[arepo24]

My response to R hand opponent's opening of 1 in a suit: With 16 high card points and an evenly 4-3-3-3 distributed hand, do I Double or bid 1 NT?
Thank you for your input.

[DavidKok]

The information you have given is not sufficient to determine the answer. Some partnerships require at least 1/1.5/2 stoppers in opps suit before bidding 1NT, or give strong preference to overcalling a major if you hold a balanced hand with a major five-card suit. When holding length in their suit is can even be better to pass - double promises some support for all unbid suits, and if you are holding some mediocre doubleton in an outside suit double can often be a poor call.

[paulg]

Bridge can be a frustrating game to learn because there are thousands of contradictory rules available which stronger players use to tell beginners that they made the wrong choice on a hand. Beginners, in any field, like firm direction and it can be very difficult in bridge to give it.

Deciding whether to double or overcall one no trump is a decision that creates debate and, unfortunately, there is no strong guidance. In the couple of seconds that you get to make the decision, you need to weigh up the positives and negatives of each option.

Overcalling one no trump is a good way of expressing the strength of your hand and its balanced nature. If you have a good stop in the opponent's suit and (relative) shortage in one major, then it is probably the better option.

Doubling will get your partner focused on his major holdings but it may then be more difficult to express your strength. If you have a poor stop in the opponent's suit, such as Ax or Kx, and are at least 4-3 in the majors (or four cards in the unbid major) then doubling is probably best.

Between these extremes are the other 80% of hands where it is tougher to make a decision. When considering doubling, what will you do if partner responds in your shortest suit? Is your hand control rich (aces/kings) which typically play better in suit contracts (consider double) or are there intermediates (queens, jacks, tens) which suit no trump?

Luckily most of the time it will not matter and, if in doubt, I find that overcalling one no trump provides partner with more solid information and easier continuations.

[TylerE]

You mention two options.

I will mention a 3rd: PASS

With no particular offense strength it is often better to see just how far they will go to hang themselves.

I will go even farther and say I do not find SNT overcalls particularly useful, and in fact in my main partnership do not play them - instead of we play 1NT as a 3 suited takeout, which can be as weak as 6 or 7 HCP since we don't have to worry about partner passing it. All strong balanced hands start with an X.

[mycroft]

I agree with almost everything said here (*), definitely including "there's no one answer, it depends on the hand". To be clear, however:

• Another thread is discussing whether we should have doubled 1NT with an "aces-and-spaces" 16 count. The comments there (although it's a different-ish auction, and the thread has drifted) are certainly things to think about here.
  
• 1♦-1NT-X is Not What You Want to Hear, especially with the squarest hand. You're playing this one out of your hand, you have no tricks to set up, and RHO is getting in to either run his suit or lead through you into partner's strength. Sure, it doesn't happen often, but it's brutal when it does.
  
• 4333 takeout doubles are awful. Sure you have extra strength to compensate, but again that reduces the cards partner could have.
  
• 1♥-1NT on thin stoppers is more dangerous than 1♣-1NT on thin stoppers. In most of the world, 1M guarantees at least 5 cards, 1m could certainly have it, but it's not a guarantee. 1x-1NT on serious stoppers is fine, but that reduces the high cards you have to develop your tricks.
  
• similarly, doubling on xxx in opener's suit means that while you have no wasted values, you also have a bunch of losers (or partner's trump suit will get forced).

There are hands you should double on (but you don't really want to), there are hands you should bid 1NT on (which could be very dangerous), and there are hands you should pass (not dangerous at all, also, not adventurous at all, and likely not the room's choice). On every hand, there will be a right answer, and it could be any of the three. Frankly, it all depends on the other three hands, and you don't get to see them until it's too late.

(*)Even playing NT O/C for T/O and Power X myself, it's not a good recommendation for people who are still asking the question in the OP. Certainly it's an argument for "not all 15-18 flat with stoppers should be bidding 1NT" (in fact that was explicitly the argument for Raptor 1NT O/C (which I also played for many years)), but only that.

[shaky44]

The responses here have all been good and you have a lot of useful information. I only have a few things that I would add, mostly in way of summarizing.

Double: Doubling a major suit opening with 4 cards in the other major and 16 points is pretty descriptive and I will usually lean toward this action. Doubling a minor with 3-3 in the majors is asking for trouble. If partner has passed, I might double a minor if I am 4-3 (or 3-4) in the majors and then pass anything partner does short of a cue bid or jump.

1NT: 1NT overcall can be pretty descriptive with a stopper in the suit bid. As stated above, you definitely don't want a double from LHO, but it's also possible partner has 10 points and you can make a game. Most people play systems are "on" over a 1NT overcall, so it can be a good way to find a 5-3 fit in a major via a transfer.

Pass: I'll bet I pass most often in this situation just because I don't have a "real" stopper (Qxx is not a stopper, especially over a major suit opening) and I'm going to get a chance to bid again 95% of the time.

If I were to give any advice, it would be: don't be afraid to pass over an opponent's opening bid.

[Huibertus]

That IMHO would depend. With a stop, 1NT. Without, if your high cards are mostly suitable for NT (QJT's K more or less neutral), pass, If your HCP is mostly suitable to play suits, depends on partnership agreement, are three card majors fine for a double or not... If so, double, your extra HCP is compensation to play a part score in a suit in a 4/3 fit and partner will not jump to 4M on a 4 card but use a cue to find out more, if not, pass.

[bluenikki]

 arepo24, on 2020-August-25, 02:27, said:

My response to R hand opponent's opening of 1 in a suit: With 16 high card points and an evenly 4-3-3-3 distributed hand, do I Double or bid 1 NT?
Thank you for your input.

It is counter-intuitive, but the only study I've seen of actual (world-championship) deals showed that doubling with 4333 hands was a clear winner. With any strength justifying an intervention.

But be prepared to pass smoothly if partner makes a simple suit advance in one of your 3-cards.

(If partner makes a simple suit advance with 9+ hcp, this will be a good lesson.)

[PhilG007]

 arepo24, on 2020-August-25, 02:27, said:

My response to R hand opponent's opening of 1 in a suit: With 16 high card points and an evenly 4-3-3-3 distributed hand, do I Double or bid 1 NT?
Thank you for your input.

Speaking personally I would pass this hand and await developments LHO hasn't spoken yet and could be waiting
to pounce. Yes you have 16 points but in second seat you need a double stop in the enemy suit to overcall 1NT
You need a shortage in the opponent suit to double for takeout a maximum of two cards.
Any action you take on this hand is full of risk. Hang fire and play a waiting game.

[miamijd]

It all depends on the opening bid and your hand.

You should lean heavily toward 1NT if the opening bid is in a minor suit. It conveys your hand very accurately in one bid. Sure, LHO could X, but that will be pretty rare, and even if he does, partner might have a long suit to run out to safely.

If the opening bid is in a major suit, then:

(A) A decent holding in the opponent's suit favors 1NT (KTx, for example - maybe partner will produce the J); something like Axx favors X.

(B) Possession of Secondary honors in the opponents' suit favors 1NT

© Four cards in the other major favors X: 3 favors 1NT.

[doccdl]

Well .It all depends upon the partnership understanding.All other points have already been presented in a lucid manner .