K98xxx Q 986 10xx

Partner opens a 15-17 NT. What's your plan?

SYLVIA

transfer and invite. Bidding game is too much.

CURT

I'll not try for game unless either 2 is doubled, or partner superaccepts simultaneously showing a doubleton in a minor. [Not an option. We were using the dreaded Walsh Relay without further methods. --J]

KENT

Transfer to 2. Looks like a non-problem. Will go to 4 opposite a superaccept.

MIKE

even vul, I don't think I want to stretch to game via Texas. It is close between transfering and bidding 3 and just transferring. I really would like to hear a superaccept, then I'd feel confident about it. For game to make, partner needs a good fit. Let's say  QTx xxxx AKJx AQ and game is still not cold (although I'd like to be there). I think it is probably best to just transfer and hope for a super, otherwise pass. Short matches you don't have to stretch to game just because its red... if it is -2 (possibly doubled) that is the match right there... and don't kid yourself, if partner shows up with  xx KJ9 AKT9x Kxx you might well get doubled at 3 (yes, I know it is 14 HCP, but we'd all open that hand 1NT) [Intelligent comment. I don't think we'll get doubled, because LHO will want to defend spades and he won't be able to doubled (partner'll run to NT) and RHO is under you. And, yes, I'd open that hand 1NT. I wouldn't accept game, though, even with the 2nd Curse of Scotland. --Jeff]

DAVID

I plan to transfer to 2 and if partner bids only 2, invite with 3.

ROLF

Transfer to and pass 2. I see no problem.

GRANT

My plan is to transfer and pass. My feeling is this hand is too unlikely to make game to even invite. A transfer and raise should show a bad weak two bid. I would not open this a weak two, especially vulnerable. Of course, I will accept if partner super accepts.

JEFF AT THE TABLE

Transfer and raise

CONSENSUS

None. transfer and raise: 3, transfer and stop: 4

JEFF UPON REFLECTION

Transfer and stop. This isn't as close to an invitation as I thought. Mike's point about vul games' not being as good odds in short matches as in long is an important point. I thought that my hand would K&R evaluate to about 7.8, but it's only 5.6. On the other hand, I figured that if the Q had been in spades, I would have simply bid game, but K&R calls that only 7.6. Something's wrong: the queen in my six-card suit has to be worth more than 2 points more than in my singleton.

WINNING ACTION

bid game. Partner had a perfect 15-count and game rolled. When my hand hit the table, I said, "I overbid a bit." "You're insane." "You'll make four anyway." +170.

 Jx AK10x AK9x Qxx

RHO	YOU	LHO	CHO
1	Dbl	4	Pass
Pass	?

SYLVIA

double.

CURT

Double again.

KENT

Pass. I have an ace more than I promised but uninteresting shape. Partner, with a presumed singleton or void in spades, took no action.

MIKE

I expect to beat 4 2 tricks, but double is dangerous. Partner might well have a stiff spade, in which case he isn't going to pass. [He'd better not bid with 1444 unless he has a good hand. Three-suiters play badly opposite three-suiters if the shortnesses are duplicated. --Jeff] I'm dubious about our chances at the 5-level (might need QJ onside - but will most likely be off 2 clubs and a spade) but we might make or they might make. I think I have to double, although deep down I think this is likely to convert +100 into -50. Maybe they'll bid 5. Good thing I was thinking about what I'd do over 4 when LHO was thinking. [Another good point. Who'd expect this auction though? Partner has shortness and probably values and didn't act. Better still...the slo-o-o-w double is perfect. Partner will be less likely to pull, thinking some probably erroneous ethics stuff. --Jeff]

DAVID

I am going to double again. If partner has a stiff spade (about 50/50) and KJxxx with at least one red J we could be making 5. or Jxxxx of a red suit and KT we could make 5 of the red suit. If partner has a doubleton spade he should probably pass.

ROLF

Pass. 4 XX = is 880, 4 -1 only 50.

