[DWM]

Scoring: MP

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After RHO opens 1C (ACOL) what is your bid?

If you start with a double it comes back to you via 1S by P, how do you continue.

When we stumbled through this last night we could not work out what all the following bidding meant.

(1C) - 1NT = 15-18 bal
(1C) - X - 1S - 1NT = 18-19 bal

What do

(1C) - 3NT
(1C) - X - 1S - 2NT
(1C) - X - 1S - 2C
(1C) - X - 1S - 2C - 2D - 2/3NT
(1C) - X - 1S - 3NT

mean?

Thinking (1C) - X - 1S - 3NT is some sort of strong balanced do you convert to 4S with

KJT974
52
9865
8

[firmit]

My first reaction was to dbl followed by 2♣ if 1♠ from partner, asking for more information - expecting him NOT to jump to some game, but bid carefully and slowly

However, I am considering 1♥ knowing perfectly well partner would expect 5+. I got a rebid problem after X-1♠. I got the club length, so if partner bids 1♠ after my 1♥ which is semi-forcing in my book - we might have something. Maybe I'm off...

[gwnn]

I'd follow the plan of x->1NT after spade response and jump rather high on hearing a red suit.

[P_Marlowe]

Hi,

I may pass, but I dont think dbl is
bad. If I double, than I intend to
bid 1 NT over partners 1S, showing
18-19, more or less what I have.
=> the jump to 3NT does not exist.

With kind regards
Marlowe

[mikeh]

sorry to rain on the parade of doublers, but I'd rather quit bridge than make a takeout double on this hand.

You dodged an enormous bullet (temporarily) when partner bid a quiet 1♠, but, as the OP found out, the partnership was hopelessly lost anyway.

Rule: never, ever, ever, ever make a takoeout double with a void in an unbid major unless you KNOW that you can control the auction after ANYONE bids that major at ANY level.

I really think that I didn't make that rule as strong as it should be

Here, I'd bid 1♥. There is no rule against holding a good hand for a simple overcall. I know that there are some who say that there should be an upper point count limit for overcalls... but there are extremely few (if any) good players who say that that level is 17.

As an aside, I wouldn't dream of 1N. Partner, with 6♠s, will not and should not cater to this... nor, should LHO bid ♠s, will partner hold off from a clear penalty double on the offchance that you have 0=4=4=5 shape!

[FrancesHinden]

mike got in there while I was typing

I wouldn't dream of doubling on this hand. Actually, I'd pass 1C. While I'm aware that is a minority position I believe I would not be alone. I am left with pass because of it's the only action that doesn't completely distort my hand:
- Double is unthinkable on this shape, as is any number of NT
- I don't like overcalling a 4-card major on a good hand. I very rarely overcall in a 4-card suit, but when I do it's on a weak hand with a good suit; here we have a good hand with an OK suit.

I think it is unlikely that if we pass, and it ends the auction, we will get a dreadful result.
If LHO or RHO bids (and/or raises) spades, I can make a take-out double next round, secure in the knowledge I have shown a long clubs. Similarly if partner bids spades and I start doing a lot of bidding, he'll know my hand type (although he may be surprised at how many HCP I have).

If all the pass cards are removed from my bidding box for this round, I also overcall 1H.

All of that said, to answer the direct questions:

(1C) - 3NT
shows a hand that wants to play in 3NT, whatever partner has. This auction is extremely rare, and usually has a running minor and 9 tricks - running clubs is the most likely hand, because there is no other way of showing that, but diamonds is possible. If they've opened 1 major it might be stronger balanced but is bound to have length in RHO's major.
(1C) - X - 1S - 2NT
About 21-22 balanced(ish)

(1C) - X - 1S - 2C
A good hand. The typical hand type for this is extra high cards, no club stop (or not much of one), no good suit of ones own, typically 3442 / 2443 / 3433 18+ HCP. May also have 4-card spade support and a huge hand, but that will look after itself.

(1C) - X - 1S - 2C - 2D - 2/3NT
Loads of high cards, doubt about the club position and/or looking for a spade contract (how about Kxx AKxx AKx KQx was interested in a heart or spade contract)

(1C) - X - 1S - 3NT
I've never seen this auction, but it shows about 23+ balanced with clubs seriously stopped. Responder is invited to pull; if doubler wasn't interested in alternative contracts he would hav overcalled 3NT directly.

[Gerben42]

I'm in your minority too, Frances

[jdonn]

Why not pass, what is the worry?? Almost surely the opponents will come back to you with a spade bid and you can make your double then. On days when you are really lucky they come back in notrump or one of your suits and you can be happy to defend them down a million, maybe even doubling at the end. Any bid (especially double, to a lesser extent 1♥) is a misdescription that I consider needless.

(1♣) 1♥ (p) 1♠ (p), what do the 1♥ bidders bid now? If anyone says some amount of notrump with a spade void I think I'll barf...

[mike777]

DWM, on May 10 2007, 07:55 AM, said:

Dealer: East Vul: N/S Scoring: MP

♠   ♥ AQ93 ♦ AKJ2 ♣ AT752

After RHO opens 1C (ACOL) what is your bid?

If you start with a double it comes back to you via 1S by P, how do you continue.

When we stumbled through this last night we could not work out what all the following bidding meant.

(1C) - 1NT = 15-18 bal
(1C) - X - 1S - 1NT = 18-19 bal

What do

(1C) - 3NT
(1C) - X - 1S - 2NT
(1C) - X - 1S - 2C
(1C) - X - 1S - 2C - 2D - 2/3NT
(1C) - X - 1S - 3NT

mean?

Thinking (1C) - X - 1S - 3NT is some sort of strong balanced do you convert to 4S with

KJT974
52
9865
8

1D over one club, no problem yet.
We are at unfav vul, 1D here shows a good suit and a good hand, no problem yet.

[pclayton]

Double is out for reasons that Mike indicated.

I'm OK with 1♥. If pard raises I'm pretty happy.

I have a sick admiration for a 2N call too

[jdonn]

Jlall, on May 10 2007, 11:20 AM, said:

jdonn, on May 10 2007, 10:54 AM, said:

Why not pass, what is the worry?? Almost surely the opponents will come back to you with a spade bid and you can make your double then.

And that shows 18 points? You will inevitably have to guess a level to play yourself if this happens. In bridge missing a game is a huge worry. I'm not saying passing is wrong, just that there is certainly a lot of risk attached to it.

I could see the point if overcalling at least relieved further guessing, but you will be guessing after doing that too. So I still don't see why misdescribe?

Not one overcaller has yet said what they will do if partner responds 1♠ back to them. Not that it will matter, since I'll think it's sick no matter what

In fact thinking about it, what would an overcaller even do if they got raised a level?

[bid_em_up]

Put me down in the pass camp.

[jtfanclub]

mike777, on May 10 2007, 11:31 AM, said:

1D over one club, no problem yet.

I never would have thought of it at the table, but now that you say it of course that's what I should bid.

If you're going to lie about a suit, lie about a minor. Partner is far less likely to pass out a minor than a major as well.

[mike777]

If the bidding goes:

(1c)=1d=p=(1S or 2D, partner)
p=I bid 2H

Of course there are many other possible auctions.
The main point being partner should have something for a free bid, not nothing but shape. If you play a freebid can be random, I agree you now have a problem.