[paulg]

Scoring: Total Points

Pass (2♦) ?

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2♦ is a weak two-bid in either major, 21-22 balanced or strong single-suiter minor

(1) What is your call?

(2) For the passers, what do you plan to do when LHO's pass or correct bid (at the two or three level) is passed back round to you.

Paul

[cherdano]

I double, planning to bid again, which will show a strong hand (18/19+). Obviously it depends on your agreements, but passing (or having to pass) with this hand seems can't be right.

[Walddk]

It's important that you get in at your first opportunity against the Multi. I agree with Arend. Double for me shows either 12-14 balanced (usually at least 4-3 in the majors) or 17+ any shape (will bid again). If only 17 it it not balanced (1NT).

Roland

[inquiry]

I play multi-versus-multi.

I have two choices with this hand, sadly neither are perfect. I can bid 2♥. This two heart bid shows a balanced 15 to a bad 19 with a stopper in each major. Of course, here I sort of lack a spade stopper. Or I can bid 2♠, which shows a club suit and at least an opening hand. This bid makes it hard to find the diamond suit, but it gives me a chance to stop in 3♣ or to go to game or slam.

Over 2♠, partner will bid 2NT with some values, and will bid 3♣ with a weak hand. If he was to bid 2NT, now I can bid 3♦, but we may have mis-sided NT should he have a spade stopper.

Despite the problems with a 2♥ bid, I think that is what I am going to bid. Here are our continuations...

(2D)-2H-P-?

• Pass - weak with hearts
  
• 2S - weak with spades
  
• Lebenshol (if then 3M over that, forcing and stayman in nature)
  
• 3C - forcing (I guess partner will not bid 3C here)
  
• 3D - forcing, as is other 3 of a suit

If it goes
(2D)-2H-(2S)-pass-(pass) back to me, I will bid 3C

[Walddk]

The scheme I use is very different from inquiry's. If nothing else mine is quite simple. Second seat:

Dbl: 12-14 balanced or any 17+ (will bid again).
2♥: 4-5 hearts, 11-16. Basically a take-out "double" of a weak 2♠.
2♠: 4-5 spades, 11-16. Basically a take-out "double" of a weak 2♥.
2N: Natural, 15-17, usually stopper in both majors.
3m: Natural, constructive, NF.

Roland

[jdonn]

Most defenses I have seen involve double as some sort of minimum balanced, or a strong hand. By anyone's definition it seems like this is a strong hand, so double.

I don't understand why the original poster says "for the passers". Who would ever be a passer? Even 3♣ natural is better than passing.

[Roupoil]

I know people whose philosophy against a Multi is "act as if it is a strong bid at your first turn and wait second turn to bid if you are strong". Of course it seems quite weird, but I suppose these guys would pass such a hand. I personnally double in my methods with a strong hand.

[inquiry]

Roupoil, on Jan 5 2008, 05:13 PM, said:

I know people whose philosophy against a Multi is "act as if it is a strong bid at your first turn and wait second turn to bid if you are strong". Of course it seems quite weird, but I suppose these guys would pass such a hand. I personnally double in my methods with a strong hand.

Waiting with a strong hand might not work well if the opponents do not include a strong variant in their 2♦ opening bid, as the bidding might go

2♦-Pass(with strong hand) - Pass!! (with ♦s)-PAss

However, when, as in this problem, opener can have a number of very strong hands as well, it will not go pass out in 2♦'s.

[Walddk]

inquiry, on Jan 6 2008, 12:25 AM, said:

Roupoil, on Jan 5 2008, 05:13 PM, said:

I know people whose philosophy against a Multi is "act as if it is a strong bid at your first turn and wait second turn to bid if you are strong". Of course it seems quite weird, but I suppose these guys would pass such a hand. I personnally double in my methods with a strong hand.

Waiting with a strong hand might not work well if the opponents do not include a strong variant in their 2♦ opening bid, as the bidding might go

2♦-Pass(with strong hand) - Pass!! (with ♦s)-PAss

However, when, as in this problem, opener can have a number of very strong hands as well, it will not go pass out in 2♦'s.

