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Hi all ! :)

 

I know many players play a "thrump" ("THRee notrUMP") double over opps preempts in various situations.

 

Under the thrump agrement, the double is primarily stop ask in the following sequences:

 

1x-(3y)-Dbl

 

The double asks to bid 3NT with a stopper in the preemptor's suit, and is NOT looking for majors.

 

I have read that some players have extended the use of the Thrump double even when our side does not open, and opps peempt.

 

E.g.

(3D)-X-(p)-?

(3H)-X-(p)-?

 

Under such agreement, now the main priority is NOT to show a major but to bid NT if possible ("Hamman's Law"?? :) ).

 

Anyway, I am a little worried by this use of the Thrump double, and I'll try to explain with an example.

 

Suppose bidding goes:

(3H)-X-(p)-?

 

you hold

AKxx-432-Kxx-Jxx

 

No stoper here, s 3Nt is not an option; but pard did not guarantee a spade fit with this double, so should you bid 4S even in a possible misfit with pard ?

Or leave the double in and find out that a slam in spades was laydown ?

 

Similar doubts arise in my mind in the sequences where opps preempt with

3C or 3D, pard doubles (not guaranteeing a major), and we lack a stopper but we have 4-2 in the majors.

E.g.

 

(3D)-X-(p)-?

 

you hold

Qxxx-32-432-AKxx

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Well I'm not a practitioner of thrump doubles. But it seems like if partner wants you to bid 3NT with just a stopper (and nothing else) it should promise a pretty good hand. It seems reasonable to suggest that the auction cannot end in 3 of a major. So with both the example hands, you bid 3 and it's forcing one round. Partner will raise to game with four spades (or maybe even with three and no better action), or bid his long minor or whatever.
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