[Codo]

What 4 ♣ shows depends obviously on your methods.

I am fairly sure that SEF f.e. plays double and own suit as very strong but not forcing, so you may have to insert another forcing call instead.

And if you play a style where all hands with 19+ HCPS "must" double first, there is much sense in that approach.

So I think that 4 ♣ was natural and forcing and I bid a "confident" 5♣. I won't try to go to slam with my powerhouse...

[Impact]

I have a very different take on these type of auctions from US standard.

Firstly, double receiving a minimum advance, followed by new suit from doubler I take as very strong - but not forcing! I expect pretty much most 5HCP from advancer would make another noise - as would most hands with prime support.

I retain jumps by doubler as agreeing advancer's suit and proposing SLAM!

Accordingly, double followed by doubler's cue-bid in response to a minimum advance is GF denying prime support for advancer's suit.

Advancer should clarify the nature of his holding - less by strength than by description eg extra length (beyond the presumed 4), second suit, stopper and failing all else, advancer with nothing else to say raises the cue bid suit (effectively denying more than 4 cards in his first suit, any other suit, any stopper...so whatever the GF is based on doubler knows he is facing support - albeit no significant distribution and can frequently place the contract. In the rare event that advancer held say an 8 HCP 4333 without a stop and has used this sequence he will usually be able to raise doubler's "placing of the contract" purely on cover cards).

On that basis doubler has shown a GF, and advancer has lied by showing extra length in H (when he should have raised the 2S cuebid to 3S).
Doubler has "emerged from the bushes by specifying his GF as based on C, and advancer should heed it by merely raising to 5C. Of course that contract is not underwritten by Lloyds, but that is what the sequence "means" in my style.

After the "4H" bid by responder, the 4S bid by doubler would now confirm H fit for the long suit and suggest a cue of any values held...

I am not suggesting my methods as ideal - and appreciate that the vast majority of players would double and follow a minimum advance with a cue on far more hands, but I am content that the method outlined works very well to locate fits, and only forces much higher with known tolerance for any suit doubler may have as base....

If you start with ANY agreement you will be better placed than so-called standard by the seat of your pants...

regards

[Fluffy]

Codo, on May 6 2009, 06:19 AM, said:

What 4 ♣ shows depends obviously on your methods.

I am fairly sure that SEF f.e. plays double and own suit as very strong but not forcing, so you may have to insert another forcing call instead.

And if you play a style where all hands with 19+ HCPS "must" double first, there is much sense in that approach.

So I think that 4 ♣ was natural and forcing and I bid a "confident" 5♣. I won't try to go to slam with my powerhouse...

I also think more or less this way, but you have to also consider that aprtner could had jumped to 4♣ the round before as well.

[se12sam]

What was partner's actual hand on this deal? Can we see it?

[mtvesuvius]

se12sam, on May 9 2009, 07:49 AM, said:

What was partner's actual hand on this deal? Can we see it?

Then the jury can decide whether to convict partner with charges of bridge waterboarding.

[MFA]

Partner had

♠A
♥AKTx
♦Ax
♣AKJxxx

and passed 5♥. Which was a good idea, since there were 11 tricks after a diamond lead. Clubs were 3-2 but hearts 1-4 with a stiff Q with opener.

I was somewhat amazed that advancer trusted partner to have heart support. I'm used to X+cue+new suit is forcing without fit. So I would probably have bid 3♠ splinter (all jumps are splinters for us) and then 5♣ over 4♥. But it's a difficult situation to handle.