True Ben, but tell me how many times out of 100 the Multi opener has the strong version? I bet you can count it on one hand's fingers. So assume that he has a weak two in a major and act accordingly. Get in right away if you have cards for it!

Same goes for the Polish 1♣ opening. 1) 12-14 balanced - 2) 15+ with clubs - 3) 18+ any shape. Assume that it is 1) because it always almost is.

Roland

[655321]

Double. I play this as 13-15 bal or a strong hand.

If 3♠ comes back to you:
Pass  2♦     X   3♠
Pass  Pass ?

all you can do is double again to show a strong hand (19+ if balanced) and hope for the best.

[Cascade]

Walddk, on Jan 6 2008, 05:05 AM, said:

The scheme I use is very different from inquiry's. If nothing else mine is quite simple. Second seat:

Dbl: 12-14 balanced or any 17+ (will bid again).
2♥: 4-5 hearts, 11-16. Basically a take-out "double" of a weak 2♠.
2♠: 4-5 spades, 11-16. Basically a take-out "double" of a weak 2♥.
2N: Natural, 15-17, usually stopper in both majors.
3m: Natural, constructive, NF.

Roland

What do you do with a six-card major Roland?

[inquiry]

Walddk, on Jan 5 2008, 05:32 PM, said:

inquiry, on Jan 6 2008, 12:25 AM, said:

Roupoil, on Jan 5 2008, 05:13 PM, said:

I know people whose philosophy against a Multi is "act as if it is a strong bid at your first turn and wait second turn to bid if you are strong". Of course it seems quite weird, but I suppose these guys would pass such a hand. I personnally double in my methods with a strong hand.

Waiting with a strong hand might not work well if the opponents do not include a strong variant in their 2♦ opening bid, as the bidding might go

2♦-Pass(with strong hand) - Pass!! (with ♦s)-PAss

However, when, as in this problem, opener can have a number of very strong hands as well, it will not go pass out in 2♦'s.

True Ben, but tell me how many times out of 100 the Multi opener has the strong version? I bet you can count it on one hand's fingers. So assume that he has a weak two in a major and act accordingly. Get in right away if you have cards for it!

Same goes for the Polish 1♣ opening. 1) 12-14 balanced - 2) 15+ with clubs - 3) 18+ any shape. Assume that it is 1) because it always almost is.

Roland

Roland, it isn't the stong hand opening that is the problem, it is when responder passes and opener is weak too. If you haven't acted earlier, you may be defending 2♦ undoubled... that is an ouchie if you have a strong hand behind the 2♦ opener.

[jdonn]

inquiry, on Jan 5 2008, 07:30 PM, said:

Roland, it isn't the stong hand opening that is the problem, it is when responder passes and opener is weak too. If you haven't acted earlier, you may be defending 2♦ undoubled... that is an ouchie if you have a strong hand behind the 2♦ opener.

People state that concern all the time (that they might pass the 2♦ bid), but I've rarely seen it happen myself. My reasoning is that I just want to start showing my hand at once when I am strong, before they preempt like crazy. Plus, call me simple minded, but it's far more intuitive to bid first when your hand is good than to pass first. I save many brain cells that way.

[paulg]

Like most I'd double with my regular partner.

On this occasion I was playing with a good player, with an old-fashioned style, and we hadn't had time to discuss a multi defence, so I passed as I thought establishing their suit may help. Unlike jdonn I think pass is preferable to 3♣ with this hand as that will likely end the auction (and games are so valuable at total points).

Partner holds ♠A98xxx ♥Jx ♦xx ♣xxx and 4♠ will just come home. LHO is not going to pre-empt, so I expect auctions like

Pass  (2♦)   Dbl    (2♥)
2♠    (P)    3♣   (p)
3♠    (P)    3NT   (P)
4♠

Pass   (2♦)   Pass    (2♥)
Pass    (P)    Dbl   (p)
3♠    (P)    3NT   (P)
4♠