[kenberg]

No one vul, rho deals and opens 3NT. Long minor with no outside A or K.

I held:

Scoring: IMP

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How dare they! I double.


It goes
3NT X pass 4♥
5♦ X
Down 1.

I am about to show the hands but what's your opinion of my double? What should I have done? What should I do if rho passes 4♥?

More generally, how does one bid when rho opens a gambling 3NT? Should double just mean something like "I don't think they are m making this" with further information to appear later when/if they run?



OK, here are the hands. Making 4♥ is an interesting challenge. Of course it can be set double dummy but perhaps the defense begins with a top D, a heart to the ace and a heart back. As the cards lie, you can go up with the Q of hearts and draw the last trump after which you can probably manage. But that will not be a great line if hearts are 4-1. If you let the heart run to the Jack I think that you need to play to the ten of spades first round, leaving the trump out, while you are in the dummy. Two spades, five hearts and two clubs does not add to ten tricks.

Scoring: IMP

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As you can see, 3NT makes, or at least can be made. Probably partner makes 4♥ but she has a good hand with good and long hearts and it's still close. So I am not so happy with my double.

Suggestions, both for this hand and for dealing with the 3NT more generally, will be appreciated.

[kfay]

I play:

Double - Penalty 'I've got stuff everywhere (except their suit!)'
4♣ - Majors
4♦ - 1 Major
4M - M + minor

So I'd bid 4♠ on this hand, not confident that it's the right bid.

[gwnn]

I played Ripstra against 3NT last time (4C=clubsish+majors, 4D=diamondsish+majors) so I would be naturally screwed on this hand. kfay's multi landy is a very good convention on this hand and I don't understand why he doesn't like 4S.

[kenberg]

Partner has QT92 of spades and still 4♠ is not exactly a walk in the park. I can see some reason for doubt about 4♠. Otoh, I certainly considered bidding 4♠, natural, hoping for the best. So I would be happier bidding 4♠ knowing that partner has a way out if I have made a bad guess.

To my mind, almost anything could go wrong here. Including, of course, passing.

[aguahombre]

This is the type of situation where one's pet gadget might work on the given hand, or one chooses a gadget after seeing the posted layout.

My pet gadget sucks, too. 4C=Majors 4D=the "nuts" w/Majors. Double suggests they had better run, which they would have anyway if I really have a double; but partner is in on the secret and can comfortably bid a suit.

On the given hand, I would have no good call, and would probably double, too --and live with it if everyone passes.