[awm]

Scoring: IMP

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RHO opens 4♠ in first seat. You are playing IMP pairs, unfavorable. What's your call?

Assume fairly standard meanings for double and 4NT.

[rogerclee]

I think this double is clear.

[mike777]

double

but perhaps this is some bad nonexpert bid by me.

[jillybean]

I reluctantly passed this. 4nt 2nd choice

[Elianna]

I like 4NT.

[655321]

Agree with Clee.

[pclayton]

Double. No second choice.

[the hog]

X. Not pass.

[awm]

As a side question, what do you think about this hand on the same auction:

♠xxx ♥KQxx ♦KJ9 ♣AJ9

[DrTodd13]

One could make an argument that 1 spade is fine (because you know you are short) and 3 spades are ok (on the inference that pd is probably short) but that 2 spades is the most dangerous case. So, I think one should be more likely to bid with 3 of them instead of 2.

[dicklont]

Double is normal, could go wrong but that´s just bridge.
It will be ok more often, won't it?

[dicklont]

Jlall, on Aug 30 2008, 01:59 AM, said:

DrTodd13, on Aug 30 2008, 01:29 AM, said:

One could make an argument that 1 spade is fine (because you know you are short) and 3 spades are ok (on the inference that pd is probably short) but that 2 spades is the most dangerous case.  So, I think one should be more likely to bid with 3 of them instead of 2.

Those people would forget that partner is more likely to reopen himself when he has a stiff spade, and we are more likely to have a trump trick when we have xx trumps than xxx, and that partner is not going to pull that often with 2 spades himself, and when he has a stiff spade we would rather have an extra card somewhere else (especially if he's going to pull to that suit).

Puzzling me....

We are more likely to have a trump trick when we have xx trumps than xxx

Is that so? Why?

[DrTodd13]

If pd needs a spade ruff then the spade suit is either 8320 or 7321. In either case, the short guy is ruffing after dummy....not so ideal. The big problem is losing two spade tricks I think. You can't have any other losers in that case. Yeah, if partner is short he'll be more likely to take action but there is a limit. Give partner a 10 point hand with a singleton spade, who is going to take some action after 4♠-pass-pass.

[nige1]

awm, on Aug 30 2008, 12:02 AM, said:

Scoring: IMP

RHO opens 4♠ in first seat. You are playing IMP pairs, unfavorable. What's your call? Assume fairly standard meanings for double and 4NT.

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IMO _X = 10, _P = 7, 4N = 5.

[gwnn]

nige1, on Aug 30 2008, 10:11 AM, said:

awm, on Aug 30 2008, 12:02 AM, said:

Scoring: IMP

RHO opens 4♠ in first seat. You are playing IMP pairs, unfavorable. What's your call? Assume fairly standard meanings for double and 4NT.

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IMO _X = 10, _P = 0, 4N = -1.

FYP

[Free]

awm, on Aug 30 2008, 06:02 AM, said:

Scoring: IMP

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RHO opens 4♠ in first seat. You are playing IMP pairs, unfavorable. What's your call?

Assume fairly standard meanings for double and 4NT.

Is there anything else than Dbl?

[effervesce]

dicklont, on Aug 30 2008, 02:08 AM, said:

Jlall, on Aug 30 2008, 01:59 AM, said:

DrTodd13, on Aug 30 2008, 01:29 AM, said:

One could make an argument that 1 spade is fine (because you know you are short) and 3 spades are ok (on the inference that pd is probably short) but that 2 spades is the most dangerous case.  So, I think one should be more likely to bid with 3 of them instead of 2.

Those people would forget that partner is more likely to reopen himself when he has a stiff spade, and we are more likely to have a trump trick when we have xx trumps than xxx, and that partner is not going to pull that often with 2 spades himself, and when he has a stiff spade we would rather have an extra card somewhere else (especially if he's going to pull to that suit).

Puzzling me....

We are more likely to have a trump trick when we have xx trumps than xxx

Is that so? Why?

Let's say for argument's sake the 4♠ bidder has an 7 card suit, headed by AK. If you have 3 of them, then there are only 3 cards remaining in the suit- making it more likely that if parter has the Q, it will drop. If you have only 1, then there are 4 cards remaining in the suit. If dummy has two, then partne will have 3. Declarer will probably play for the drop, thus allowing the Q to take a trick.

The same argument applies with xx vs xxx.

[mcphee]

This hand is a dble of 4S. Why it is a better choice IMO than 4NT is because 4NT is generally used as a 2 suited hand type, and its easy to see this is not the hand you hold.

I feel sorry for players who use dble as penalty of 4S, they get screwed on hands like this.
Dblr =10
4N = 2
P = 0