GRANT

Double. If they make we lose 5 IMP's. If they go down, we will gain some number depending upon how much they go down and the result at the other table. If partner pulls, he is likely to be right, which is the primary consideration.

JEFF AT THE TABLE

Double. I had more information, though; I was playing against known overbidders. Partner knew that too; we'd already picked up +800 and +500.

CONSENSUS

double

WINNING ACTION

pass, sort of. Partner had a 1444 rotten hand and bid over the 2nd double. They were going down, but we went for a number. Bidding with that shape and a bad hand is silly in my opinion, but I could have prevented it. The pass probably only costs 2 IMPs. They rate to go down 1 as the cards lay (partner was very weak) although they could manage to go down two on some lines.

JEFF UPON REFLECTION

no clue. At matchpoints, doubling is clear. It'll gain much more often than it'll lose. Problem is, most of the gains are 50->100 and 100->300, which is 2 or 5 IMPs. The losses are -420->-880 and +50->-500, much bigger swings. This is the other side of the coin as the first problem: because it's a short match, the odds are better for the double. I can live with either choice, but the better my partner, the more likely I'd double.

After reading Grant's answer, I got to thinking: will it be necessary for me to double a second time to get partner to bid when it is right? I'm not sure. I still double. Most of the time, partner has nothing to think about and they are going down. Moreover, when he does bid, it's probably right.

 108xx K10 xxx 1098x

CHO	RHO	YOU	LHO
1NT	Pass	Pass	Dbl
Pass	Pass	?

1. No alerts. What do you do?
2. You get to change your mind. After your action, RHO wakes up and says, "oh, we play DONT. Dbl is a single-suited hand." Now what?

CURT

you are screwed, but my preference is to use methods to scramble.

MIKE

I would probably pass and make them defend unless I was playing with a client. This isn't such a bad hand for NT.

DAVID

I would probably RDBL relaying to 2, with intention of passing unless RHO doubles. That will give them plenty of room to balance in a red suit and take me off the hook. I will have time to make another decision if LHO then balances with a double of 2 and RHO passes.

ROLF

Pass. I don't see a good alternative.

GRANT

Pass. If the double is penalty, even though we are outgunned, the honor location will work in partner's favor, and running is a complete crapshoot.

JEFF AT THE TABLE

Pass. If everyone is balanced, I like that the values are sitting well for us. My spots'll work if we are playing without any long suits.

CURT

I would still scramble.

KENT

This looks grim. Pass. I have some spots, so let's declare 1N and hope for the best (which is probably -200 with imperfect defense!) [Yup. Or pretty much any defense. --Jeff]

MIKE

RHO is trying to job you. He has a balanced 15 count or somthing. You can't even rescue yourself by redoubling because LHO will think he is barred from pulling. Oh well. I pass. [She wasn't jobbing me. She just forgot her conventions. Again. We started the round with the director's explaining what happened when she forgot DONT last round. --Jeff]

DAVID

I would probably change my call to DIRECTOR PLEASE. I have a problem, because a RDBL of a DONT double says it is our hand, and I am not sure how to untangle this mess. [In the balancing chair? --Jeff]

ROLF

Pass. I don't see a good alternative.

GRANT

2. This is an entirely different kettle of fish. Now they have a tricksource, and the honor location is not going to be in partner's favor. I start with 2, in the hope LHO will bid his suit and let us off the hook, but if the doubling starts, and partner does not run somewhere, I will bid 2. It is a little tougher for the opponents to double us into game, even at matchpoints, unless they are looking right down our throat.

JEFF AT THE TABLE

2 (clubs and a higher). If LHO has a suit to run and RHO has values (thus the pass), I suspect they'll figure out to lead hearts by trick 3. Moreover, if hearts are over my honor, we are getting butchered in 1NTx, so passing is taking a zero. Forget that; I have to do something. There's more reason than normal to suspect that hearts is their suit: RHO is probably 4333 to pass after a DONT double---IF she knew what was going on. If she really forgot her methods, these inferences might not work. Did she forget her system or the alert? In practice, the latter.

