[thebiker]

Playing MP's
Dealer W EW Vul You are East

West North East
P 1NT (12-14) ?

East's hand
Spades void
Hearts AQJT8
Diamonds AQJ5
Clubs K942

As East what action would you take? Why would you choose a particular action?

(a) Double - penalty
or
(b) Bid 2H's
or
© If available to your partnership, make a conventional overcall showing a two suited hand with hearts
or
(d) Something else

Thank you in advance for your answers

regards

"thebiker"

[helene_t]

I wouldn't bid hearts.

If I have a call that shows five hearts and a 4-card minor (or, alternatively, shows a three-suited hand short in spades) I would prefer to use that.

I wouldn't double. Opps are going to bid spades and although we have hopefully agreed to play my second double as t/o I wouldn't be too happy about doing it with a void in their suit. I think partner is allowed to leave such a double in with four trumps.

If I don't have a convention suitable for this hand I would pass, planing to double their 2♠ bid.

[1eyedjack]

I would double.

I don't expect it to be left in, but it sets a baseline for the remainder of the auction.

[mikeh]

methods matter

In my partnerships we play that 2♦ is a transfer

(dble = 15+ but I wouldn't choose that with this hand
2C = majors
2D/H = transfers
2S = both minors
2N = one minor, good hand/suit tho less than 15 usually
3 bids semi-preemptive)

I intend to rebid 3♦ over a simple acceptance, and then over a preference to hearts, I may choose 4C, but I will await table action/development before committing to that action.

[Cyberyeti]

1eyedjack, on 2014-October-02, 09:05, said:

I would double.

I don't expect it to be left in, but it sets a baseline for the remainder of the auction.

I agree, I need to have something more extreme than this to not double with this many points, the real danger is not that opps bid spades, it's that partner does with 6 to the 10 and out, then it gets ugly fast.

[ggwhiz]

mikeh, on 2014-October-02, 09:17, said:

methods matter

In my partnerships we play that 2♦ is a transfer

(dble = 15+ but I wouldn't choose that with this hand
2C = majors
2D/H = transfers
2S = both minors
2N = one minor, good hand/suit tho less than 15 usually
3 bids semi-preemptive)
I intend to rebid 3♦ over a simple acceptance, and then over a preference to hearts, I may choose 4C, but I will await table action/development before committing to that action.

I play transfers against weak notrumps as well on the theory that you always get a 2nd kick at the can with shapely good hands and we play systems on as if you opened a strong notrump after a double.

My dream hand was ♠Ax, ♥Axxxxxx, ♦AKQx, void

After a weak notrump by rho I bid 2♦ xfer to hearts - p - p! to a 3♣ bid. I chickened out with 6♦ but the other table was -1 in 4♥ opposite pards pointless 7 diamonds and heart void.

[Jinksy]

I double in sleep almost regardless of my overcalls (though I usually play simple Landy by preference). I'm planning to rebid something showing a 2-suiter (for me, 2N showing Hs and an unspecified minor) if they bid Ss.

[Nabooba]

I dislike transfers against weak or strong NTs as I dont believe in giving opponents 2 options on a hand. Hence I prefer Asptro. On this hand I would double, especially given the vulnerability.

[helene_t]

Nabooba, on 2014-October-03, 00:07, said:

I dislike transfers against weak or strong NTs as I dont believe in giving opponents 2 options on a hand. Hence I prefer Asptro. On this hand I would double, especially given the vulnerability.

I don't have experience playing transfer overcalls so I can't know for sure but I would think that giving the opponents the choice between a direct and a delayed auction in this situation it is less of a problem than in other contested auctions. The 1NT opener's partner is captain and pretty much just places the contract, on most hands he doesn't need the extra options we give him.

Of course they can agree to play a direct 2NT as lebensohl and a delayed 2NT as minors, and stuff like that, which will occasionaly allow them to reach a good 3m contract they otherwise wouldn't find.

Maybe the biggest problem is that they can show diamonds by doubling 2♦.

