[Echognome]

Another vote for 2NT scrambling. It's a clear meaning in one of my partnerships and would probably get a puzzled look in my other one where we play a lot more natural bidding. 2NT natural isn't the worst thing in the world here either though.

[aguahombre]

jdonn, on Mar 9 2010, 09:27 AM, said:

Why can't partner have 4 hearts? He could definitely bid this way with 4 hearts, a negative double becomes less automatic the better your hand becomes, and our heart holding also leaves the possibility that if he has 4 hearts they are bad so he would be more likely to start 2♣ with longer clubs.

I really got confused by this. Am I missing a clue from the Precision context?

Partner with 4 hearts, longer clubs and merely f1 strength would neg double.
With 4 hearts, longer clubs and more strength, she would bid clubs, then hearts --suit quality not particularly a factor.

Therefore Partner does not have 4 hearts and we are back to the suggested 2 3 3 5, which leads to a 3D bid now. 2NT would be a scramble, but this hand -- in light of the double, does not want to use it. Here, the 2NT scramble should be content to play 2NT if partner elects to pass it.

[gnasher]

I don't think partner has to bid 3♥ now with every 2425 game-force. It's reasonable to double, planning to bid 3♥ on the next round (which is, to me, obviously forcing).

That has two advantages: he can find out more about our hand, and it allows us to pass the double if that's what we want to do.

[whereagles]

If pard bids 2♣ with 4 side hearts, he'd better have in mind what to do if it comes round to him in 3 or 4♠.........

[jdonn]

Yes if partner is 3415 or 2425 he might start 2♣ then double on the next round. In fact with those shapes if I didn't start with double I would definitely double on the next round.

[MFA]

Passing is out of course. I don't want to play bridge like that.

It's 3♦ or 2NT is that's scrambling. I'm used to scrambling unless one has shown a strong hand already. Then I play 2NT as natural. For instance after doubling opps 1NT and then responding 2NT to partner's takeout double of 2X.