[BudH]

Open Pairs, matchpoints against good opponents

You hold 9x T9x AKJ AK9xx

1S 2C 2S P
P ?

At what vulnerabilities would you reopen with a takeout double? And would you also at imps?

And feel free to comment if you would pass or make an immediate takeout double the first round instead of overcalling.

BudH
South Bend, Indiana, USA

[the hog]

Not on this hand. 2C is ok - don't like the 3 small H that much to make a t/o X

[mishovnbg]

2♣; reopen dbl any vul MP - pass with such hands lead to 40%. Misho

[Free]

Pass. Ok, there's some unwritten rule of "never let opps play at 2-level", but I've shown my hand with 2♣. If you'd bid, I think you should Dbl, but I wouldn't.

I just overcall 1NT with this hand instead of 2♣, but I don't need a ♠-control for that in my partnership

[Flame]

Your 2c is right and not close imo to any other bid.
The hand doesnt look good in term of total trump, it wont be higher then 16 and might be 15, since your partner could have bid and didnt.
in mp i would double now inorder to get a little better score, this could be 110 to 100, or 200 to 100 if my partner will leave the double.
At imp this little improvment of the score doesnt needed, so if i bid its for a different perpose which is to find partner with a strong hand and then get to game, probebly a 3nt , or to get some 500 when he leave the double. on the other hand doubling at imp can lead to a very bad result, if partner is weak and we dont have a fit, i think i wont take the chance and just pass, maybe if they are vul and we are not, the chances of 2sp D - 2/3 can be worth the risk.

[luke warm]

speaking of balancing, this happened yesterday:

Scoring: IMP

---

West North East South

 -     -     1NT   Pass
 2♠!   Pass  2NT!  3♣
 Dbl   Pass  Pass  Pass
 

1nt=11-13 (supposedly)
2♠=invitational
2nt=2 or 3 small, minimum hand
3♣=balancing, i guess

i opened the east hand cuz of the vulnerability and cuz i just like to... this was a disaster for n/s, but shows that sometimes the mini nt is like waving a red flag in front of a bull

[inquiry]

Welcome to the BBF Bud.

Not vul at matchpoints I would reopen with dbl. Vulnerable I would pass. Vul, down two undoubled or down one vul at the three level is just too big a risk.

Ben

[Flame]

One more importent thing here.
If you double, dont think of it too much, and put the double confidently, if you esitate too much you will be doubled more and you will not see your opponents bid 3sp down 1 when you were down 1 yourself.

[Flame]

[Trpltrbl]

X, to show max hand for my overcall and shortness in ♠ with support for other 2 suits. Isn't that what I have ?

Mike

[inquiry]

luke warm, on Apr 19 2004, 06:19 AM, said:

West North East South

 -     -     1NT   Pass
 2♠!   Pass  2NT!  3♣
 Dbl   Pass  Pass  Pass
 [/font]

1nt=11-13 (supposedly)
2♠=invitational
2nt=2 or 3 small, minimum hand
3♣=balancing, i guess

Very dangerous to bid here Jimmy....

West had game invite values and EAST 2NT suggested 1) No fit (else passing or raising spades), and 2) probably should be near maximum for first bid. If they have no spade fit and they have around 24 to 25 hcp, do you REALLY want to be bidding.

Ben

[Antoine Fourrière]

I would double 1♠ (and bid 1NT with three small spades and a doubleton elsewhere). Failing that, I would double now.

[Trpltrbl]

luke warm, on Apr 19 2004, 06:19 AM, said:

speaking of balancing, this happened yesterday:

Scoring: IMP

---

West North East South

 -     -     1NT   Pass
 2♠!   Pass  2NT!  3♣
 Dbl   Pass  Pass  Pass
 

1nt=11-13 (supposedly)
2♠=invitational
2nt=2 or 3 small, minimum hand
3♣=balancing, i guess

i opened the east hand cuz of the vulnerability and cuz i just like to... this was a disaster for n/s, but shows that sometimes the mini nt is like waving a red flag in front of a bull

Insane, is what comes to my mind. 3♣ between 2 hands with the points on a pretty much balanced hand I can't really say what I think about it, since Ben will erase it all, and my warning level would skyrocket hehehe

Mike

[BudH]

Full hand was as follows:

9x
T9x
AKJ
AK9xx

AJT9x Kxx
AJx Kxx
Qxx T8
QJ T8xxx

Qxx
Q8xx
976xx
x

Matchpoints, none vulnerable

1S 2C 2S P
P X P 3D
P P P

I was North, doubled in the balance, and partner was allowed to play 3D
undoubled.

Being dummy, I didn't pay much attention to the play, although I know West
led a trump from the queen, dummy played the ace, the HT ran to the HJ, and
a another low trump was led with dummy foregoing the finesse and playing the
king. I'm not sure what happened after that, but the defense was able to
hold declarer to 6 tricks. N/S: -150.

[the hog]

Lucky you were not doubled. Incidentally should your partner not bid 2N scrambling here just in case you have a 4 card H suit? It seems to me that his 3D bid was pretty unilateral.

The responses you got here usurprisingly were reasonably similar to those in rec.games.bridge

Ron

[Fluffy]

I am happy to disagree again with most people, to me its a very clear double on first round, why? because I usually bid this way:

X= promises 12+ HCP and 3+ cards on each unbid suit and 2 or less on the bidden.
2/1 overcall= 6+ cards 12+ HCP

Don´t think I am a player that often plays 3♥, on 4-3, not at all, responsive double si there for something, what I am is one of those who plays 3♦ for 110 against 140, oh well, do you make exactly 9 tricks that often?

If you took the decision to bid 2♣ it was because you were thinking to show a 1-3-3-6 tendecy later 16+ doubling, so if you did so double at second round! being consistent with yourself is important if you want partner to know what is going on.