CONSENSUS

none

WINNING ACTION

act. Partner has AQJxx (and forgot to redouble to show it) and they will not defend 2, but bid 2 + 3. 1NTx goes down.

JEFF UPON REFLECTION

I think I got this one right, not that it mattered. -140 wasn't a super score, either, and I didn't even manage to get that good a score. Phooey.

Honest, I didn't see Grant's answers before writing mine.

 Kxxx Ax Qxxx QJx

RHO	YOU	LHO	CHO
1	1NT*	Dbl	2*
2	Pass	4	4NT
Dbl	?

1NT showed a normal takeout double, but cannot be a huge hand; it cannot include strong jump overcalls or really monstrous other hands.

2 promised 5 and tended to deny four spades.

What is your call? What's your second choice?

SYLVIA

5. 2nd choice: pass

CURT

I think Pass is best here. Partner asked me to choose a minor. With equal length I'd always choose clubs (since we rate to be outgunned the 4-4 vs 5-4 fit argument doesnt apply, keeping control is more important), and with extra diamond length and equalish holdings I'd choose diamonds. So we are left with pass.

KENT

I'm confused. 2 sounds non-constructive, though not broke. Is partner something like 3046 or 2056? A pass describes my hand almost perfectly. I have my original call. With 4 clubs, I'd bid 5. The auction hasn't altered my values other than mildly upgrading the soft minor cards. My second choice is 5.

MIKE

5. My second choice is XX getting partner to pick. I have a definate preference for clubs, as partner is only interested in playing diamonds opposite a 5 card or longer suit (he is almost certainly 6-4 or 7-5... with 6-5 he would have bid some large number of NT last time). Tempting for my second choice to also be 5 though... it isn't particularly close.

DAVID

Finally, an easy one. I see three possible choices. PASS, 5, or 5. Partner obviously has the minors with longer clubs. I am not sure what is going on here, but I suspect that partner should have done something more aggressive the first time if he is bidding now. After all, If the double showed strength, his jump must be preemptive. If he had at least 6 clubs I would have expected to here at least a 3 bid from him. Since I have promised support with my generic takeout, and I think that it should be obvious that partner has longer clubs, I think pass should say that I do not have at least a 2 card difference in suit length between the minors and let partner decide, since he knows what his shape is (I would hope). Also, if my minors are equal, I would bid 5 myself.

So I guess PASS is my first choice and 5 ClImonds is my second.
[Yes, 3 would have been preemptive. --Jeff]

ROLF

Partner showed 4-6 in the minors. I bid 5: I see no reason why it could be better to play the 4-4 fit in . Actually there is no 2nd choice.

GRANT

Pass is the first choice. Partner wants me to pick between clubs and diamonds. If I held longer or equal clubs, I would bid 5. So partner will know my minor suit shape, and can guess what to do as well as I. Since our object is to escape for 3 down, and it appears we have to choose between a 44 and a 53 fit, we want to choose as trumps the suit with the strongest honor concentration. 5. This is tough, and at first I leaned towards 5, because of honor location. However, if partner has four bad diamonds, we are almost certain to go for 800 no matter what suit we play. So we have to assume partner's diamond holding is reasonable; otherwise, nothing matters. [Right you are! --Jeff]

JEFF AT THE TABLE

5. 2nd choice: pass.

CONSENSUS

none

JEFF UPON REFLECTION

Something screwy is going on. Partner didn't jump the bidding last time yet has enough to save. How can that be? I see only a couple of reasons: (1) He wants to be doubled and is walking the dog. (2) He's erred. (3) He wants to describe his hand well. I think (3) is impossible. Is he 7-5? 7-4s just play the 7-3 fit and bid their max the first time. 6-4? (4) He's afraid of an offshape double. This partner knows I don't do that.

The answer was (2) in practice, but that's irrelevant.

OK, what's the difference between pass and redouble?

I think the panel was split into two groups. Those who bid their hand just passed or bid 5, figuring that they had pretty much promised this. Those who tried to figure out what partner has went nuts.

WINNING ACTION

none. 5 or 5 is -800.