[gnasher]

Partner opens 1♣, promising four in a 4-card major, weak notrump system. RHO bids 4♥. You have agreed that doubles are negative up to 4♦, but a double of 4♥ shows balanced values.

You have Kxx AJ9x KJx 10xx, nobody is vulnerable, and it's IMPs. Is this a pass or a double?

[Echognome]

Seems an almost textbook double according to your definition.

[awm]

Double seems pretty clear. I have plenty of defense and we have more or less game values.

If partner leaves it in, great. Otherwise partner should have an unbalanced hand, and most likely is a long club suit with heart shortage. We have decent play for 5♣ opposite a fair number of minimums with 6+♣.

[jdonn]

I understand that the problem is you will tend to have something more like xxx or Hxx of hearts rather than AJ9x (not based on agreement, simply based on frequency), so partner will pull our double too often. Though I agree he will, we can easily be making whatever he pulls to with A K K and support for everything, and I think we are just too good to defend 4♥ undoubled. So I double.

[dake50]

May I try 4NT on likely 3xH-stops? Or is that conventional?

[neilkaz]

Echognome, on Nov 14 2008, 06:37 PM, said:

Seems an almost textbook double according to your definition.

Yes and you will kill 4♥x if PD passes and hopefully make something if he pulls.

[jdonn]

dake50, on Nov 15 2008, 12:17 AM, said:

May I try 4NT on likely 3xH-stops? Or is that conventional?

The convention is that it shows a lot more than this hand!

[gnasher]

It's almost 15 years since I last agreed to play this double as anything other than takeout, so I wasn't quite sure what I was supposed to do.

I doubled, reasoning that if double wasn't for takeout partner ought to be leaving it in with a singleton, and that if he did that it would be a Good Thing. Sadly, he had xxx - AQxx AQJxxx, and pulled it.

[pclayton]

gnasher, on Nov 15 2008, 12:25 PM, said:

It's almost 15 years since I last agreed to play this double as anything other than takeout, so I wasn't quite sure what I was supposed to do.

I doubled, reasoning that if double wasn't for takeout partner ought to be leaving it in with a singleton, and that if he did that it would be a Good Thing. Sadly, he had xxx - AQxx AQJxxx, and pulled it.

I pass; but I was passing before the answer was posted. I think you have to pay off on hand likes this.

Pard is a lock to have a s/v and will very likely pull our x. I don't think this is a great dummy opposite a minimum unbalanced hand.

[Codo]

Even after the comment I would always double this hand, again again and again.

Passing is surely losing bridge in the long run.