[pclayton]

Winstonm, on May 4 2008, 06:30 AM, said:

Quote

We'd like 4 spades to double

You got a mouse in your pocket or something?

No, Phil is whispering violently in the ear of pclayton.

[Winstonm]

Now some arguments against - not that they are right:

First, the hand is toward the low end of a t.o. double - the lower the HCP the more "perfect" in shape it should be. Second, this is not a question of taking out at the one-level, but the 2-level, and there should be an distinction between good enough to double at the 1-level and good enough for a 2-level double. Third, it puts partner in a spot with an invitational strength hand - especially a hand with 4 spades.

I believe this is one of those hands where feeling like you should bid is the right feeling, but bidding or doubling is the wrong action.

[han]

pclayton, on May 3 2008, 10:59 PM, said:

"The hand with shortness gets in the bidding".

If you pass you mostly likely defend 2H, which will be bad most likely. If you double some bad things can happen, mostly when partner holds exactly 4 spades and is exactly invitational. On many other hands you do well by competing for the partscore or bidding good games.

[tomb3113]

I play the following:
-X shows a strong balanced hand (NT overcall type)
-2NT shows a good 3 level overcall (16+)
-an overcall shows 11-15

So I have an easy 3c and partner won t expect too much from me.
Also when i X 2h partner will know that i have a balanced hand and will pass when it s right.

[effervesce]

Pass. I don't see why passing here is too bad-surely if partner has 5 spades and decent values he'd bid them in passout seat. Sure, it's more difficult to compete for a partscore but if you X, most of the time surely partner will be bidding spades. In any case, I prefer slightly extra strength for a direct X than a 4th seat X. If partner can't bid 2♠, 2NT or 3m we won't miss game anyway most of the time.

Yes, I'll agree we may be robbed by passing given the singleton heart, but I'm happy to live with that for more accurate game bidding. At MPs I'd X.

[zasanya]

I pass and I am curious to know the aftermath.

[1eyedjack]

zasanya, on May 5 2008, 05:30 AM, said:

I pass and I am curious to know the aftermath.

The aftermath was not a thing of beauty. There was I think enough wrong with several of the bids that the actual hand is perhaps not of much interest, but here it is. I was kibitzing, and North got a bit of stick for the 4♣ bid, which I thought was a fairly normal bid opposite MY expectation of a 3♣ overcall. Hands are rotated for convenience and consistency with original post. I thought that South is borderline between pass and double, but I think that 3♣ comes a third.

Scoring: IMP

E...S...W...N
2♥..3♣..P..P
3♦..P..P..4♣
P...P...P

---

[helene_t]

I think North's first-round pass is the worst call. (Well I may be a point counter since 3N has no chance).

The 2♥ opening is quite funny, too, but maybe it's in accordance with that partnership's style.

[pclayton]

North is a beginner.

He passes a normal opening and then passes an overcall over a weak 2.

Looks like the doublers are getting +500.