[pclayton]

You've managed to get into the semi-finals of your IMP league match but now have to square off against John Swanson's team.

On the 12th board, you feel you've got the best of the pair at your table and estimate you are up 15 to 20. You look at red on white: ♠xx, ♥Kxxx, ♦xx, ♣KTxxx. RHO passes, you pass and LHO starts with 1♦ (2/1 structure). Pard (me) bounces to 4♠, pass, pass by you. LHO competes with 5♣, pard doubles and RHO goes back to 5♦.

Bidding so far (red on white)

RHO.....You.....LHO.....Me
Pass.....Pass.....1♦.....4♠
Pass.....Pass.....5♣....Dbl
5♦.....?

[luis]

Pass, my hand is neutral in terms of offense/defense so I see no reason to bid 5 over 5.

Luis

[jdonn]

I like double. They are w/r, don't let them push you around. Partner's double shows a very good hand for 4♠ for both offense and defense, and I don't think they can make diddly beans.

Pass is WAY better than 5♠, even though sometimes 5♠ makes. There is just no way to tell if you have the right dummy.

[han]

I also double. I don't think that pass is forcing and it sure looks like this is our hand.

[luke warm]

i'd pass... it's possible that both the ♣K and ♥K are badly placed and it's likely that dummy has 0 or 1 club... a trump lead might be best, but i think phil might not can afford it (maybe he has ♦K,J,x or so)

[mike777]

Hannie, on May 5 2006, 11:58 AM, said:

I also double. I don't think that pass is forcing and it sure looks like this is our hand.

ditto.

[pclayton]

My pard held this hand and passed.

I held across the table: ♠AKQJxxx ♥AQx ♦Jx ♣9.

When it came back to me, I considered the possibility that he made a forcing pass. I figured it shouldn't be, and felt my double of 5♣ showed my hand well; although I was a little nervous ripping it. We were +100. I'm not sure what the other table did.

[cherdano]

pclayton, on May 7 2006, 06:19 PM, said:

My pard held this hand and passed.

I held across the table: ♠AKQJxxx ♥AQx ♦Jx ♣9.

When it came back to me, I considered the possibility that he made a forcing pass. I figured it shouldn't be, and felt my double of 5♣ showed my hand well; although I was a little nervous ripping it. We were +100. I'm not sure what the other table did.

Since we agree pass is not forcing, I don't think you can do anything more. I would claim you are not far off from the lower end of the range for your bidding.

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