[Deanrover]

x
AKxx
QJx
KJxxx

You open 1C. P responds 1D. RHO, a Gold Star bids 4C, majors. LHO bids 4S. You double.

OK, this is a horrible double. But just imagine that you misclicked, undos are not allowed and you have to accept it. LHO xxs and the action is back to you. How do you continue?

Edit: You are vulnerable and they are non vul. IMPs

p.s. Your decision will decide who wins the tournament. No pressure.

[Flame]

I would leave it there lead a trump and hope for good but if you want to take it out, 4nt is your best choice.

[Free]

Pass

[whereagles]

Uuugh... think I pass. How did I get here anyway?

[helium]

pass:)

[luke warm]

4nt..

[flytoox]

pass and lead trump. If you retreat why dbl then? let's be consistent

[luke warm]

"pass and lead trump. If you retreat why dbl then? let's be consistent "

i guess it was a penalty double, but even so there's now the rdbl to consider... playing matchpoints, pass won't change much... a 0 is a 0... playing imps i'd pull my own double.. that's why i'd bid 4nt

[inquiry]

Well, I don't know what the heck is going on, but pass and lead a trump is out, if for no other reason than I will not be on the lead

From a bidding standpoint, what you wanted to do was probably to double 4♣, suggesting a willingness to double one of their contracts. If your LHO then bids 4♠ and partner fails to double, then you can't possible consider doubling 4♠. You will just have to pass and let them play their 4♠'s.

The redouble suggest that WEST has huge spade fit (something you would have known anyway if you had doubled 4♣ and partner had passed 4♠). If he is also short in hearts, as seems likely, you are in a very bad spot.

There is no guarantee that you can make 5 of a minor, or that you can beat 4♠. But if WEST thought he was sacraficing he would not have redoubled, so he has reasons to believe he is making, and reason to believe if you bid on you are not. Those reasons are probably the club AQ, and four or five card spade fit and heart shortness. I guess, I will jump out of the frying pan and into the fire by bidding 4NT, to let my partner pick between five clubs and five diamonds. I suspect it will servre me right if I get to play 5♣dbled down quite a few on spade to ace, heart ruff, and still have to lose diamond ace, another heart ruff and then two trumps.... although it is highly unlikely RHO will have two aces as quick entries.

[flytoox]

luke warm, on Nov 16 2004, 01:05 PM, said:

"pass and lead trump. If you retreat why dbl then? let's be consistent "

i guess it was a penalty double, but even so there's now the rdbl to consider... playing matchpoints, pass won't change much... a 0 is a 0... playing imps i'd pull my own double.. that's why i'd bid 4nt

Yes, dbl is penalty. What I mean is that we should believe ourself. You dbl coz u think u can defeat them. So u should not change ur mind just because opp rdbl.


Regarding Ben's idea of dbling 4C, i dont think that is a good idea. Dbl will make pd to lead ur club suit, which you dont want.


I think I would not dbl 4S, but once I dbled and got rdbled, I will leave it.

[inquiry]

flytoox, on Nov 16 2004, 10:14 AM, said:

Regarding Ben's idea of dbling 4C, i dont think that is a good idea. Dbl will make pd to lead ur club suit, which you dont want.

I wonder what you think your partner will lead if you pass and they play 4♠? If he has AK of diamonds, he will lead that, but otherwise? His hearts will not be anything special, and you did bid clubs. I would guess 90% he leads a club - even without a double of 4♣ here. If you double 4♠. you probably will get a trump lead, however.

[EarlPurple]

If I were on lead I would be happy to pass and lead a trump, but I don't trust my partners. Funny how not only do I not get to play a hand but whenever I'm defending partner is always on lead?

Would a trump lead be any use anyway? 4NT, asking partner to pick a minor could work well. Perhaps partner has:

xx
xxx
ATxxxxx
T

I've given partner only one ace, but 5♦ is likely to make. Let's say spade lead, heart switch won in dummy, DQ led both follow small, low diamond to ace then run ♣10, loses to queen, North has no heart to return so plays a spade, ruffed with dummy's last trump, then ruffing finesse sets up club with heart to reach it.

You may say with that hand partner jump-shifts to 2♦ (pre-emptive) opposite your 1♣ but give him more points and less distribution and I can't get the opponents auction.

[inquiry]

EarlPurple, on Nov 16 2004, 11:13 AM, said:

If I were on lead I would be happy to pass and lead a trump, but I don't trust my partners. Funny how not only do I not get to play a hand but whenever I'm defending partner is always on lead?

Would a trump lead be any use anyway? 4NT, asking partner to pick a minor could work well. Perhaps partner has:

xx
xxx
ATxxxxx
T

I've given partner only one ace, but 5♦ is likely to make. Let's say spade lead, heart switch won in dummy, DQ led both follow small, low diamond to ace then run ♣10, loses to queen, North has no heart to return so plays a spade, ruffed with dummy's last trump, then ruffing finesse sets up club with heart to reach it.

You may say with that hand partner jump-shifts to 2♦ (pre-emptive) opposite your 1♣ but give him more points and less distribution and I can't get the opponents auction.

If your partner has that hand, you will not get to play 5♦... but 5♠ making five (assume only 1♦ tricks) is a heck of a lot better than 5♠xx making five.

[Deanrover]

Luke Warm, Inquiry and Earl Purple head straight to the top of the class.

Jlall, Free, Helium, Whereagles and Flytoox must report for detention. The full hand:

Scoring: IMP

---

West North East South

 -     -     -     1♣
 Pass  1♦    4♣    Pass
 4♠    Pass  Pass  Dbl
 RDbl  Pass  Pass  Pass
 

[Free]

Lol, I'm not the crazy horse who doubled in the first place