JLOL, on Apr 28 2009, 05:06 PM, said:
mikeh, on Apr 28 2009, 04:56 PM, said:
I confess, I had assumed that your title meant that you at least considered placing this question in the B/I forum precisely because the standard treatment is to respond to partner's 1minor bid, after a double, almost as if the double had not happend... and wouldn't we all bid 1♥ then?
Why is this a standard treatment? Surely there are some hands where you would bid over 1 of a minor to keep the auction open because you might have a game or a better fit, but you would pass after the double (because if you have a game partner will still bid). I daresay that "everyone" would respond if the CA was the CQ after a pass, but "everyone" would pass after the double.
I also think it is fairly common to bypass weak 4 card majors and bid 1N on certain hand types because even if you find a 4-4 fit it is likely trumps are breaking badly, and they're all on your right (not good when you have no honors).
It seems obvious to me that it is a different situation after a double and we shouldn't bury our heads in the sand and pretend there wasn't one.
I agree with all of your comments, other than to ask 'why is something standard?' is more a rhetorical device than a real question. The fact is that, as best as i can recall from having played and read bridge for 35 years, it is 'standard' to bid one over one as if the double had not taken place.
it is also true that a lot of 'standard' bidders will exercise discretion when applying this treament. If I held Kxx xxxx xxx AQx, I would almost certainly bid 1N rather than 1
♥, for the very reasons that you outlined. But bidding 1N on this hand seems silly... it is positionally wrong and the best way to get to notrump on this hand, from partner's hand, is to bid 1
♥.
Pass won't do it unless you get very lucky in the auction.
That isn't THE reason to bid 1
♥, but is surely is A reason to bid 1
♥ on this hand.
'one of the great markers of the advance of human kindness is the howls you will hear from the Men of God' Johann Hari