[AL78]

5CM, strong NT, MPs

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This is a problem situation my partner was in. Your call?

[mycroft]

Very strongly depends on what opener's double means - because whatever it means, he doesn't have that.

In my strong NT system, where support doubles stop at 2 of responder's suit, and the double would be "do something intelligent", i.e. "cards" I'm assuming partner has the weak NT-ish hand. He could have the long diamond hand; he could have the 16-ish with a stiff heart and concern that your response is on a 6-count; there are a lot of hands here, which is why they do this.

I don't think, in a 5cM system, that 4♣ is "longer hearts"; in fact, I'd expect it to be the suits reversed, assuming you're not going to GF that hand. So I'm bidding 4♥ and paying off when it's wrong.

If double is "do something intelligent", I might try that, because of the tricks in clubs; but I'd expect partner to play me for ♥KJT83 ♦J74 instead.

[mikeh]

It’s close between double and 4H. The suit texture is ok for 4H, as is the overall strength….we rate to have a play for game and slam is unlikely unless partner likes his hand…he could still have a fairly good hand but be unable to bid over 3S since we’ve not shown anything beyond a one level response

We could belong in clubs, but I’m not bidding them since doing so basically denies a heart suit such as the one I have.

I’d go with double. It preserves the most options, ranging from 3N (picture AJx Qx Kxxx Kxxx) to a number v 3S (picture AQx x AKxxx Kxxx) to 4H (picture Kxx Qxx AQxxx Kx) to a club contract (picture Axx x AKxxx KJxx). If he bids 4D, you bid 4H.

He shouldn’t bid 3N with only one stopper unless he has say AKQxxx in diamonds as a likely trick source. He shouldn’t sit for the double without good spades in context and short hearts.

In the old days this double would have been considered penalty, but those days are long gone in advanced to expert bridge. As people started interfering more, good players realized that they were being deprived of bidding space…using these doubles as ‘cards’ rather than penalty greatly improves the chances of getting to a good spot. Obviously success is not guaranteed…that’s why people preempt!

If you did have the very rare penalty double hand here… say you were 4=5=1=3 with good spades…you just have to bid 3N, if you have sufficient values. Otherwise you pass and take your 50 a trick.

[AL78]

This was my hand:

♠KJT3
♥A4
♦AKT73
♣82

Partner passed and we ended up defending 3♠ and took +250, which was a bad score when 4♥ is an easy make our way thanks to ♥Qxx onside and the club finesse also working. RHO had six spades headed by the AQ.

[mikeh]

AL78, on 2022-May-27, 12:02, said:

This was my hand:

♠KJT3
♥A4
♦AKT73
♣82

Partner passed and we ended up defending 3♠ and took +250, which was a bad score when 4♥ is an easy make our way thanks to ♥Qxx onside and the club finesse also working. RHO had six spades headed by the AQ.

Double would have worked rather well, I suspect. KJ10x might lose a trick to an endplay but I’d expect to be able to avoid that. AK of diamonds the three rounds of hearts, cross in clubs (if the king is onside, even better, then a spade through. 1100.

[AL78]

mikeh, on 2022-May-27, 12:15, said:

Double would have worked rather well, I suspect. KJ10x might lose a trick to an endplay but I’d expect to be able to avoid that. AK of diamonds the three rounds of hearts, cross in clubs (if the king is onside, even better, then a spade through. 1100.

I led the ♦A and QJxxx came down in the dummy, all following, so switched to ace and another heart. On the third round declarer ruffed with the two so I overruffed with the three. I switched to a club and we got a couple of club tricks. Can't remember what happened after that but we ended up with nine tricks in total.

[mycroft]

Well, I admit I didn't play partner for a strong NT...double works nicely.