[Hanoi5]

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I'm sure the double is not everyone's favorite, so probably East is the culprit. But doesn't the singleton ♠A give you some courage to go on?

[TylerE]

E's double is penalty. W has a relatively quacky hand with slow tricks. He wants to move, why, exactly?

[PhilKing]

For me, this double is "cards" and should probably be pulled about one time in three, so West is about on the cusp of whether to pull.

East hallucinated before doubling though - he has a straight choice between 4NT and 5♣. 4NT shows a good 5♣ bid here, which I think he is worth (just), even though on a bad day you will go off in game.

[gszes]

partner is under some pressure when they bid 3c but how weak
do we think they are when they bid 3c at unfavorable. It seems to
make little sense to try and set 4s when our hand is so good we
should be considering slam.

This is a very reasonable example of 4n a great club raise with a K
less being a reasonable 5c bid.

OH 100% east

[Codo]

I dislike the double very much.
While I agree that it is cards, not penalty, I would pass with my defensive hand.

[rhm]

From East perspective:

We have a good fit, then opponents have a fit too. It is not in hearts and clubs is our fit.
Guess where their fit is.

Rainer Herrmann

[Hanoi5]

So it is natural not to expect two losers in spades? Is it being too pessimistic to expect three losers in a club contract? The philosophy is to support and if we go down preempts work, right?

[MrAce]

I like double by East. It shows nothing but cards. Bidding obviously wins on this hand but make very tiny changes in W hand and double would be the winner and East has no reason to think pd is short in one of the majors.

[Cascade]

MrAce, on 2013-June-16, 12:16, said:

I like double by East. It shows nothing but cards. Bidding obviously wins on this hand but make very tiny changes in W hand and double would be the winner and East has no reason to think pd is short in one of the majors.

But obviously partner has no hope of judging if you are going to double with four card undisclosed support and also on similar hands without support.

5♣ has got to be a lot better

[ggwhiz]

Pre-empts work except when north jumps In hearts and East can go slamming. Here it could be the kind of mild misfit for N/S that will beat a 5♣ contract and momma always told me to take the (99%?) plus. I would still bid it on the club spots but don't think double is terrible.

That said I'm allowed to bid on as east if anything about the field or opponents tells me that my small plus will score poorly especially at MP's. I think 4nt might be too much though and at least a few would play that as primary diamonds with club tolerance.

[Codo]

Hanoi5, on 2013-June-16, 10:26, said:

So it is natural not to expect two losers in spades? Is it being too pessimistic to expect three losers in a club contract? The philosophy is to support and if we go down preempts work, right?

If partner holds xx, KJx,Qx,KQxxxx he has not much business in bidding 3 ♣, has he? And if he holds this ugly shape but the ace instead of the queen of diamonds, 5 ♣ has play...

[rhm]

Hanoi5, on 2013-June-16, 10:26, said:

So it is natural not to expect two losers in spades? Is it being too pessimistic to expect three losers in a club contract? The philosophy is to support and if we go down preempts work, right?

Almost everything is possible in this game, but your partner overcalled at the 3 level red versus white.
You have 4 card support, what looks like a ten card fit. You have an opening with good controls. Nothing of that was known to partner when he bid.
And you are worried that 5♣ is down?
I would be more worried about missing slam. I rather would bid 6♣ before even considering DBL.
However, I have been wrong before.
What I am certain is that DBL is a long term losing proposition. Doubling without showing good support to partner is one of the most dangerous actions you can take in the bidding.

Rainer Herrmann