[jillybean]

V vs. N

(p) 1♣ (1nt) to you

Ax,KJx,JTxxx,Jxx

[jdonn]

It's a good thing to learn that when you have about 9 or more points (or 8 with a good suit to lead) you double a 1NT overcall just about always. It's a penalty double, because you can be pretty sure dummy will be broke for the overcaller.

[CSGibson]

Double, claim the hand.

[skjaeran]

Even playing with a light opener this is a clear double IMO, wtp?

[P_Marlowe]

X, going for blood.

I hope I did read the auction correct,
i.e. partner did open.

The reasing is simple, partner has on
avg. at least 12HCP, we have 10HCP,
the 1 NT overcall was based on 15-17
=> the partner of the 1NT overcaller
has on avg. at most 3HCP, which means
his cards will be fairly useless for his
partner in 1NT.

The double should also set up a forcing pass
sequence, if they run to whatever, i.e. either
we play or they play Xed.

With kind regards
Marlowe

[rogerclee]

To add to what others say, I cannot remember the last time I made a penalty double of 1NT in this situation and they did not go down (and I make these pretty aggressively). 300 seems to be about the mean, but every once in awhile you get (really) rich. I can remember one time in particular when the overcaller upgraded a 14-count; was not good news for him when we had all 26 outstanding HCP.

A lot of people like to overcall 1NT, about as much as they love to open it. This is wrong. Overcalling 1NT is a very risky thing to do, and you will get doubled somewhat frequently.

[pclayton]

I'll double with this hand.

I'm less inclined to double like Josh suggests with worse hand than this. You make it easier for them to run by doubling and you frequently lose your profit when pard has a minimum and we can't double the runout.

Furthermore, since pard's pass is forcing over the runout, we have to sometimes play at the 3 level which can suck.

[the hog]

X. Unanimous finally or did I jinx the poll?

[han]

Will this be it?

I pass!

[jillybean]

Lets say the auction continues

(P) 1♣ (1n) X
(P) P (XX) P
(2x) ?

XX I assume is SOS. Should the 1♣ bidder strive to bid again or make a penalty double or can he just as well pass and force partner to take action? I assume a pass here is forcing rather than "I regret I opened this hand".

[han]

In this auction it is clear that we have a comfortable majority of the strength. Pass should be forcing and double penalty (unless discussed takeout, but that's certainly not standard).

The major advantage of playing pass as forcing is that otherwise opener would have to make a call with extras. If she does not have a good trump holding then she would have to bid, making it impossible for responder to penalize the opponents if he has a good trump holding.

[gwnn]

Jlall, on Feb 17 2008, 08:29 AM, said:

The major problem with playing pass as forcing is that sometimes you want to pass out 2x because your hands are not good enough to go to the 3 level and you can't always just pound them off with something like Axxx of trumps or whatever. Just because you have half the deck does not mean you can commit to bidding to the 3 level or doubling them.

For instance you have Kxxx QJx Axxx Qx. You open 1D and it goes 1N X 2S. Are you really going to X this? That seems nuts, your trumps are not nearly good enough and they could make overtricks esp if they have a 5-3 fit. But if you pass, you know partner can't double even with a doubleton trump. So he is going to bid something. You may not even have a fit, and you're going to be committed to the 3 level. This also sucks. You want partner to be able to pass out 2S.

don't many people play "pass is forcing over 2m and nf over 2M" or "pass is forcing over 2♣♦♥ and nf over 2♠" ?

the second agreement will be bad if your example hand is with the major suits reversed, but what can you do - they will nevertheless go down much more often than not.

[Yogeshdg]

X what else