[1eyedjack]

Ever since I started playing as a nipper I was taught that the sequence
N....E....S
1N..2♦..2♥

should show (sans special arrangements) a competitive hand with a 5+ card ♥ suit, no interest in game (except possibly opposite a hand that would have superaccepted a transfer). (2♦ in the above is just natural).

The other week one of our better local players told me that it is normal - standard, even - for the 2♥ bid to be on as few as a 4 card suit, routinely (although obviously 5 card suit would be preferred). Until that comment I had never had this suggested to me, and have never encountered it (as far as I can recall) being done against me by any experienced player.

Am I so out of touch? Is this really standard?

[helene_t]

Never heard about that. Sounds like a sort of Fischbein.

[Free]

I've done it exactly once on a 4 card, while I was still playing penalty doubles. It's definitely not standard though.

[P_Marlowe]

Hi,

#1 no, your understanding is certainly the standard
meaning
#2 most likely your talking partner plays X as penalty
and if this is the case he may quite often be forced
to invent a bid in case he holds just a 4 carder
And pen. X was also standard

With kind regards
Marlowe

[andy_h]

I've never done it on a 4card suit before

[1eyedjack]

Yes I mentioned to him at the time that we play takeout doubles, but he countered with the suggestion that even playing take-out doubles you would not double with 4-2 in the majors. I agree with that statement of course (perhaps with the exception that I might be strong enough, but even then ...). We also encourage opener to re-open with a double with a doubleton in the opponent's suit, so passing in direct seat loses some of its danger. But I am conscious that take-out doubles are perhaps not that standard in some parts of the world, so what I play is perhaps irrelevant.