Posted 2015-June-30, 13:25
The answer to the 1st question seems easy to me, maybe because I lack imagination.
PENALTY.
I have a meta-rule, which I think is both reasonable and easy to play: after one of us shows opening values, all doubles of their natural notrump bids are penalty.
However, easy tho that seems (to me), the 2nd round actions for East are far from clear.
I would take double as extra values, no clear direction. Certainly not penalty, since we can hardly have a trump stack having made a takeout double and having everyone at the table announce values. Partner is encouraged to take this out, since prototypically one has a 1=4=4=4 14+ hand. However, partner may well hold a chunky spade suit for the double of 1N. QJ108x Kx xxx Axx looks like a double of 1N to me and an easy pass of 2♠ doubled.
Given that I think that double shows extras, I think I am compelled to argue that pass is nf.
3♣ would be natural and shows extras and I would think it ought to be forcing one round, else we have serious problems when East has a 'real' double then clubs.
Thanks for the post, Gonzalo. I have no idea what mainstream thinking is here, and I don't remember ever seeing this auction, tho I can't imagine it hasn't come up before.
'one of the great markers of the advance of human kindness is the howls you will hear from the Men of God' Johann Hari