[Joe de Balliol]

For both of these, you play 5cm, weak nt, and it's IMPs scoring:

1) Red against green, you're dealer with
xxxx
AJx
AK97
Jx

You open 1N. Pard bids 2D (trsfr). RHO comes in with 3D. Double would be pens from either you or pard. Your call?

2)
T9x
KQJ9
Jxxx
Tx

Pard opens 1D in third seat. RHO bids 2C which you double (neg). LHO bids 2H and this is passed round to you. Your call?

Cheers for your advice/opinion

J

[000002]

I vote pass for question 1),the reason is i don't know which strength my partner has.

[jdeegan]

Double on hand one - I have four defensive tricks - pard may have no tricks, but I have to chance that. I can't fault a pass, though. It's close enough in my eyes that it would depend on the opponents and the state of the match.

Pass on hand two - it may not be our hand in which case I like 2♥ way too much to double - also, pard may show cards with a double in the pass out chair, and I can convert to penalty.

[whereagles]

1) Pass. If pard wants to compete, he can figure out I have 3 hearts given his diamond shortage plus the fact I didn't double.

2) Pass. Since pard didn't bid over 2♥, he's probably weakish. It's their hand and they landed in the wrong spot.

[Echognome]

I pass on both hands.

For hand 1, I agree with Justin that your methods need to be rethought. Double by your partner should be either cards ("cooperative") or takeout. Double by you should be nonexistant.

For hand 2, you have a close negative double as it is. The opponents are about to play in your best suit and partner hasn't made any further move. Interestingly you know partner either has a natural diamond suit or a strong NT. If he has the former, you might push them into a better strain. If he has the latter, then presumably he would have doubled showing cards (else you will quietly collect +150).

[P_Marlowe]

Hi,

1) Pass, a Penalty double with a know
fit is seldom a good idea, and your
partner may be broke.
2) Pass, you may or may not beat 2H

Marlowe

[Rebound]

FWIW I also chose pass for both.

I can only echo Justin's reasoning except in that I would add that I prefer to play that free bids show extras as often as possible. My favorite partner usually knows when it is right to re-open. I mention this only as it relates to bidding 3♥ on hand 1. At IMPs and red, I think a free 3♥ call should show a better hand, e.g. more encouraging distribution, max in high cards (I'm assuming 1NT is 12-14). 3♥ will not be fun with the given hand if partner has, say, a weak hand and a few spades.

[Fluffy]

I support partner's suit on both.

[MickyB]

First one - given the conditions, this is fairly close IMO. Anyone in support of double showing a hand that is marginal for competing, eg 3♥ and xx in diamonds? A minority of (vocal) weak NTers advocate transfers showing something in the way of values, but this does expose you to penalty doubles of 1NT.

Second one - I'd have bid 2♦ on the last round, then I would double 2♥ knowing that partner probably has a strong NT for not competing to 3♦. Having passed the previous round, I pass now - I don't know it is our hand.

[Kalvan14]

• #1: Pass. It's a bit unusual that pard cannot reopen with a t/o double
  
• #2: Pass. very quickly.

[foo]

Joe de Balliol, on Jan 7 2006, 08:34 PM, said:

For both of these, you play 5cm, weak nt, and it's IMPs scoring:

1) Red against green, you're dealer with
xxxx.AJx.AK97.Jx

You open 1N. Pard bids 2D (trsfr). RHO comes in with 3D. Double would be penalty from either you or pard. Your call?

2) T9x.KQJ9.Jxxx.Tx

Pard opens 1D in third seat. RHO bids 2C which you double (neg). LHO bids 2H and this is passed round to you. Your call?

Cheers for your advice/opinion

J

My preferred system is 2/1 GF w/ 1N=12-14, so this is where I'm right at home

Hand 1: If X is penalties (IMHO Negative X is better frequency wise here), you got lucky and this is the board for you. X is automatic. Not because you are sure you can set them but because you have the opportunity to tell PD, the Captain of our auction, lot's of things w/ X:
a) >= 50% of my values are in their suit.
b ) I do not have a maximum
(so pard knows we do not have a Game if they are only invitational)
c) I do not have a super accept of your suit.

Responder is now much better informed to decide what to do.


Hand 2: Play 1N=12-14, 1m openings by pard are
a) 15+ HCPs or
b ) a real D suit or
c) both
Even in 3rd seat.

Holding T9x.KQJ9.Jxxx.Tx after pa-pa-1D-2C;X-2H-pa-??
My thoughts are
a) PD probably does not have 5+D.
b ) PD probably does not have 18+ HCP
Therefore PD is very likely to have 15-17 HCP
c) We likely have 22-24 HCP between us. We have 2N or 3ofasuit safety, but probably no Game.
d) Opener does not have 4 S's.
Therefore the opponents are likely bidding on shape, maybe even scrambling for a fit.

With a good PD X for penalty is automatic since PD knows more about my hand than I know about theirs (especially after I X). Such a PD will know I will not have done this unless I can handle any subsequent action PD chooses.

With a PD I can't trust in as much, I X for penalty at MPs and pass at IMPs.

[mikeh]

Pass for both.

The first hand is close, and I would not object to double, but I prefer pass. The auction is not over yet (altho it may be)

On the second hand, even thinking about bidding something other than pass is an overbid

[Codo]

There must be reasons, why I don`t play in higher leagues:
One is my bidding, as I am the only one, which will bid 3 Heart with the first hand and X with the second.
In the first hand, it would be much to risky to give a pen. double, but I would not like to pass with a known 8 card fit and 3 nice cards and a shortage in my hand.

And I would surely bid with the second hand. If my pd has a weak hand with long
diamonds, 3 Diamond is fine and if he has a nice hand with no clear bid (F.E. X had been penalty), I owe him another bid.
I would choose a X, which should clearly show my hand- 4 good hearts and good tolerance for Diamonds.

[Gerben42]

I double with first hand. I have as much defence as possible for my weak NT and if partner cannot sit for it I have a fit.

Second hand I pass. Yes, we have a 4 - 4 ♦ fit but no, my ♥ are not worth much in ♦, however in ♥ I am happy to have them

[pclayton]

1) I can double in my regular partnership that shows a true penalty double plus heart support. If pard has a real mutt, he can pull.

2) They are in a misfit auction and pard couldn't find the 2♠ call. They have ended in my best suit too. I have 4 diamonds? Sorry, didn't notice Pass