[kgr]

MP's, All Vul
1NT-(P)-2C-(2H)-
X-All Pass
===
1NT: 12-14
2C: Stayman, but can be weak with 5-4 M or can be limit without M .
2H: Natural
How do you play X by 1NT opener?
He had 4=4=2=3
His partner had 4=1=4=4 or 4=1=5=3. 2Hx was -1 while 4S makes.
Even if you play this DBL as penalty, would you pass with a singleton H?

[mr1303]

John Holland and Clive Owen played as penalty, and Clive only had AJx in hearts. We scored about 80% of the matchpoints for 2HX-1 on this auction.

They had the last laugh though, beating us 20-0 in VPs in the Swiss Pairs, and winning the event.

[mikeh]

I would play it as penalty (I don't play 12-14 but I often play 11-14, so that is effectively equivalent).

As for whether I would make the double with 4423 as opener, that would depend on the quality of my ♥. I'd want at least Q10xx... a decent prospect of 2 tricks in the suit.

As for leaving it in with 4=1=4=4, that depends on the hand.. clearly defending a 2 level contract with the opps possessing a decent number of hcp and an 8 card fit is not something you choose to do all the time But I cannot answer as to what I would do without seeing the exact hand, and even then, knowing the result, I doubt that anyone can be truly objective. I understand why you post the question, but if you want unbiased opinions, you are more likely to get useful responses by giving one and only one hand and then asking what to do on the auction.. that does eliminate asking two questions in one post, as you did, unless you (as many do) post it as one question and then, after getting some responses, post the other hand (perhaps as another thread, ostensibly unrelated). So it is slower, but more reliable.

[Codo]

This problem had not been posted, if you play negative double after interferences after your 1 NT opening. This had been an easy solution.

If you don´t do, I´ll always prefer 2 Spade to X with openers hand, nearly no matter how good the hearts are.

[whereagles]

If you play the Robson/Segal rule "all doubles are for take-out until a fit is found", then

1NT (pass) 2♣ (2♥)
X

and

1NT (pass) 2♣ (2♥)
pass (pass) X

are both for take-out.

[Trinidad]

kgr, on Apr 18 2006, 05:28 PM, said:

MP's, All Vul
1NT-(P)-2C-(2H)-
X-All Pass
===
1NT: 12-14
2C: Stayman, but can be weak with 5-4 M or can be limit without M .
2H: Natural
How do you play X by 1NT opener?
He had 4=4=2=3
His partner had 4=1=4=4 or 4=1=5=3. 2Hx was -1 while 4S makes.
Even if you play this DBL as penalty, would you pass with a singleton H?

My default agreement is that we play PODI after all asking bids and relays, as long as we can handle the auction. Since Stayman definitely falls in that category and since the 2♥ bid didn't take any bidding room away, the double would show four hearts.

I don't see how that can be a problem: If partner is weak he has long hearts (as well as spades) and I'd be happy to defend 2♥X. In all other cases he has an invitational hand or better and he'll be well placed to decide whether to defend or to continue with our default system.

With a singleton heart, it would be fairly obvious to bid on.

Rik

[kgr]

For me it looks like the best agreement would be that DBL shows Heart and a good enough hand to play 2S/3S/4S or 2NT if partner can't leave the DBL in.
=> 4 card H together with 4 card S or good H stop(s).
===or====
purely takeout