Playing matchpoints I have come to the conclusion that it is better to play the same way against 12-14 1NT as you would against strong 1NT, i.e. something with an artificial double and very light overcalls. Once in a blue moon they will go four down undoubled against our game but then we just have to hope that they are unfavorable or that the rest of the field fail to bid game which is quite difficult after an enemy 1NT opening. Meanwhile, we get to obstruct their bidding and win a lot of partscore battles, and when opener's partner hold 5 points and five clubs we don't help them to a club contract by doubling 1NT.

[Jinksy]

Quote

Maybe the biggest problem is that they can show diamonds by doubling 2♦.

My intuition would be to play values by the double, just as if they Xed your xfer. Then it's much easier for them to penalise you or bid to the right level.

[thebiker]

If your choice of action was double (penalty) your next problem is what to do when the oppo bid a direct 4S against you which comes to the doubler. Your partner taking no part in the auction

What meanings would you assign now to (a)Double (b) 4NT

regards

thebiker

[P_Marlowe]

X..... - penalty
4NT. - 2 Places to play

Regarding the initial question, I would go with X, unless I can show
2 of my suits, including hearts, in a forcing manner, I can.

Over 4S, I guess I bid 4NT, playing IMPs, I would double.

With kind regards
Marlowe

[Jinksy]

thebiker, on 2014-October-03, 03:59, said:

If your choice of action was double (penalty) your next problem is what to do when the oppo bid a direct 4S against you which comes to the doubler. Your partner taking no part in the auction

What meanings would you assign now to (a)Double (b) 4NT

regards

thebiker

X pens, 4N two places, as per P_Marlowe. I've doubled a lot of weak NTs on a lot of shapely hands, and never seen the opps actually compete above the 3 level yet, so I'll worry about this when it actually causes a problem.

[fromageGB]

Agree with helene-t's both posts. Never penalty double, and pass if this hand is not covered by your artificial double.

[bluechip10]

thebiker, on 2014-October-02, 08:16, said:

Playing MP's
Dealer W EW Vul You are East

West North East
P 1NT (12-14) ?

East's hand
Spades void
Hearts AQJT8
Diamonds AQJ5
Clubs K942

As East what action would you take? Why would you choose a particular action?

(a) Double - penalty
or
(b) Bid 2H's
or
© If available to your partnership, make a conventional overcall showing a two suited hand with hearts
or
(d) Something else

Thank you in advance for your answers

regards

"thebiker"

Against a weak NT, I always play Capp. I need very little (other than a fit) from partner to make a suit game. On a really good day, slam is possible. If one is a pessimist, she would double. If one is an optimist, she would bid 2 hearts. If game is there we can probably set 1NT 4 tricks. Now, when I played weak NT, I also played "escapes." So we don't know if spades is an escape.

Given all of this, I would double and take any plus score. If the partner of the 1nt bidder bids redouble, that is a request to escape. If the opps escape to 2sp, I can always bid 3 spades if pard doesn't double.

[AreyHakaal]

playing Landy and transfers ,I would bid 2D and if partner bids only 2H I will bid 2S .Now this can't be a suit.If I had a second suit I would have shown that so this shows in my methods a spade void 544 hand and ambition with four losers.Of course if opponents preempt in spades to 3 or 4 level it becomes impossible to go any further and on the table atmosphere either bid 4 or 3 NT showing the 3 suiter or else to double hoping partner short in hearts.

[TMorris]

I double to start with & bid 4NT after their 4♠.

[Cthulhu D]

I've got 2H as hearts + minor but partner is never going to get the joke. I'd start with X then try 4NT. The question is do I advance 5C to 5D

[1eyedjack]

I think you are all ignoring a good point by Cyberyeti. What to do when opponent's bid Spades, at whatever level, is a lesser problem contrasted with what to do when partner does.

It does not stop me X-ing 1N, but it is a real problem.

[FrancesHinden]

Double 1NT, then double 4!S for take-out
4NT is a two-seater.