[awm]

Matchpoints, all vulnerable, RHO deals

pass-pass-3♦-pass
pass-???

♠QTx
♥AQxx
♦xx
♣QJ9x

Balance or go quietly?

[Jlall]

Seems like a very easy X, obv red at MP is the worst because we might go down 2 in something, but w/e, gotta bid your hand.

[MFA]

Boring, balanced hand. I don't think it will be a huge winner in the long run, but sure, I'd double.

[TylerE]

Pass, feeling pretty good about it. Would help to know system. (E.g. is partner expected to open above average 10 counts...or are we playing Roth-Stone... makes a difference here). Doubling feels likely to turn a plus into a minus, which is like...the worst...at mp. Would double if 4441.

[rbforster]

awm, on Apr 10 2010, 06:46 PM, said:

Balance or go quietly?

Double quietly, showing better hearts than spades

[awm]

TylerE, on Apr 11 2010, 01:37 AM, said:

Pass, feeling pretty good about it. Would help to know system. (E.g. is partner expected to open above average 10 counts...or are we playing Roth-Stone... makes a difference here). Doubling feels likely to turn a plus into a minus, which is like...the worst...at mp. Would double if 4441.

I'm not sure you're reading the auction right here.

Partner never had a chance to open the bidding; he is in fourth chair.

We play relatively "normal" 2/1 methods. Our hand passed in 1st chair, so evidently we do not open all (or even most) balanced 11s. We're not playing Roth-Stone though.

[RichMor]

awm, on Apr 11 2010, 03:33 AM, said:

TylerE, on Apr 11 2010, 01:37 AM, said:

Pass, feeling pretty good about it. Would help to know system. (E.g. is partner expected to open above average 10 counts...or are we playing Roth-Stone... makes a difference here). Doubling feels likely to turn a plus into a minus, which is like...the worst...at mp. Would double if 4441.

I'm not sure you're reading the auction right here.

Partner never had a chance to open the bidding; he is in fourth chair.

We play relatively "normal" 2/1 methods. Our hand passed in 1st chair, so evidently we do not open all (or even most) balanced 11s. We're not playing Roth-Stone though.

Guess I'm not reading the auction right either.

Looks like 'our hand' passed in second chair not first. Not a big deal but it does affect the meaning of the third chair vulnerable preempt.

LHO probably has good Diamonds for a vulnerable third-postition 3 bid. I think the hand is worth a double, but it is close.

RichM

[Fluffy]

obvious double to me.

[bid_em_up]

Fluffy, on Apr 12 2010, 12:12 PM, said:

obvious double to me.

me too

[OleBerg]

Double is Easy, but by no means safe.

[pooltuna]

OleBerg, on Apr 12 2010, 03:37 PM, said:

Double is Easy, but by no means safe.

does this translate into "Double is correct but has great variance in results"?

[awm]

Scoring: MP

---

I made what I thought was a normal balancing double, and partner decided to leave it in. This was not a good result as 3♦X made easily (in fact declarer dropped a trick in the play to make only three). Partner was very upset with my balancing double on what he thought was an obvious pass. I thought partner was resulting and that leaving the double in was rather speculative.

Of course, if partner bids a major the best we're likely to get is -200 (down two undoubled) which is only slightly better than -670.

[MFA]

Partner should know that when we make a reopening double being a passed hand we rate to have shape. So leaving it in with Axx is terrible.

[gwnn]

I think leaving it in ever is terrible from N, it can be a 3M bid or a 4D bid depending on which seat partner is etc, but never ever a pass.

[jdonn]

Of course if partner had bid anything that would have been bad too, so his pass was awful but didn't cost too much.

Ugh, I mean double really does look normal and I can't fault it, but maybe vul at mps pass is the percentage action. Going for 200 just looks so common holding this balanced hand with little offense.

[655321]

I think double is clearly correct, it is not a hand you are proud of but still.

However, if you move one of your diamonds to spades, now you have a 4414 11 count as a passed hand. Everyone would double now, so I am not sure why your partner thought that he would have done better defending 3♦X opposite that hand.

[Jlall]

Yeah partner passed and you had a defensive 11 count with 2 diamonds. If he didn't like your X then he must think you should always have a stiff diamond...then his pass is even worse?

[bluecalm]

Your partner was clearly out of his mind. You are passed hand. You have extreme maximum for defense. What did he expect ?
As to reopening double I feel pretty good about it. Not reopening could lead to many disasters (like missing cold game or 9card partial). I would prefer to open this hand in the first place though.

[jdonn]

I am far from convinced double is clearly correct. But there's no doubt it's clearly normal, and I still would have done it since I'm not going to test my hunches at the table like that especially when I'm not even confident in them.

[bluecalm]

By saying his partner was clearly out of his mind I meant his pass over double, not his comment about the double. I am not convinced double is clearcut either, especially against good opponents.