[Fluffy]

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[eagles123]

X

[Lord Molyb]

X I think

[neilkaz]

I have two aces and two kings and 4♠ and an easy balancing X.

[whereagles]

I'm quite tempted to bid 2♠ on grounds that pard may be too weak to act (he's short on hearts, yet he passed).

If I dbl and pard signs off in 3♣ (direct or via Leb), I'm not gonna be too happy...

So 2♠ it is. If I'm right in that pard is weak, he won't go berserk over this.

[silvr bull]

whereagles, on 2014-March-31, 14:18, said:

I'm quite tempted to bid 2♠ on grounds that pard may be too weak to act (he's short on hearts, yet he passed).

If I dbl and pard signs off in 3♣ (direct or via Leb), I'm not gonna be too happy...

So 2♠ it is. If I'm right in that pard is weak, he won't go berserk over this.

When I reason like this, partner will decide that I must be short in ♥s, but I didn't reopen with a double, so my ♠ suit is likely 6 long, and his Qxx Jxx AQxxx Kx is too good for a raise to only 3♠, so 4♠ he will say. Did I mention the 5-1 ♠ break?

I will try double to reopen, and prepare to defend that call in the following ATB inquest.

[PhilKing]

I would double. This is partly because I don't play lebenshohl after a balancing double, so partner can bid a natural 2NT over it, meaning I am unlikely to stew in a 4-2 fit.

Look at it this way - when we have a takeout double (usually with 2 or fewer hearts) and there has been no raise, what kind of hand do we expect partner to have? One of his most likely hand types is a fairly balanced hand with about 9 or 10 points and something in their suit, yet most of us blithely continue to treat this as a lebensohl position.

I did a quick trawl through my database for this sequence, and I don't really have time to conduct and present a full analysis, but this hand caught my eye for obvious reasons (Brink/Drijver N/S Mihov/Karakolev E/W):

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3♦ made in some comfort, but you have to concede that this was a lucky outcome for E/W.

[Cyberyeti]

PhilKing, on 2014-April-01, 06:51, said:

I would double. This is partly because I don't play lebenshohl after a balancing double, so partner can bid a natural 2NT over it, meaning I am unlikely to stew in a 4-2 fit.

Look at it this way - when we have a takeout double (usually with 2 or fewer hearts) and there has been no raise, what kind of hand do we expect partner to have? One of his most likely hand types is a fairly balanced hand with about 9 or 10 points and something in their suit, yet most of us blithely continue to treat this as a lebensohl position.

I did a quick trawl through my database for this sequence, and I don't really have time to conduct and present a full analysis, but this hand caught my eye for obious reasons (Brink/Drijver N/S Mihov/Karakolev E/W):

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3♦ made in some comfort, but you have to concede that this was a lucky outcome for E/W.

I presume N actually opened 2♥.

Not sure what this hand proves, even with N having a hand with lots of extra shape/offence I think 2♥ can be beaten, much of the time you'll get 200 by just passing it out.

[PhilKing]

Cyberyeti, on 2014-April-01, 07:48, said:

I presume N actually opened 2♥.

Not sure what this hand proves.

I don't understand your point - were you expecting a solution to bridge?

[whereagles]

silvr bull, on 2014-April-01, 02:24, said:

Did I mention the 5-1 ♠ break?

I like 5-1 breaks in dbled contracts. Gives me a chance to come up with some fireworks for the local monthly newsletter

[dboxley]

This is a tossup. I would want to know who I am playing against, did rho hesitate? If he passed in tempo is he good (or does he appear good, you can usually tell)?

[Fluffy]

On this hand pass was a big loser, partner has 6 diamonds and although opponents are cold for 4♥, nobody bid them. All other pairs played in some number of diamonds making 10 tricks, and even those on 5♦-1 beat 2♥ making.

[whereagles]

why did pard kept quiet over 2♠.. he seems to have like 10-11 hcp and a 6 carder. That not enough in spain?

[MrAce]

whereagles, on 2014-April-04, 06:39, said:

why did pard kept quiet over 2♠.. he seems to have like 10-11 hcp and a 6 carder. That not enough in spain?

How did you come up with pd holding 10-11 hcp ?

[whereagles]

Well, you go only 1 down in 5♦. But ok, maybe 10-11 is overdoing it. 8-9 is probably par.