[eagles123]

We all make mistakes and can improve and I know that's especially the case for me, hence I post in N/B, but there is this one couple at the club that are really total novices, and can't quite take the hint that maybe they should go to the beginners session!

anyway, the bidding went as followed:

---

I was sitting North. West tanked for ages, literally five minutes. Her partner (also a novice) asked my partner (rather than me) what the double meant. My P said that he should be asking me and I explained that it was penalties.

a continued tank,

then
















5h!


Eagles

[CamHenry]

My wife did this once, early on. We'd bid 4♠ over their 4♥, and it was doubled. I wasn't that worried: I expected to go -2 at equal vul, at MPs.

Unfortunately she then raised to 5♠, and when they doubled that (with a quizzical look), she put down the dummy with a comment of "I forgot they could double 5♠ as well". It's not a mistake she's made twice though!

[nige1]

At a student game of Rubber Bridge, my vulnerable RHO opened a strong notrump, I doubled. LHO held flat opening values and decided to raise to three "to stop the usual nonsense". That too was doubled. I cashed my ♦AKQJxxx

[PhilKing]

Did they reach slam?

[eagles123]

PhilKing, on 2013-November-12, 07:02, said:

Did they reach slam?

She practically had a heart attack when my P doubled 5H, but no they didn't go to 6!

[campboy]

Sometimes it's important to bid on in these situations. I remember a hand where it went

---

East picked the wrong ace to lead and partner made 13 tricks. We lost matchpoints to the people in 6♠xx+1

[iviehoff]

eagles123, on 2013-November-12, 07:08, said:

She practically had a heart attack when my P doubled 5H,

Perhaps she thought that a player was only allowed to double once in an auction. So because you'd used up your double for that auction she thought it would be better to go on to remove the double, but realised too late your partner still hadn't "used up" his double yet. If this is her way of thinking, then this auction will not have disabused her of it.

[iviehoff]

eagles123, on 2013-November-12, 06:16, said:

West tanked for ages, literally five minutes.

When I was a child, we would play family bridge, and my father would tank for ages. Given the crass bid that is then selected, it is evident that no advantage was gained during the latter 4m58s of that period.

[RSClyde]

eagles123, on 2013-November-12, 07:08, said:

She practically had a heart attack when my P doubled 5H, but no they didn't go to 6!

Why would you let it get around to partner rather than just doubling it yourself?

[PhilKing]

RSClyde, on 2013-November-12, 09:04, said:

Why would you let it get around to partner rather than just doubling it yourself?

Because if you pass they may go to slam ....

[ArtK78]

When I first started playing bridge, I was playing with a friend (who was more of a novice than I was) at a local bridge club. I opened the bidding 1♠ and it went pass to him. He had a 1-4-4-4 13 count, so he doubled! His logic was impeccable - he had a perfect takeout double of 1♠. Unfortunately, the rules of the game don't allow for doubling your partner (although there have been many times since that I wish they did).

[Lord Molyb]

This reminds me of that one victor mollo hand that HH went from 5♠XX to 6♠X to avoid a huge loss

[barmar]

I think sometimes these are just unconscious brain farts. Even though the double was explained as penalties, you're primed to think of most doubles as takeout. And often in competitive situations, it's correct to bid immediately over a takeout double, rather than wait and allow the opponents to exchange more information. This instinct can sometimes control your action before your conscious mind, which realizes that this isn't one of those situations, can censor it.

[Trinidad]

barmar, on 2013-November-12, 13:19, said:

I think sometimes these are just unconscious brain farts. Even though the double was explained as penalties, you're primed to think of most doubles as takeout. And often in competitive situations, it's correct to bid immediately over a takeout double, rather than wait and allow the opponents to exchange more information. This instinct can sometimes control your action before your conscious mind, which realizes that this isn't one of those situations, can censor it.

I once played a big tournament abroad where we got doubled. We asked for the meaning: "Penalty". So, despite holding the distribution for a preemptive raise, we pass and the penalty double is promptly taken out by an opponent who holds three trumps.

After the board, we call the TD and explain that we don't think the explanation is correct and that things would have been a lot more difficult for the opponents if we would have preempted. The TD asks the opponent why he took out the double and he replies: "I could see that he didn't have a penalty double. I have three trumps myself!". The TD rules "no infraction", we get a bad board and the game continues.

The very next round, the same thing happens again. Dbl explained as penalty, we hold a preemptive hand and pass and the double is taken out. We call the TD again, same ruling. During the week long tournament this situation pops up again and again and again. At some point, I tell the TD: "You can say whatever you want, but I think that the people over here don't have it very clear what a penalty double is. They just explain every double as penalty, even if it means "values" or takeout. The TD -who is coming from abroad too- agrees that this is too much of a coincidence. He instructs the opponents to change their explanation to "values", but we get no redress.

By the end of the week, I am kind of tired of all this: My partner overcalls. It is promptly doubled, I ask. Predictably, the explanation is "Penalty" and I just decide to make my preemptive raise. My partner goes for a number.

I call the TD. Opponents look surprised. I tell the TD: "These opponents have misled me by saying their double was for penalty when it actually was for penalty.". The TD laughs, says "No adjustment" and is kind enough to explain the opps why I called for a non infraction.

The opponents' response: "We have noticed too that practically everybody here explains doubles as for penalty, even when they aren't." There was a short pause when this statement was followed by: "But we're not from here..."

Rik

[eagles123]

ArtK78, on 2013-November-12, 09:58, said:

When I first started playing bridge, I was playing with a friend (who was more of a novice than I was) at a local bridge club. I opened the bidding 1♠ and it went pass to him. He had a 1-4-4-4 13 count, so he doubled! His logic was impeccable - he had a perfect takeout double of 1♠. Unfortunately, the rules of the game don't allow for doubling your partner (although there have been many times since that I wish they did).

I've done that one before now

[manudude03]

I was once told of a hand where a table "played" in redouble. No contract, just redouble.

[ggwhiz]

manudude03, on 2013-November-12, 16:13, said:

I was once told of a hand where a table "played" in redouble. No contract, just redouble.

Similar story up here. After p-p-p-dbl float the contract was ruled to be zero nt smashed by the dealer who won 6 tricks and scored 50 for insult. This was (naturally) in a midnight.

Same Director that I witnessed in another midnight was called when I opened 1♣ in 4th chair. He told my lho he was in the huddle, 3rd and 10, what play do you call? The guy said "punt" and he said no no, NFL. "pass" and the auction continued. So I'm sure the above one is true.