[zooja]

After my left hand opp opened 1nt my partner doubled and i held 4spades 1h 4diamonds and 4 clubs 10 high, all suits were 10 high or less. I wasnt sure but i opted for the bid of 2hearts hoping it would be a transfer, but my partner raised to 4 with 20 hcp and a ballanced hand. Needless to say playing in a 4 1 fit i went down alot in imps doubled. 4 spades would not have been any better siknce p only had 2. Please tell me what i should have don, since my partner crusified me for not passing?

[aguahombre]

15 plus 20 plus ten=what?

[bb79]

you don't have any long suit and no guaranteed trump fit. it is quite possible that partner has a sufficient hand to set the contract. I would pass.
against a pickup partner, it is dangerous to assume 2♥ is transfer.
Transferring to 4 card suit is playing with matches, 4-2 fits are not fun.

[bb79]

aguahombre, on Jul 18 2009, 01:13 PM, said:

15 plus 20 plus ten=what?

he has 10 high , i.e 0 points

[aguahombre]

bb79, on Jul 18 2009, 12:15 PM, said:

aguahombre, on Jul 18 2009, 01:13 PM, said:

15 plus 20 plus ten=what?

he has 10 high , i.e 0 points

oops

[awm]

You should bid 2♣. This is a suit that you have, and allows the most possible space for partner to bid something else at the two-level if he doesn't like clubs.

There are some (misguided) people who play "systems on" as if partner had opened 1NT in this auction, but that's not standard and you wouldn't transfer to a four-card spade suit if partner had opened 1NT in any case. Even if partner thinks you play "systems on" and responds to "stayman" it should be obvious that this is more of a scrambling/running type "stayman" and not an invitational hand (which would just pass the double).

[helene_t]

The responses to the double are:
Pass: some points and/or no 5-card suit.
2♣/♦/♥/♠: very weak with 5+ cards in the suit named.

[jmcw]

Partner made a penalty DBL? then PASS. Attempting to transfer to a 4 card suit is crazy