[Fluffy]

Scoring: IMP

S - W - N - E
ps-1♥-1NT-X
??

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Opponents might be a bit desperate, what do you think its your best move here?


NOTE: If you can't live ywith your initial pass you can just asume west was dealer.

[P_Marlowe]

Hi,

2S (assuming it is natural, else
transfer and bid 4S, if you catch
a super accept).

... and I agree with pass.

With kind regards
Marlowe

[skjaeran]

I'll not sit for 1NT x. My move would depend upon agreements.
In my regular partnership we employ Nilsland's escape structure after 1NT is doubled (applies both after we open and overcall 1NT).

Here I'd bid 2♠ - natural and constructive (semi-invitational).

[Halo]

Always bidding spades.

[jdonn]

2♥ transfer then 3♠ to invite seems right. If anything this is a maximum for that action, which I think should be done quite aggressively and show approximately a minimum weak two bid type of hand.

I would have opened 2♠ even vul, but that would certainly not be unanimous, or even close.

[Winstonm]

I transfer via 2H (still on as I play) and bid game. Seems most likely the double is based on a heart card and fit so partner is more apt to have little wastage in hearts. I really don't want to simply invite when I see prospects for a 40% (or better) game - this is imps, right?

[jdonn]

Winstonm, on Apr 29 2007, 07:09 PM, said:

I transfer via 2H (still on as I play) and bid game.   Seems most likely the double is based on a heart card and fit so partner is more apt to have little wastage in hearts.   I really don't want to simply invite when I see prospects for a 40% (or better) game - this is imps, right?

You would have to think game is at least 40% on the hands where he is rejecting an invitation. It would be silly to do more than invite if you think game is just 40% on average opposite partner's entire range, since of course he will accept virtually all of the 40% that make and reject many of the 60% that fail.

Assuming game is 40% opposite hands where partner would reject an invitation (which tend to be minimums with a doubleton spade) is...... wildly optimistic.

I don't know where you get the feeling the double is based on anything in particular in hearts. It's based on overall strength, regardless of heart holding. If anything, the 1NT bid itself suggests wastage in hearts, while the opponents' bidding suggests partner is minimum, even if they are stretching.

[kenrexford]

This is an interesting hand for methods I happen to use, although I have never thought of using it for this problem.

I typically use "systems on" after a penalty double of 1NT, with the addition of XX as a minor escape.

I also use 2♣(Stayman)...2♠ to show an unbalanced game try with spades.

So, this works pretty well here. I start with 2♣ Stayman. If partner happens to bid 2♠, I'll be shocked and probably bid the game.

More likely, he will bid 2♦. When I now bid 2♠, showing an unbalanced spade game try, he will probably be able to assume a reasonable likelihood of shortness in hearts and will be able to assess the value of his heart holding, or lack thereof, rather well.

[Winstonm]

jdonn, on Apr 29 2007, 07:29 PM, said:

Winstonm, on Apr 29 2007, 07:09 PM, said:

I transfer via 2H (still on as I play) and bid game.   Seems most likely the double is based on a heart card and fit so partner is more apt to have little wastage in hearts.   I really don't want to simply invite when I see prospects for a 40% (or better) game - this is imps, right?

You would have to think game is at least 40% on the hands where he is rejecting an invitation. It would be silly to do more than invite if you think game is just 40% on average opposite partner's entire range, since of course he will accept virtually all of the 40% that make and reject many of the 60% that fail.

Assuming game is 40% opposite hands where partner would reject an invitation (which tend to be minimums with a doubleton spade) is...... wildly optimistic.

I don't know where you get the feeling the double is based on anything in particular in hearts. It's based on overall strength, regardless of heart holding. If anything, the 1NT bid itself suggests wastage in hearts, while the opponents' bidding suggests partner is minimum, even if they are stretching.

Give pard a minimum NT of 15+ your 6, a bad 11-12 for opener - where is the power for the X? A 7 or 8 count power double? Seems to make more sense if he has 7-8 and a heart card.

In my view, the tx invite sequence does not ask entirely abou the quality of partner's fit but whether he is minimum or maximum in light of my known 6-card suit. Will he bid game with something like AKx, QJ10x, Jxxx, Ax or Kxx, KJ10x, Jxx, AQJ?

If he is supposed to bid game after the invite with this hand type, then I am wrong. I just know my partner would pass, feeling the hand not that much improved by the spade fit - and maybe this is incorrect evaluation.

But even some pretty lousy holding yield a play for game: Qx, Q10xx, A10xx, AQJ.

Now if you could tx and then bid 3H as a short suit game try, I would do that. Without that, you are putting, it seems to me, quite a lot of pressure on partner to bid game when he holds minimum hands.

[Fluffy]

I see many people transfering, I agree the best use for 2♥ here is for transfer, but that is not system, more like common sese since nothing else fits.

But do you play 2♣ as stayman or to play?

[whereagles]

I treat this as if I had opened 1NT and opps had dbled for penalties. In this case, I'd use whatever mechanism I had to play 2♠.

2♣ certainly would be some escape bid.

[Apollo81]

Xfer and invite. I also think that it is a mistake not to open 2♠ with this hand.