[mr1303]

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RHO is a known idiot (hence the redouble). If you ask what the double means you are told no agreement.

LHO leads the J of spades. You duck (agree?) and LHO continues with the 10 of spades. How do you play?

[Phil]

RHO's x can be two hand types IMO. One is penalty oriented around diamonds, and the other is takeout of diamonds that couldn't double initially.

Spades appear to be ♠JTx / ♠Qxxx so I'll go with option 2. LHO was over a barrel with a 3352 and passed out of terror. If RHO had all of the outstanding goodies (i.e., Qxxx AJxx x KQxx (except the ♦Q)), he'd make a TOx initially, so I'm inclined to put the ♦Q + ♠J + a club honor in LHO.

I can play this a few ways, but 8 tricks look certain after a club to the J if my read is correct.

[kenberg]

I know we have been told that rho is a known idiot but just on general principles I assume, regardless of evidence, that my opponents are neither geniuses nor idiots. I cannot really imagine this double as being mostly for take out. I have never had the auction, I can well believe that they have not discussed this option, but E has to consider West's problem. Surely West would think "Surely East cannot support all of my three possible suits. If I come in now I could be playing in a 4-3 fit at the three level with fewer than half the highs, why would he want me to do this?". If West, unless he has a clear pull, will generally pass and hope to beat it, then East must have diamonds.

I am going to put my faith in clubs. Maybe they are 3-3, maybe there is a doubleton 9. I plan to lose two spades, one heart, two clubs. I plan to take two spades, one heart two diamonds, three clubs.

Win the first spade, club to the Ace, Jack of clubs. If a spade comes back I take it and lead another club (I think one opponent has a heart entry, the other a club entry, so if spades are 5-2 that's just too bad).

If clubs behave, I think I make this. If not, well, then score it up their way.


I have great respect for Phil's experience and powers of analysis but I swear I have never seen this auction at all and cannot imagine it as a delayed take out. Some play it this way?

[Zelandakh]

I find it hard to believe anyone, even "a known idiot", would pull out an undiscussed takeout double here. More than that, if West had indeed "passed out of terror" then they must have suspected this meaning and given MI. That seems to be 2 strikes against Phil's analysis, as good as it usually is. Could you post East's hand please mr1303.

[Phil]

 Zelandakh, on 2013-February-08, 04:41, said:

I find it hard to believe anyone, even "a known idiot", would pull out an undiscussed takeout double here. More than that, if West had indeed "passed out of terror" then they must have suspected this meaning and given MI. That seems to be 2 strikes against Phil's analysis, as good as it usually is. Could you post East's hand please mr1303.

Are you suggesting that the double is based on strong diamonds?

This seems reasonable, and maybe even likely, but I don't think it affects the general approach to the hand of playing a club up.

Qxxx Ax QT9xx Kx?

[Zelandakh]

 Phil, on 2013-February-08, 09:24, said:

Are you suggesting that the double is based on strong diamonds?

This seems reasonable, and maybe even likely, but I don't think it affects the general approach to the hand of playing a club up.

Qxxx Ax QT9xx Kx?

I was not suggesting anything, only that I can see flaws in the takeout analysis and would like to see the actual hand. Heck, perhaps East just has a balanced 14 count and was trying to swing. As you say it hardly matters here in practise. Perhaps there is room to discuss whether to play the jack or ace on the first round. That might matter if the defence is better than the bidding.

[nige1]

mr1303 writes "RHO is a known idiot (hence the redouble). If you ask what the double means you are told no agreement. LHO leads the J of spades. You duck (agree?) and LHO continues with the 10 of spades. How do you play?"


Agree with Phil that East is likely to hold something like
♠ Qxxx ♥ Ax ♦ QT9xx ♣ Kx. or perhaps
♠ Qxxx ♥ AJx ♦ QT9xx ♣ Q
I guess to win the second ♠, cash ♣A and lead another ♣. Hoping to make 2 x ♠, 1 X ♥, 2 X ♦, and 3 X ♣. If ♣ disappoint, it may be possible to end-play East.

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