[matmat]

Playing a local MP game, all white, dealer (South) preempts 3♣. everyone is non-vul.

Given the following E-W hands what contract would you want to be in and how do you propose to get there using standard(ish) methods?

Scoring: MP

---

[helene_t]

West can either pass or double. If he doubles, East either cues or jumps to 4♠.If he passes, I'm afraid it will be passed out.

[P_Marlowe]

Hi,

we would like to be in 4S.

But west will pass over 3C, ... having
only 2 hearts makes a double a double
dummy bid.
East will pass as well, ... at least playing
a normal reopening style.
You can make a case that he should reopen
with a dbl, having both mayors and shortage
in oponents suit, ... but I would pass.

With kind regards
Marlowe

[Chamaco]

Good problem, at least for me.

I am afraid that, if I were West, I'd pass, because xxx in clubs is bad AND Qx in hearts is also a weakness.

Furthermore, I am also afraid that holding East's card I would not reopen: despite having a quasi-perfect shape for a balancing double, the hcp content is not enough.
Not every single hand tha has a singleton in opps suit is strong enoigh to reopen, and - at least at the 3 level - below a given hcp threshold, it is safer to pass.

Hence, I tend to think that at my table the final contract would be 3C undoubled... sigh...

[Free]

I play solid style bids in direct seat, but in 4th seat you can be lighter. The bidding at our table would probably go:

3♣ - pass - pass - Dbl
pass - 3♠ - pass - pass
pass

or

3♣ - pass - pass - Dbl
pass - 4♠ - pass - pass
pass

or

3♣ - pass - pass - pass

Depending on who sits where, and how we evaluate the hand at that moment I'd rather be disappointed if partner passed with the East hand, having our agreements, but I could understand.

[Codo]

I want to be in 4 Spade too, but mostly, I will play 3 Club, undoubled.
West ois a clear pass, East MAY x, but this is too light in my view.
But even, if I have an agreement, that X imay be so weak in case of HCPs, then the West Hand does not qualify for any other bid then 3 Spade and I would play there.

[whereagles]

This seems sensible

(3♣) pass (pass) dbl
(pass) 4♠

but doubler will need to be quite inspired to fish out his red card...

[Chamaco]

whereagles, on May 2 2006, 10:00 AM, said:

This seems sensible

(3♣) pass (pass) dbl
(pass) 4♠

but doubler will need to be quite inspired to fish out his red card...

Not only that...
in order to allow for a balancing double, West should pass in tempo, otherwise an appeal by NS would be quite reasonable...