[dickiegera]

Opponents open 3NT [Gambling]

What should Double, 4C, 4D, 4H, or 4S mean?
If 5-5 in majors and enough pts for game how is the best way to show?
Thank you.

[gnasher]

I don't know about in "ACBL 2/1", but I prefer to play:

Double = strong balanced or three-suited, setting up a forcing pass
4♣ = majors (4♦ asks for the longer)
4♦ = a major + a minor
4M = natural

After (3NT) dbl (4m):
- Double = to defend even opposite shortage
- Pass = asking opener to double with the balanced hand and bid with the three-suiter.

However, nobody has ever agreed to play this with me, so I usually just play everything natural, with double being a good, fairly balanced, hand.

[aguahombre]

I like what Gnasher would prefer...but because it comes up so rarely, we just use the same thing we use at 3-level over 2NT=minors, and we lose the other minor if 2-suited.

Double=penalty oriented
4C=5-5+ in Majors and weaker.
4D=5-5+ in Majors and sets forcing pass.

Probably not best, but easy to remember.

[nigel_k]

You definitely don't want to use anything that has to be memorised - not if I am your partner anyway. Though it's good to be able to make a start on showing a two suiter because LHO might jump in a minor.

Maybe you can just use your defence to 1NT depending on what it is.

[Fluffy]

I just use the cuebid as majors, and the other minor as natural, partner can work it out easilly (most of the time)

double for balanced strong hands that are comfortable playing 4mX

[mikeh]

Fluffy, on Dec 20 2009, 02:09 PM, said:

I just use the cuebid as majors, and the other minor as natural, partner can work it out easilly (most of the time)

double for balanced strong hands that are comfortable playing 4mX

wow....talk about high variance.... how can partner be expected to 'work it out most of the time'? I guess you have to deny a good suit when you overcall, else partner often won't have a clue.

I like gnasher's idea, but I haven't seen it before.... I play either: 4♣ is majors, strong with 4♦ majors weaker, or clubs is majors, better or equal hearts, and diamonds is better spades....double is always penalty oriented...usually a good strong notrump or better.

[Winstonm]

I like the idea of Ripstra: Double is basically penalty-good hand.
4C/4D=majors, longer minor bid
4H/4S,5C/5D single suited