[Fluffy]

Scoring: MP

E - S - W - N
1♦-??

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[whereagles]

double, wtp?

[Fluffy]

whereagles, on Dec 15 2005, 10:57 PM, said:

double, wtp?

Obviously that you would become dummy then!

[mikeh]

whereagles, on Dec 15 2005, 05:57 PM, said:

double, wtp?

Next question: what is your opening lead?

Okay, not likely and maybe ok even so, but that is one of the possible problems.

Another, perhaps more likely, is partner bidding any number of notrump.

However, one cannot live in fear and hope to succeed, and double is a less inaccurate statement of values than any other logical call.

[mike777]

1s but I really think this is an ongoing problem that really needs a more fuller explanation of when x is the better choice.

[Kalvan14]

I'm not so convinced that double would be the best action. What do you do if pard bids 1N?
I'd like better 1♠

[pclayton]

This hand is worth one bid and its a double. With another King, I would consider 1♠ and double the ♦ raise.

[inquiry]

Speak now, or forever hold your peace.

DBL

[Kalvan14]

A clear 3-way split

[han]

I agree with Ben. Either double now, or never bid at all. Double is more appealing to me too.

[joker_gib]

Pass

♠ is a non existent suit and I have not enough to double.

Auction is not yet finished.

Alain

[P_Marlowe]

Hi,

a matter of partnership agreement,
opposite a passed partner, i.e. in 3rd
or 4th seat I would dbl, I could even
hold less, in 2nd seat I think I am to
light for a takeout dbl, and overcalling
spade with this 5 carder is not my style,
if you want to act I pefer 2D for the
mayors, so I tend toward Pass.

Marlowe

[Winstonm]

Because it's MPs, I'm going to stake a claim to the spade suit and overcall 1S - takes the most room and does not prohibit finding a heart fit and does not overstate the total value of the hand - just the suit. If the opponents propel themselves into 3N and partner leads a spade from Kx, oh, well - won't be the first or last time that has happened.

Winston

[Free]

2♦ with my f2f p, showing around 8-14 with 44+M, ignoring the ♣ suit at first (in the original system it would be a 2NT bid, showing a 3 suiter with short ♦, but we prefer unusual).

With other players I'd probably just pass, and get in later. I hate Dbl right away, since I'm void and too weak if partner leaves it in.

[awm]

Double for me too.

I'm pretty sure that "what if partner leaves it in" is the wrong way to think about this. Opponent in third seat often bids over 1♦-X. Partner is often hesitant to leave a one-level double in, even if he has five trumps (they have to be five really good ones). Opener doesn't always sit for 1♦X when he has a weakish three or four card holding (even if partner has four also and playing 1♦X would be right). Even if all this happens, 1♦X= is -140. If the opponents can make 1♦ or 2♦ against a 5-0 break, they may well have a game available.

Leaving in a one-level double, especially sitting behind the long hand, is possible but quite rare. With 5-4-0-4 shape, your side is a big favorite to have a making contract somewhere -- reviewing Tysen's posts from a while back, this shape is one of the most powerful distributions in terms of trick-taking potential. With both majors, you're likely to have a game.

Pass and your next decision could easily be at the three level. Bidding 1♠ will work out only when your fit is in spades, and when partner doesn't end up making an awful lead because of it. Either of these situations (passing leading to a three-level balancing decision, 1♠ leading to a bad lead) seems substantially more likely that losing the board when 1♦X passes out and makes.

[Kalvan14]

The problem is not the 1st bid, but the second one: after it goes (1♦)-X-(P)-1N-(P) what are you going to bid? Provided that you get a 2nd bid: you might end up playing 1♦X
I'd open 1♠ with a suit so weak: therefore I'd be not unduly worried in overcalling in it

[Fluffy]

If I doubled I wouldn't be afraid of playing 1♦X, but 3♦ X, 3NT X, 4♦X....

[mcphee]

Double. double says, I have support for the unbid suits, isn't that what I have? For my tastes bidding 1S will not allow me to compete later to show the excellent support in the other 2 suits. You could hear 3D over 1S passed to you. Would you want to still compete? Sure you would, but now you would have to dble as bidding 3H shows a 5 card suit. If partner passes 1D dbled too bad. Even worse would be if they reached 3N and he leads a S. If I ever bid 1S and they did reach 3N I would feel obligated to dble for some different lead.

[Double !]

I selected a michael's cue of 2 diamonds as the least lie (in some people's minds). Actually, it is not a lie. When I first read about the convention in Morehead's 1963 Contract Bridge Summary (talk about an obscure book), the Michael's cue bid (over 1m) was described as 8-11 hcp (approx.) and at least 8 cards in the major suits. Its intent, as I understood it, was to be a light takeout double. Granted, it has evolved over time. But, if P will allow for a possible 5-4/ 4-5 hand, then 2 diamonds seems to be quite worthy of consideration.

DHL

[Kalvan14]

Looks like noone wants to answer my question:
(1♦)-X-(P)-1N-(P)

Btw, I would assume that all the doublers would never open this hand