing. Therefore, if you have a hand where you wanted to apply the hammer, you could wait and double later (you will get another chance and at a higher level if you pass).

 

So double here should probably have a special meaning. It could mean you could doulbe HEARTS and have no like for SPADES, but would need your partner's help to double a club run out.

 

However, I like it to suggest partner bid 4S with a good offensive hand. Maybe I am inviting game, or maybe I am inviting a sacrafice, but I am seeking partner's help in evaulating whether we bid 4S or 3S. This frees up 3S to be made on any hand where you do not want to suggest partner bid again. That is, 3S here is simply competitive, while the dbl is forcing to 3S and suggesting partner bid 4S if he has a good offensive hand

 

#2

1NT-(P)-2H-(DBL) 2H=transfer

Pass-(P)-3H-(P)

3S

 

Describe the 3Spade bidder's hand.

 

This kind of hand crops up from time to time. You agreed to play a convention and then the opponents come into the auction.

 

First question is why did partner pass 2Hx? The answer is he is looking at 2 SPADES. With three or four surely he would complete the transfer. A redouble by you would be a "retransfer" to SPADES and 2S by you would be simply to play. With four or so good hearts he would have redoubled. So expect partner to be something like 2-3-4-4 or 2-4-(34), in the latter case with poor hearts.

 

So what would 3H bid by you mean? Once again, it is a matter of guessing what your partner will take the bid to mean. What it can't mean is that you have a major two suiter. The reason is with partner short in spades (the pass) and you having hearts, you would play 2Hx making nice overtricks perhaps.

 

So 3H might mean:

--> bid 3NT with heart stopper

--> I have a very good game invite hand with 6+spades

 

I think the second interpretation is best. With game forcing hand looking for a heart stopper, you could redouble then bid 3H over the "forced" re-transfer to 2S (again, with hearts, just pass and make your doubled contract with overtricks). With a mild game try you could redouble and then make a non-forcing rebid (2N, 3S). So over 2Hx, I play 3H to show a very good game try with good six card suit. Partner vitrually nothing more than honor doubleton in a minimum hand to bid game . So partner's 3S bid here is a red flag. Both a minimum 1NT opening bid and two small trumps.

 

You may choose to reverse the mild game try and the strong game try (using redbl then raise to 3S as stronger if you like). To me the "cue-bid" retransfer just sounds stronger, so I use it as such.

 

#3

Pass-(Pass)-3D-(DBL) 3D=weak, preemptive

3NT

 

What does the 3NT bid mean?

 

Unless your 3D's preempts promise a semi-solid or better suit, in my opinion 3NT here is best used conventionally to show a hand to INVITE a safe in 5DIAMONDS over whatever game they bid. This frees up a 4D bid to be simply competitive again, and not inviting your partner to stick his neck out at the five level.

 

In fact, if you had not bid originally, and if you were not vul, the 3NT would be "to play" but then if you are doubled and you run to 4D's it carries the same meaning, with an immediate 4D over 3D again as a none-invite.

 

#4

Pass-(Pass)-3C-(DBL) 3C=weak, preemptive

3D

 

What does the 3D bid mean?

 

I strongly disagree with the concept that 3D was a "save" where I think I know that diamonds are a better contract that clubs. You didn't open or preempt, so enough said. After the double, the odd are your partner will be on lead when they play the hand.

 

So 3D here should be either a lead directing bid, asking partner to lead a diamond... and is on the way to bidding 4C's, or a fit-non jump, inviting partner to evaluate a possible club sacrafice based upon you having a club fit and good diamond cards. More than likely, 3D is a mixture of these two meanings. If south had overcalled, say 3H, and you had bid 3S, the odds are YOU WILL be on lead if they play the hand, so 3S would be evaluate potential sacrafice knowing I have spades and a club fit (can't be lead director if you are on lead...hehehe).

 

#5.

(1H)-Pass-(Pass)-2C

(2D)-DBL

 

What does the double mean?

 

Ok. This one takes partnership agreement. But let's walk through what it might mean. 2C was a balancing bid, and really didn't promise that much... partner is bidding on both his and your points. You didn't bid immediately over 2H (no double, no 1S, no 1NT), but dbl here shows a good hand.

 

So what kind of hand can you hold? John ran through a nice list of possible meanings, where he said "....To be discussed, could mean various different things, like:

a) takeout with lots of H, 2NT with both

:) Red hand, penalty

c) Club (leading) support, if needed[b/]

 

Well, first the doubler must have good hearts. Really, nothing else makes any sense. So the question is are you willing to double both 2H and 2D?

 

Gerardo suggested this was for blood with a red two suiter, option B suggested by John. All of these can be played, but you need to make some kind of agreement. However, I think John was closest to the way I play it when he stated... "

With a strange partner (and I get some strange ones) I would play it as negative, since if I pull and I'm wrong, we can still try 3NT. Now I don't play it what you might call "negative", instead I play it as showing a hand where I would have made a penalty double of 2H had they bid that (again, now if I have a good hand, I HAVE TO HAVE HEARTS), and as takeout. I probably hold four average spades, good hearts, and mild club support...maybe doubleton honor. I do NOT HAVE diamonds. Partner, looking at good diamonds for his 2C bid can convert to penalty by passing, can bid some number of NT, can "raise" my spades, or can retreat to 3Cs.

 

So what do I do with a hand with a penalty double of BOTH red suits? I pass. The hope is that after (2D)-P-P-? ? ? Partner can reopen with a double, maybe being 4-1-2-6 or something, and now I can pass. If partner has a couple more diamonds, north WILL take preference back to 2H's and I get to double for penalty anyway. This has worked very nicely for me.

 

and finally,

#6.

(1H)-DBL-(1S)-DBL

 

What does the double mean?

 

Yes, we have all seen the pscyhic 1S call on this auction. I play this double for BLOOD and psych exposing. I also like the 2Spade ignore the 1S bid, but I use 2S to show a hand that I would have bid 2S on if my RHO had passed or maybe a "good" 1S call if he had passed, so my double shows a better hand (if you have some blah 8 or 9 points and spades and double, they will jump up the bidding in hearts and you will never catch up. But this is a matter of partnership style. But as the first two responses implied, you WILL see this pscyhic 1S bid OVER and OVER again, so you need to settle on your defenses against it.

 

Now, none of my solutions for these auctions should be the final word. It really doesn't matter too much what interpretation you apply to these situations as long as your partner is on the same PAGE as you.

 

Ben

[flytoox]

I like this interpretation, inquiry. This is the field where intermediate players lean most. It is different from textbook, which usually provide easy case to justify how good their sys are ;D But here we need to think, logically.