[ArtK78]

Playing in an ACBL BBO Robot game this evening (IMP pairs), I picked up, in 4th seat, no one vul:

AK9xxx
AKQ
95
J5

The bidding:

(P) - P - (1♦) - x
(P) - 1♠ - (P) - 3♠
All Pass

It was not until I saw partner's hand that I looked at the explanation of my own 3♠ bid, which read:

3-5 C, 2- D, 3-4 H, 4 S, 12+HCP

Really? A takeout double followed by a double raise of partner's major with no opposition bidding is 12+HCP? In what system?

Given the explanation of my 3♠ bid, I guess it should come as no surprise that my GIB partner passed holding:

J8xx
Jxx
Qx
ATxx

And this method of bidding was an unqualified success, when the spades were 3-0 offside (so it can't be picked up if GIB is unlucky enough to cover the J) and 9 tricks was the limit of the hand.

The idea that my double raise to 3♠ bid shows the same as a PASS should show is really very silly.

[Bbradley62]

I don't know what difference it might or should make, but according to the records in myhands, opener bid 2♦ over 1♠.

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[ArtK78]

You are correct - RHO did bid 2♦. I don't see what difference it should make.

[Endymion77]

> I don't see what difference it should make.

It makes difference, with a strong hand you need to X again and 2S would be merely competitive. 3S should still show a pretty good hand though. I think 3S should show a strong 1-suiter in spades (what you had), and X a strong hand with close to standard TOX shape, maybe even with only 3 spades.

[helene_t]

imo X should in principle deny four spades. With four spades just raise them, or maybe make a cue-bid with a real monster.

[1eyedjack]

Another possible use of 2nd double by S is to show a hand whose original double was based on a balanced NT hand type that was too strong for an initial 1N overcall. ie 1st X t/o, 2nd X pen. Personally I don't like that treatment. Given that the 1S is quite a wide range that contains no promises of any strength whatsoever, it is useful to distinguish between weak and strong raises without committing to the 3 level. By contrast the bal hand has low frequency.

Either way the 3S should be stronger than any options to raise to 2.