1D-1H, 2D

[straube]

Favorable imps.

 

P 1D P 1H

P 2D ?

 

AQxx Ax Jxx Qxxx

 

Your agreement is double shows spades and clubs here. Pass or double? Is it close?

[mikestar13]

It is close, however, IMHO. The red suit honors would work better if they were in the black suits, but still this hand would be slightly better than a minimum double of 1♦ if a small diamond were a small heart--so I won't pass, but is can see the reasoning behind it. Again, were we talking about

AQJx xx xxx AQxx, double would be a complete no-brainer (my cats would double with those cards).

[awm]

Hmm I might have overcalled one spade at these colors. Having passed, I'll double now (but it is close).

[Fluffy]

After cheching that I have blood in my veins, I double.

[PhantomSac]

I would X and don't find it to be close

[ArtK78]

I would X and don't find it to be close

 

+1

[ggwhiz]

Losing 5-6 imps through aggression is an acceptable cost of doing business in my partnership but losing them without even trying is not. On these colors if they happen to be headed for 3nt (or any other contract) partner will know what to lead and may be able to tell you what to lead before they get there.

[kenberg]

I double.

I take "is it close" to mean "Am I positive I would do this" rather than "Am I highly confident it will work". Then I say it is not close. I am sure I would do it.

 

For one thing, if we are going to contest the auction I think I need to act now. So I act.

 

good/bad features.

 

Bad:

The strength to my left is unlimited

They may not have a fit, and we may not have a fit.

I have three diamonds and partner might have three (small) diamonds.

I think that's about it for the bad.

 

Good:

I have two hearts. Partner likely has at least three, and he will be able to ruff in dummy w/o fear of being overruffed if that seems like a good line.

The opening bid is on my right. Probably the spade finesse is working if it is needed.

If, as I hope, partner has short diamonds then a cross-ruff is looking good.

We are not vul so even if the X is in theory wrong, we might survive in practice.

 

 

 

I also think there is something to be said for an immediate 1S overcall of 1D. I like to be a little stronger though when I have only four. A hand where I have four spades but I just cannot stand passing over 1D. Here I don't like passing over 1D, but I can stand it.

[straube]

14 to 1 so far for doubling. That one vote for passing isn't my vote, but I would have voted pass. 4/4 and one of the suits offered is at the 3-level. I would think 4S/5C or extras. Btw found it interesting that Mike Lawrence plays double here as penalty. Thanks for voting.

[Jinksy]

I've doubled the passers, before looking down and noticing a sudden clustering of some the forum's strongest players (where have you been, guys?) doing the opposite.

 

I defer to the crowd, but I thoroughly don't get it. There's some principle I'm missing here - all Kenberg's 'bad' features look like classic reasons to not overcall unless you really have a compelling reason to, all his 'good' ones look like tiebreaks for hands you're on the fence on.

 

I don't hate a 1♠ overcall, but having not done so before, I don't see the reason to come in now. P's most likely holding in diamonds must be something like xxx, so if he's sitting there with 4(+) spades, he's likely to have as good a reason to bid as we do here - better, if the bidding comes round to him, since two of the main things I fear by speaking now is getting penalised on a misfitting part score and just helping them make a thin game. I agree with Straube - the only reason that would have occurred to me for doubling now is with 4 spades long clubs (maybe 'extras', though since I couldn't bid 1N or an offshape X the first time round, I struggle to imagine a hand with enough extras to justify it on a 4nn4).