[twcho]

Scoring: IMP

W　N　E　S
　　3♦　X　4♦
P　P　X　All P

---

Both 7♠ and 7♣ makes easily. Which bid is the worst?

[han]

The doubles were worst I think. I think West was right not to bid.

Pretty sure that I would not get to a grand, tough hands! I like 4D immediately by east, planning to pull 4H to spades, maybe even 5S.

If 4NT was a 2-suiter then that would also be possible but I think it is natural.

Of course, playing non-leaping michaels would solve the problem so we can assume that you were not playing this.

[inquiry]

Doubles are clearly wrong.

I would suggest a similiar approach to han, but I think if partner would not take it as EXCLUSION, I might bid 5@D and pull 5@H to 5@S. IF partner can't stand spades, then odds on he will have clubs and the @CA if not with partner rates to be with RHO. Partner with Ace and several clubs might just get the right idea on this auction. True we might get to a hopeless 6@C, but this is just too good for double and pull to 4@S.

Having survived teh first double, over 4@D, I would now certaintly bid 5@D and follow the strategy above.

[the hog]

Jlall, on Mar 26 2008, 01:38 PM, said:

I think the first X is fine, what are you going to do? This 4D thing is not something I'd pull undiscussed (but I know Han would ). I think it shows the majors to most people, even if it should include any 2 suiters.

The second X sucks, just bid 4S. You'd play it there though.

We play that 4C is non leaping leaping Michaels, and is forcing. With that agreement i think 4C is fine.

[jdonn]

If my partner cuebid diamonds I would always assume he had majors no matter what he did later. The more spade bids he makes, the more I think he has a better and better hand with longer spades but still the majors.

[whereagles]

East had two opportunities to bid 5NT. He missed both

[FrancesHinden]

Jlall, on Mar 26 2008, 07:38 AM, said:

I think the first X is fine, what are you going to do? This 4D thing is not something I'd pull undiscussed (but I know Han would ). I think it shows the majors to most people, even if it should include any 2 suiters.

A few months ago I had to score up with 7H-2 in a 4-2 fit when half the (not very practised) partnership thought that 4D without discussion was obviously any two suits and the other half thought it was majors.

They still don't agree on what it ought it be, although at least the convention card now specifies it is the majors...

[Hanoi5]

I'd bid 5♦ instead of doubling the second time.

[P_Marlowe]

Hi,

one may or may not make the 1st double, depending
on agreement, 4C as non leaping michaels would be
perfect, but if you dont play it, you have to double
or bid 4D, ... assuming it is clear what 4D shows

The 2nd double is ..., start bidding you suits, i.e.
either bid 4S (my choice, but inferior) or 5S,
... or if you really must bid 5D.

I wont reach 7, but before I start discussing reaching
7, I would like to know how to reach 6 in a sensible way.

With kind regards
Marlowe

[Codo]

Non leaping michaels is no option, else this would be a no brainer.

So I would bid 4 Diamonds first and 6 clubs after a possible 4 Heart bid. This may get the message of my hand accross in absence of any agreement.
But even if I have to double once, the second double really asks for a pass out, so at least there 6 Spade/6Clubs/5NT/5Diamonds/4NT are better calls.

[ArtK78]

With all due respect to Justin, how would you like it after you double 3♦ and it goes all pass?

If you cannot sit for a penalty double of 3♦, you should not make a takeout double of 3♦.

Not playing non-leaping Michaels, I would bid 4♦ and bid 4♠ over 4♥ (and hope that I was not underbiddin the hand).

[mikeh]

I agree with Justin that, absent a special agreement, 4♦ initially cannot be best (I also echo Josh's comment about how I'd take follow-ups thereafter). So my choices are double, and risk a horrible result when it is my lead (altho it might be a great result when diamonds are 6-6-1 ), or jump to 4♠, which is a misbid and an underbid, altho it shows a very good hand.

I think I'd risk the double.

Then I'd bid 4♠ over 4♦, and I like to think that an aggressive West would raise to 5♠.. the opps will have told him that I have short diamonds, and his spades are a pleasant surprise, while his club holding is also probably useful.

Clearly, if we get a chirp out of west, east has an easy 6♦ grand try, but I really don't think that many pairs would get to grand: many would play 4♠ and most of the others would play 6♠. In fact, I suspect that, of those who reached grand, none would have got there knowing it was a good contract.

On another note: is there a difference between an immediate 4N and a double then 4N? There has to be, since one never uses 2 sequences for the same hand in such auction, but what is it? I agree that an immediate 4N is natural: a huge hand. So can we really have an even bigger hand that doesn't double again? Maybe this should be 2-suited, denying both majors (no immediate 4♦). Maybe I am deluding myself. I know for sure that I wouldn't pull this on partner wo discussion.

[lilboyman]

Holding a 2 loser hand with a preempt on your right showing not more than 1 defensive trick, it would seem very probable that partner holds at least 1 cover card. Hence, a direct 6 Spades by East does not seem too unreasonable to me. Partner will have little trouble raising this to a grand slam. Doubling twice doesn’t really do the best job of describing the hand. Even a jump to 6 or 5 Spades after 4 Diamonds will make it easier for West to judge what to do.

[oldman5757]

Both x's are wrong. On the first one you are risking allowing the opp's to play in 3♦ x'ed. Not likely they will, true, but you can't risk it. On the auction given, the second x is even worse. Surely P can (and did) pass this. You must at least bid 4♠, and 5♦ is much better.

Regardless of what it should mean, I'd start with 4♦, planning to pull a 4♥ bid to 4♠. P should have a clue now, and may appreciate the value of his ♣and ♠ holdings.

If S bids 5♦, and it comes around, I'll bid 5♠. Either way gives us a fighting chance at least to get to 6♠ on the auction. 7♠ is the best possible result, but probably not the best result possible.

[Cascade]

The second double is worst.

The first double is normal if you do not have a way to show strong two suiters.

We play an immediate 4♣ would show this hand clubs and a major and 4♦ would be both majors. I am not sure this is best - I don't like the ambiguity about a major. We have talked about changing to 4♣ = hearts and another and 4♦ = spades and another (probably clubs) but have not implemented that yet - maybe the 2009 version of our system.