[plaur]

Scoring: MP

p-p-1♦-p
1♥-X-2♥-2♠
3♥-3♠ all pass

---

NS escaped undoubled in 3♠.
Who should have doubled? West directly over 3♠ or East on the final pass?
How do you decide who should make the penalty double (if any) in a macthpoint competetive auction?

EDIT: East did bid 3♥ directly over 2♠

[kenrexford]

Both.

[nigel_k]

This is not easy, especially since they are non vul.

East has a pretty good idea that 3♥ will make but is worried about beating them opposite a minimum with stiff spade. West has good defence but partner could be quite weak and he has less confidence that 3♥ would make.

The auction suggests South is probably overbidding but North could still have stuff to compensate without being willing to bid more. Being at the table and knowing opponents' tendencies would help here.

IMO West should probably do something else instead of 3♥, e.g. 2NT, to show his hand type better. Then East has an easier double of 3♠. Or I might have bid 3♥ directly over 2♠ with East, making it easier for West to double 3♠.

[PhantomSac]

I feel like I'm pretty aggressive at Xing in these spots, and I wouldn't have doubled with either persons hand. I wouldn't even consider it with the weaker hand.

[jdonn]

Neither, especially not east. I'll be happy to have pushed them to 3, not that most won't but I'm still satisfied with it.

[jjbrr]

I'm the first to admit I'm not very good at matchpoints, but even so I have a hard time coming up with arguments for either hand to double this. It's really hard to be perfect at bridge.

[mcphee]

It is difficult to double from either hand, so the word escape is well used. The weaker hand looking at the K of C has no clue to its value and the H length does not raise the defensive picture at all. On the other side of the fence we do need to protect our 140.

This is a pairs issue, we are possibly scoring poorly if they make 140 so double is unlikely to cost much. If they have risked getting a bit pushy we may grab 300 which should be a very good score. I do not feel double is a good bid , but you do not have to bid well playing pairs do you.

[helene_t]

jjbrr, on Mar 8 2010, 06:18 AM, said:

It's really hard to be perfect at bridge.

Not at all, it is just hard to be modest if you are.

[Codo]

South did not open, north did not act over 1 ♦. This is a reason to double.

It is mps, so if they make 3 spade, ywe are looking for a score below 50 % anyway.

But who sould double? West with 3 quick tricks hoping that partners 6-9 HCPS produce two more? East? With 1.5 tricks?

I had passed with both hands and regretted it later.

[Fluffy]

I can put the NS hands for 3♠ to be ice cold, thats a good indicaor that double is agressive.