[Wackojack]

Scoring: IMP

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I open 1♠, LHO overcalls 2♣ passed round to me. I bid 2♦, passed to partner who bid 2♠ which was passed out.

1. How would you rate a re-opening double instead of 2♦? If you like it what do you do if partner bids 2♥?

2. Assuming you like partner's initial pass, is there a case now for partner to bid 3♠. (To show a good doubleton and hand improved)

3. Would you want to be in 4♠?

[P_Marlowe]

#1 I prefer 2D.
If I make the reopening X, I pass 2H.
What else? I am min, partner is dead, and
I hold AJ in hearts, I would even pass with
xx.
#2 No. Partner may fake a support showing bid
instead of pass, I have done this myself,
but I dont want to see a 3S bid now.

With kind regards
Marlowe

[helene_t]

P must do (much) more than 2♠. 2N, 3♣, 3♦, 3♠, whatever. Not 2♠.

[mcphee]

It is my view with good defense like these 3 aces we re-open dble. If dear partner passes how unhappy can we be? Not being a result merchant, but look how rich a person would get here if partner did pass and put his finger on a trump lead. I do not at all blame the 2D rebid here as it is a pretty hard spot to be in.

If partner bids 2H we may indeed feel a little pinch and be uncomfortable, but you could now bid 2S which will kind of get the photo across and surely imply 4D. I feel that to bid 3D over 2H the hand should be better.

I think also the passed hand should raise to 3D rather than 2S as 2D must be a 5 bagger, what other reason would partner have to bid the suit?

In the Relaxed bridge club they deal easier hands Jack! This was difficult problem for both hands.

[Codo]

I would always rebid 2 Diamond instead of double, seems very clear to me. I have a 5251 hand, not a 5431 or 5341.

Pds 2 Spade is an underbid. But you know that after a club lead you will soon play in a 4-2 fit, so the hand has some considerable flaws, so 3 Spade had been out for me.

I cannot see that 2 Nt or 3 ♣ is better without a stopper and without so much extra strength. Pd has exactly 8 HCPs, this is no game forcing not even strong invitational at all.

But I would prefer to bid 3 Diamond with his hand. I have a sure 5-3 fit and all my points are greatly working, so 3 diamond is much better then 2 Spade.
But even then I had not reached the good 5 Diamond contract.
But maybe this contract is worse then it appear:
If rho leads a club and continue it, you need trumps 3-2 to survive( or the spade finesse working). So still worth a shot, but no crime to miss it.

[FrancesHinden]

Wackojack, on Feb 22 2008, 01:48 PM, said:

Scoring: IMP

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I open 1♠, LHO overcalls 2♣ passed round to me. I bid 2♦, passed to partner who bid 2♠ which was passed out.

1. How would you rate a re-opening double instead of 2♦? If you like it what do you do if partner bids 2♥?

2. Assuming you like partner's initial pass, is there a case now for partner to bid 3♠. (To show a good doubleton and hand improved)

3. Would you want to be in 4♠?

1. I don't mind that much but double is tempting with so many aces. If partner bids 2H I pass.

2. No.

3. No.

[pclayton]

#1 Double.

#2 Perhaps, but its hanging a pard who is reopening at the 2 level. You can't always expect precision in these auctions.

#3 4♠ is really pushy, and it could be a disaster if we need to try to make it (♣, tap, ♠ lost, ♣tap, lose diamond to West - sayonara). You can probably take 9 tricks most of the time however.

[mr1303]

My opinion is that if we don't reopen with a double on this hand, you are inviting opposition to overcall on rubbish as often as possible, as you will never penalise them.

If the auction went 1S (2C) X P where double was for penalty, would you consider pulling?

I for one would not.

If partner bids 2H, then we have to pass. It is the downside of playing negative doubles rather than penalty doubles.

[Cascade]

Bob's comments are excellent.

2♦ must show five diamonds - why would I bid a four-card suit here.

Partner has to show values here so a raise to 3♦ as a minimum.

Double is possible with the south hand unless you are fixated on having the other major for the double.

[mikeh]

I am with Frances

BTW, the risk of a 2♥ response is slightly reduced due to the failure to negative double. Put another way, if he responds 2♥ to my reopening, the odds are that we are on a 5-2 or better fit with partner too weak to make any game and, when we are on a 4-2, he'll have a stiff spade so unless they lead trump, we may be able to scramble an ok score.

Meanwhile, if he passes, we have a NICE hand for defence.

[whereagles]

I think North could have bid 3♦ after 2♦. The rest seems normal. Dbl is ok, though I think it might be a bit of a hasty move because we might belong in diamonds (as was the case).

[gwnn]

should N pass a reopening double? is it clear? is it a "stupidquestion"?

[the hog]

gwnn, on Feb 23 2008, 05:21 PM, said:

should N pass a reopening double? is it clear? is it a "stupidquestion"?

No, yes and no.

[whereagles]

There's another argument against dbl: if we dbl and pard has 4 hearts, it's very likely he'll bid them. So when pard passes our dbl, opps have a heart fit and hence an escape.

So by doubling we are risking either hearing hearts from pard or opps escaping to that suit. Sure, unless opps are unable to find their secondary suit or pard happens to have both H/C, dbl rates to create our side a subsequent problem.