[nickf]

Conditions:
You are playing with an international player, in a once-off partnership, in small country town tournament. You have had 45 minutes system discussion none of which included the situation described below.

You did, however, have a prolonged discussion about which doubles are for penalties and which doubles ask partner to do something intelligent.
You agreed that almost no doubles will be for penalties unless it is a penalty double.

You are dealer and open 1C. LHO overcalls 1S, Partner bid 2H (one round force) and RHO ups the ante by jumping to 4S.

Scoring: MP in a really bad field

---

You have several available options. You need to answer this in the context of the conditions given above (that means that despite you and regular partner having 617 competitive bidding agreements, 4NT will not be for the minors).

Over to you.

nickf
sydney

[Walddk]

PASS. After I opened 1♣ (agree btw, I always open my longer suit first if it's good enough to rebid) I have no other choice. Partner will probably double, but I am now going to pull to 4NT. No ambiguity here, it shows 5-6 in the minors.

I normally dislike when partner pulls my penalty doubles, but there is no rule without exception. Mind you, passing the double may be our last chance to go plus on this deal, but I won't sit for it.

Roland

[whereagles]

If opps are really bad there's no guarantee they'll have a NINE card fit, let alone a ten card one. I'll give pard a chance to double this and pass.

If opps can be relied to have 9 or 10 spades, I'll pass but pull to 4NT afterwards. If a direct 4NT weren't RKCB for hearts, I'd prefer it.

[luke warm]

justin and roland like 1c opening, so that should settle it... however, it seems to me that there's a danger of losing the diamond suit (unless you're strong enough to reverse)...

switch the red suits on this hand... would you still open 1c?... as for the actual bidding, i have to pass... since i'd feel really bad leaving an 'x' in, i'd also bid 4nt if pard doubled

[inquiry]

Double if I assume this is not "penalty double" situation according to the definition that (no doubles will be for penalties unless it is a penalty double). I don't like doubling with void, but they are at the four level. i don't like doubling after opening with 10 hcp, but I have to suggest diamonds. To pass and hope partner will be able to find a reopening takeout double is asking too much.

Ben

[Chamaco]

[general question]
Would this be a forcing pass situation (therefore strongly suggesting to bid on ?

[inquiry]

Chamaco, on Mar 13 2005, 02:19 PM, said:

[general question]
Would this be a forcing pass situation (therefore strongly suggesting to bid on ?

Absolutely not a forcing pass situation.

Having said that, some people play any preempt at these colors to the four level leads to a forcing pass, but this is lunacy and clearly not standard.

[Winstonm]

Maybe I am too old fashioned but I don't see the point in opening this hand in first seat - especially with this shape, which forces me to either A) misbid my shape conceal my shape or C) Lie about my strength. An original pass gives this hand more flexibiltiy whether my pard or the opponents open the bidding, and if it is passed out it is hard to imagine we have lost much.

That said, I have to deal with the problem at hand. Hement's son JLall probably has the best answer - pass and bid 4NT if the opportunity arises.

WinstonM

[han]

Ben,

Even though double is not penalty, would you not double with, say

xx x AKJx AQxxxx?

It seems to me that double makes it at least as tough for partner as pass does.

Besides, a pass followed by 4NT describes the hand perfectly: a very distributional but minimal hand. The only minus is that it gives up on playing 4S doubled.

[inquiry]

Hannie, on Mar 13 2005, 02:59 PM, said:

Ben,

Even though double is not penalty, would you not double with, say

xx x AKJx AQxxxx?

It seems to me that double makes it at least as tough for partner as pass does.

Besides, a pass followed by 4NT describes the hand perfectly: a very distributional but minimal hand. The only minus is that it gives up on playing 4S doubled.

Pass also gives up on playing 5♦ making opposite something like

♠xxx ♥Axxx ♦Jxxx ♣Kx

or

♠xxx ♥Qxxx ♦Axxx ♣Kx

and give up a great sacrafice opposite somethiong like

♠xx ♥QJxx ♦xxxx ♣Kxx

You pay your dime, you take your chance. Pass will allow you to describe your hand perfectly if your partner can scrape together a takeout double. Give your partner three or four spades (as is likely), and he will have trouble finding that takeout double. Having said that, pass is surely a good option. The problem with double is partner might bid six.