[geofspa]

Holding the following hand Should I prefer to support partner or make a negative double ?

Scoring: XIMP

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W N E S
- - - P
P 1♦1♠ ?

[temp3600]

I would start with X, so we don't lose the heart suit. I'll compete in diamonds next if I can.

[cnszsun]

Unless we have no chance to make game in major or minor fit is so great, finding major fit is always first priority. So, i will double here.

[pclayton]

Dbl. You'd have to weaken this considerably for me to bid 2♦.

[P_Marlowe]

Hi,

neg. X.

For all you know, you may not even have
a diamond fit.
Try to get more information, it may even be,
that partner passes and you play 1SX.

With kind regards
Marlowe

[HeartA]

double, of course.

[sceptic]

I would double as I am not sure we have a diamond fit, but 1 am 100% sure I have 4 hearts to show partner and I definately want to bid

[inquiry]

Double and correct clubs (if partner bids them) to diamonds.

[mikeh]

Just a thought: if partner were 1st or 2nd seat, double would be 100% clear, even tho we may be positioning ourselves poorly for the next round, assuming, as seems reasonable, that LHO raises. We are going to be under a lot of pressure after 3♠ P P back to us.

However, we are in 1st seat ourselves, so partner made a 3rd seat opening. As a matter of style, what are partner's tendencies in 3rd seat? Personally, I open 1♥ on many, many 4 card holdings. This suggests that it is less likely than perhaps all posters think that partner holds 4♥... and in turn increases the payoff from a ♦ raise: now partner, with say 3=1=5=4, knowing from the opp's 3♠ bid of our probable shortness, can compete, maybe even to game, if we raise ♦s but be stuck if we double.

So I think that the posters have so far been too dismissive of the raise.

Having said that, I am planning on bidding 4♦ over a preemptive 3♠ if need be, so that is enough to get me to double.

[pclayton]

mikeh, on Dec 22 2006, 08:41 AM, said:

Just a thought: if partner were 1st or 2nd seat, double would be 100% clear, even tho we may be positioning ourselves poorly for the next round, assuming, as seems reasonable, that LHO raises. We are going to be under a lot of pressure after 3♠ P P back to us.

However, we are in 1st seat ourselves, so partner made a 3rd seat opening. As a matter of style, what are partner's tendencies in 3rd seat? Personally, I open 1♥ on many, many 4 card holdings. This suggests that it is less likely than perhaps all posters think that partner holds 4♥... and in turn increases the payoff from a ♦ raise: now partner, with say 3=1=5=4, knowing from the opp's 3♠ bid of our probable shortness, can compete, maybe even to game, if we raise ♦s but be stuck if we double.

So I think that the posters have so far been too dismissive of the raise.

Having said that, I am planning on bidding 4♦ over a preemptive 3♠ if need be, so that is enough to get me to double.

Good point, but speaking from a person that opens 3rd seat 4cM's A LOT, there is nothing about my hand that precludes pard having 4 hearts.

This is a style issue, but if I open a 4 card major, it isn't to make noise, but rather for the lead. Holding ♥KQ98 tells me pard can easily hold ♥Axxx, ♥Jxxx or worse and not open the major.

Further, I tend not to open a 4 card major with a full opener, although I stretch this to a lot of 13's myself.

[neilkaz]

NegX and correct ♣ to ♦ should show about what we have.

[jdeegan]

Another vote for double. This seems obvious to me. You show your entire hand with one bid. If pard responds in clubs (which might be a 3-bagger), I will revert to diamonds with the guaranteed eight card fit.

[whereagles]

Jlall, on Dec 22 2006, 05:06 PM, said:

I am a believer in the school that thinks if you open a 4 card major in third seat you should have a minimum or subminimum hand. With a hand that could want to play in game I will open my normal bid.

hum... yeah, that's usually a sound policy.