[vodkagirl]

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Partner is a random and we are playing 2/1. In short, he transfers and RHO makes a lead directing double. I pass in order to penalize. Is this a good or bad idea?

I am not enamored of the transfer as with only two ♠s in my hand we most likely have a 5-2 fit. We have been doubled into game so if partner has game values it seems we are were we should be.

Should my Partner recognize this pass as a penalty pass?

[mycroft]

As North, I would have passed the double, and expected partner to understand I have exactly two spades. What he decided to do after that (including pass to make, but I doubt it :-) is his issue. If he bids spades anyway, I expect it to be right. If he redoubles, I expect that to be "partner, I said bid 2♠; please do so."

[steve2005]

for me pass just says 2♠ not so thrilled about ♠

if you want to show ♥ redouble, partner will take you for 4 unless you have a prior agreement that it shows 5

[aguahombre]

We choose Redouble to strongly suggest playing right there. Accepting the transfer, for us, is merely a "go-ahead" bid...either 3+trump support or it is o.k. for partner to go ahead with whatever she had planned ---such as a NT invite or a NT game. So, PASS of the Doubled Xfer denies 3 of responder's suit AND denies a stopper in the Doubled suit.

[the hog]

I would have xx. As you have AK of H, this looks like another one of those really awful doubles. If pd is really weak, she can always correct to 2S.

[Vampyr]

Partner will have inferred from your pass that it denies 3 cards in his suit but in normal methods says nothing about the transfer suit. Partner is unlikely to choose to leave it in unless you have made a special and rather unusual agreement about this sequence.

Redouble to suggest playing there is a very reasonable agreement; we will do this over a 2NT opening but over 1NT we have decided that it is more practical to XX to indicate a willingness to compete to the 3-level. Who knows, but in any case, most people will not make a lead-directing double without length, so it is worth taking this into account when devising your methods.

Note: When reading my comments, please take into account that I am not overly familiar with the strong NT. My preferred methods may be less useful in that context.

[nige1]

vodkagirl, on 2014-March-19, 13:30, said:

Partner is a random and we are playing 2/1. In short, he transfers and RHO makes a lead directing double. I pass in order to penalize. Is this a good or bad idea?
I am not enamored of the transfer as with only two ♠s in my hand we most likely have a 5-2 fit. We have been doubled into game so if partner has game values it seems we are were we should be.
Should my Partner recognize this pass as a penalty pass?

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I agree with vodkagirl that opener's pass should indicate a doubleton ♠ and willingness to play in 2♥X. Redouble should show other hands with a doubleton ♠, and 2♠ should show 3♠. Without agreement, however, theHog's interpretation is normal. It seems, however, to give responder a hard decision, when he holds, say

♠ J x x x x ♥ x x x ♦ x x ♣ x x x,

Here, he would be happy to play 2♥X opposite vodkagirl's hand but when opener redoubles, to show that hand, poor responder must decide between toughing it in 2♥XX or chickening out into 2♠ or 3♥, which are also likely to be doubled. (Notice that responder can always redouble himself with say

♠ A x x x x ♥ J x ♦ K x x ♣ Q x x )

[vodkagirl]

Many thanks for the replies.

From what has been posted the following schema is what I intend to use:

Completion of transfer, showing 3 in the suit to be transferred to
XX showing willingness to play in doubled suit showing 4/5 cards in it
Pass denying 3 in the suit to be transferred to (here ♠s)

This is what partner had:

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What should he have bid in the hand as played?

What should he bid in response to the schema I have put in this post?

[helene_t]

After you redouble I would bid 4♠. Maybe 3♠ is enough. Don't try to get the contract in opener's hand - on a heart lead it is better to have the opp with the heart suit on lead.