[plaur]

Playing modern standard negative doubles this sequence happens frequently:

1x (2y) pass pass and its openers turn again.

Beginner/intermediate articles explains and gives many example hands where opener doubles with shortness in the overcalled suit and passes with length/strength in the overcalled suit.

However I cant find much material on what bid to choose when opener has more distribution/strength.

When do you:
Rebid own suit
Bid a new suit
Double and plan to take another bid after partners non-pass

Does any know of articles this discuss this in depth?

[Tramticket]

One test that I tend to use is to imagine that you are playing penalty double and the auction has started 1X, (2Y), Dbl, (Pass). If you have the type of hand that is too distributional to sit for partner's penalty double then in that scenario, you should not be making a re-opening double. So for example, you may have opened on a 10-count based on 5-5 in the majors and the auction starts 1♠, (2♦), Pass, (Pass). This is the type of auction where you should bid your second suit rather than doubling. You probably have plenty of playing strength, but little defence against diamonds.

But for most balanced / semi-balanced hands of normal opening strength you should normally re-open with a double. As you have already noted, a reason to not re-open with a double is that you hold length / strength in the opponent's suit. Very occasionally you will have their suit and be strong enough to re-open with 2NT - you are probably just a little bit short of an initial 2NT opening - but this is a rare action as it often plays poorly with opposing values sitting over you.

[ggwhiz]

I seem to remember that Mike Lawrence has some really good stuff on this topic including the idea that 3-card length in the overcallers suit is the "death holding" and reason for caution.

It's been too long to remember for sure but Balancing and Competitive Bidding are the likely books to address this topic. In general I consider these to be relatively timeless classics such that I leant them out and they never returned.

[FelicityR]

Given that partner can't come into the auction with either a negative double or a free bid (5+ cards in bid suit 8-11 hcps typically) at the 2 level, or occasionally at the 3 level if the opponents have called 2♠, I would

a) pass with no extra values and no extra shape.
b) re-open with a balancing double with a three-suited hand and shortness in theirs with a minimum if partner can still respond at the 2 level.
c) re-open with a balancing double with a three-suited hand and shortness in theirs with more than a minimum if partner has to bid at the three level - that is if the opponents have overcalled 2♠.
d) rebid my suit at the 2 level with a 6 card suit and slightly extra values
e) bid a new suit with a minimum hand and shape (5-5 at least) at the two level.
f) bid a new suit with more than a minimum hand and shape (5-5 at least) at the three level.

etc., etc., etc. As everyone should know, distribution matters more than high card points, but what matters here is the vulnerability too.

Yes, I agree it is a difficult situation to judge and as I haven't got Mike Lawrence's book to hand, I can only go on what my previous club partner and myself discussed. Obviously, weak two pre-emptive overcalls by the opponents are there to make life difficult, let alone genuine overcalls. You've just got to deal with it as best you can at the table, and yes, it sometimes goes horribly wrong.

[Phil]

A lot of the decision comes dpwn to:

1. Do I have extra strength in case partner gives me the wrong answer if I dounle?

2. Do I have enough to compete in a new suit or bid a new one?

3. Is my hand so good that I cannot afford to defend because I might miss a game?

[pescetom]

plaur, on 2018-June-20, 08:16, said:

Does any know of articles this discuss this in depth?

Pages 107-117 of "The Contested Auction" by Roy Hughes are deep and up to date.

[pescetom]

plaur, on 2018-June-20, 08:16, said:

Does any know of articles this discuss this in depth?

Pages 107-117 of "The Contested Auction" by Roy Hughes are deep and take account of modern negative doubles.

[helene_t]

With a 5-card suit that can be bid at the 2-level, or with 6-5, you bid a new suit. Also with 4-6 if your values are concentrated in the long suits, especially if you have few quick tricks (KQJx-KQJxxx is ideal), but this would show significant extra values.

With a 7-card suit you bid it again. Also with a very strong 6-card suit.

With a doubleton in opps' suit you can pass if you are minimum, especially if the doubleton contains an honour.

With three cards in opps' suit you normally pass unless you have 18+ points.