[nbailey]

Scoring: MP

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At matchpoint scoring, with all vul RHO opens 1♦.

Do you overcall in hearts, make a takeout double, or try something else?

[jdonn]

It looks a little odd but I like double, mostly because the hearts are bad. In practice 1♥ simply tends to lose the spades.

[jillybean]

Double, best chance of finding a fit.
(This is one double I am certain wont be misunderstood)

[benlessard]

1H, obvious. In not doubling 2D in balance.

[marcD]

benlessard, on Feb 23 2009, 01:30 AM, said:

1H, obvious. In not doubling 2D in balance.

Agree; This is actually why i dbl : this is a one bid hand and if so dbl comes closer to describing it than 1♥

[gwnn]

NV I'd like 1H more than double, now I think double is better because V i can't double l8r.

[MFA]

1♥. Most of the time I'll strongly prefer a 1-lvl overcall to a double with 4-5 in the majors and this hand is not really an exception.

[helene_t]

I would "always" bid 1♥ with this shape and values but the honor concentration in the black suites is so extreme that I slightly prefer double.

[Hanoi5]

If you double what do you bid over partner's 2♣? What if it goes 1♦-X-1♠-Pass?
I bid 1♥, which should be standard.

[P_Marlowe]

1H.

The alternative being 2D, but given the KQ in clubs,
I am not sure I would make this bid.

With kind regards
Marlowe

[Fluffy]

1♥, as others said, if you wanna put spades into the picture try 2♦, double is asking for a stupid 3♣ contract.

[655321]

I am in the 1♥ camp, I also strongly prefer bidding my 5 card major when 5-4 in the majors. There might be hands where I would find a double instead, but for me this is not such a hand.

I don't hate double, it could easily work, but it is against my religion.

I do hate Michaels - showing 5/5 in the majors when I have essentially a balanced hand seems horrible to me. True, I have seen people play this style, but I have never understood how they make it work.

[mtvesuvius]

2♦ would keep ♠ in the picture, but I promise 5-5 when I michaels... Always.
This is very close between 1♥ and X. The deciding factor for me is that LHO will probably not bid, and so partner will almost certainly bid ♣, and partner can bid a 4 Card ♠ suit over 1♥... This means that we don't lose the ♠ suit that often. Also, if LHO bids now we have a few clues as to what is going on... 2♠ pre-balance over 2♦ is always possible. Also, what if RHO rebids 2♣? Now we have the perfect X available to show our hand. 1♥ for me.

[fachiru]

jdonn, on Feb 23 2009, 01:09 AM, said:

It looks a little odd but I like double, mostly because the hearts are bad. In practice 1♥ simply tends to lose the spades.

+1
To me it's: X=10; 1♥=4 @ this form of scoring.

[rogerclee]

I like 1♥.

For 1♥:
1) Partner can compete effectively with 3♥ and not 4♠, and in fact partner may dislike his spade suit so much that we will miss a lot of spade fits even if we double.
2) Partner doesn't compete in clubs, which will be wrong more often than right.

For double:
1) Doesn't lose spades. Spades can play better if partner's hearts are bad, but if partner's hearts are good the two strains rate to play about the same. Spades may also play better just because the opening bidder is on lead.
2) Increases the chance that we get a spade lead if partner is on lead. Even a club lead is probably better than a heart lead.

[Phil]

This is the San Diego Michaels Hand. It's also very good for a Roman jump overcall of 2♥.

I really don't have a strong preference between 1♥ and double, although I like double a bit more, just because the spades are great and the hearts so-so.

[jdonn]

I don't know why it's automatically bad if partner bids clubs? Maybe it's bad more than not, but I bet it's fine or even best a very reasonable percentage of the time.

[Apollo81]

Double, and very satisfied with it. I like spades and hearts about equally, and if pard bids notrump or clubs I'm fine with that too.

[awm]

I like double on this particular hand. Clubs are probably okay if partner has five of them. If partner has only four clubs and has no four-card major, then a fairly high percentage of the time he will bid notrump rather than introduce what must be a fairly lousy club suit (given I have KQ).

If you move the values around a little bit (better hearts, weaker clubs/spades, maybe a diamond card) then you could easily convince me to bid 1♥.

[nbailey]

Thanks for your replies.

I was in the double camp, because of the poor quality heart suit and the great spades. KQ of clubs was ok for me because even if partner bids clubs he will usually have 5 or more and KQ tight will play ok in that strain. At the table I doubled, which worked out badly as LHO redoubled and partner bid 2♣ with xx/Qx/xxx/Txxxxx. clubs were 4-1 so we were doubled and lost 500.