[wanoff]

After (1H) - 1S - (2NT)* how should a double be played ?

a.)Minors
b.)Spades but not enough for 3
c.)Something else

* 2NT=4cd limit raise or better

[wank]

minors for me

[Fluffy]

IMO best is to ask for a spade lead, it will be very frequent at least.

[gszes]

the opps have a 9+ card heart fit and with inv+ no guarantee they have game. That means the hand could still belong to us and we need to find the right strain. x showing the minors gives us best opportunity to still win the bidding. I can see why some might prefer x to ask for a spade lead to win the defense but I remain unconvinced we need to worry about tactics when strategically it is sounder to fight for the board in the bidding.

[wanoff]

Thanks for your replies.
It's not really relevant but my actual hand was Kxx xxx Kxxx Jxx and with no agreement, doubled anyway.

The funny thing was, if you do take the 'save' there were 2 restricted choice positions on the same hand.

EW play 4cM and strong nt

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[Caitlynne]

Something else.

I would play this as a cue bid Double - a good THREE card raise to 3S, either better than 3S immediately but not good enough to bid 4S OR too good to bid just 4S. Now a 3H bid can be used to show 4+ card spade support. Notice that the cue bid Double keeps 3NT in the picture too just in case partner has good and very long spades and a heart stopper!

The idea of playing the Double as a weak spade raise is misguided. With marginal 3S raise, just bid 3S. Why Double and allow them to work out whether to bid on or defend for penalties? When weak, preempt and make them guess.

Equally misguided is to play Double as responsive for the unbid (minor) suits. They are outbidding you at 3H and usually have at least half the HCP in the deck. How useful can that be to be fishing around for a 4C or 4D part-score contract?

[Cyberyeti]

Caitlynne, on 2016-March-14, 07:10, said:

Equally misguided is to play Double as responsive for the unbid (minor) suits. They are outbidding you at 3H and usually have at least half the HCP in the deck. How useful can that be to be fishing around for a 4C or 4D part-score contract?

So what do you want me to do with my (12)55 hand, pick a minor and find partner has 4 or 5 of the other with either a save or a double game swing on ?

(We Michaels weak/strong so intermediate 5-5s will just overcall)

[Fluffy]

Caitlynne, on 2016-March-14, 07:10, said:

Something else.

I would play this as a cue bid Double - a good THREE card raise to 3S, either better than 3S immediately but not good enough to bid 4S OR too good to bid just 4S. Now a 3H bid can be used to show 4+ card spade support. Notice that the cue bid Double keeps 3NT in the picture too just in case partner has good and very long spades and a heart stopper!

The idea of playing the Double as a weak spade raise is misguided. With marginal 3S raise, just bid 3S. Why Double and allow them to work out whether to bid on or defend for penalties? When weak, preempt and make them guess.

Equally misguided is to play Double as responsive for the unbid (minor) suits. They are outbidding you at 3H and usually have at least half the HCP in the deck. How useful can that be to be fishing around for a 4C or 4D part-score contract?

What is the point of double showing the same hand as 3♥?

[WesleyC]

The most valuable use of this double is to show both minors. Using double to show minors is also consistent with all the other similar auctions.

Given that you already have a multitude of different spade raises (3H, 3S, 4S plus an array of Splinters/FSJ depending on methods) but NO other way to show a shapely hand with both minors makes this a WTP for me.

[SteveMoe]

This is a responsive double, just as if the auction went 1♥ - 1♠ - 2♥.