Posted 2011-June-26, 22:20
Agree that playing standard methods, XX by North is normal. But if he decides not to XX I don't understand why not bid his suits in descending order of length? Trouble is here we are not told their methods, and we have no reason to think that their methods approach standard.
Anyway, although 3N is safe and 4S is at a small risk, it seems that both make so it would only really cost at MP, which this was not.
Personally I would want to be in 6N after the double. The Spade Q finesse rates to be quite a bit better than 50%.
As to the second part, if as corrected East has 2-3-5-3 shape it would be normal to bid 1H in response to the double, but unless you tell us how the corrected Clubs and Hearts are divided in the other three hands it is not possible to comment on how reasonable the auction is up to that point nor predict the likely outcome. Simply shifting the 3,2 of Hearts into Clubs in East's hand would result in their being only 11 hearts in the deck (missing 3,2) and 15 Clubs in the deck (duplicated 3,2).
Anyway, who plays a cue of the opponent's suit as natural opposite double? Even if the 1D might be short. There is no number of tricks that can be made by E/W with Diamonds as trumps in which they do not score more (or lose less) by defending 1DX than by declaring 2DX. Even redoubled, they only gain if they make at least three overtricks.
Psych (pron. saik): A gross and deliberate misstatement of honour strength and/or suit length. Expressly permitted under Law 73E but forbidden contrary to that law by Acol club tourneys.
Psyche (pron. sahy-kee): The human soul, spirit or mind (derived, personification thereof, beloved of Eros, Greek myth).
Masterminding (pron. m
s
t
r-m
nd
ing) tr. v. - Any bid made by bridge player with which partner disagrees.
"Gentlemen, when the barrage lifts." 9th battalion, King's own Yorkshire light infantry,
2000 years earlier: "morituri te salutant"
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