[sceptic]

Scoring: IMP

---

West North East South

 -     -     -     Pass
 1♣    1NT   Dbl   2♣
 Dbl   2♦    Pass  2♠
 Dbl   Pass  2NT   Pass
 3♠    Pass  3NT   Pass
 Pass  Pass  


I bid 2 clubs stayman (as transfers are of after interference) also I am not 100% sure Stayman is correct here, but we were in partnership tables, chatting on skype and opps were GIBS

I was considering 4 spades here as a sacrifice, what do you think of my bidding so far I was South

[geofspa]

Absolutely abysmal ... but then I was there too and not much better

[mikeh]

If transfers are off, then what would 2♠ mean?

If it is natural, then you should bid it. When the opps have the majority of the hcp, you are looking for safety. A 6-3 will be far better (usually) than a 4=4, and even a 6-2 will probably play better than a 4-4, since you may be unable to score any long ♠ with ♥ as trump. Further, a direct 2♠ bid robs the opps of bidding space and bidding tempo: your two-step allowed them to bid at the 2-level, including a double and then they get to have another round of bidding after you bid 2♠.

Having said that, few beginners or intermediates will have clear agreements about the bidding after 1N is doubled: this is a point on which all experts try to have an agreement: this (and 1N opening followed by an opp double) is one of the handful of topics I discuss with a pickup partner even if we have only a couple of minutes to talk before the game begins. The potential for disaster is immense and there is no 'common sense' clear answer.

[P_Marlowe]

Hi,

I would suggest to treat the given seq. similar
to the seq.

1 NT - (X) - ...

i.e. if system is of after they dbl our 1 NT opening bid,
I would play the same in the actual seq., i.e. system off,
and hence 2C would be natural, it may well be our best fit,
afterall the 1NTt overcall promised stopper in clubs.

I dont think you should bid 4S, 3NT may fail, they know,
where the missing honours are, but 3NT may fail because
of a lack of tricks, as in the actual example.

If North stays passive, 3NT is going down, at least at a first
glance.
Never sacrifice, if there is a fair chance, they are going down.

With kind regards
Marlowe