[Fluffy]

♠5
♥AQ4
♦A8653
♣QJ43

NS vul, dealer south

1♦-(3♥)-3♠-(double)

[Gerben42]

Anything other than pass seems gambling. Of course partner needs to count on me to redouble with a fitting hand.

[Phil]

Gerben42, on 2010-November-22, 16:11, said:

Anything other than pass seems gambling. Of course partner needs to count on me to redouble with a fitting hand.

Reminds me of one of my first posts where the auction went:

1♦ - (dbl) - 1♠ - (dbl)
AP

I was the 1♠ bidder with J9xxx and the 2nd double was penalty. Partner held a 0463 (I think) and gasped as he put down dummy, "I never thought you'd pass"! Fortunately I wrapped up +160 when the rest of the field was +150 lol.

Back to the hand - I think the opposite. Passing is gambling partner has enough interiors in the spade suit. In my experience an opponent who doubles after his partner preempts has trump. We don't. We could have three better strains than spades, and I think we do.

I bid 3N.

[gnasher]

Before they doubled 3♠, I was going to bid 3NT, because I thought it would be the best game. I can't see that anything has happened to change that.

3♠x is also game, but RHO seems to think it's not making, and nothing about my hand suggests that he's wrong.

3NT.

[mikeh]

3N.

In many situations, a double of our contract will carry with it the inference that doubler is prepared to double whatever we run to, but that isn't the situation here.

RHO is quite likely looking at a spade suit such that he 'knows' we aren't going to end up in 4♠. he is certainly looking at a heart suit that he doesn't want partner leading. So doubling 3♠ is not going to be because he expects to defend spades....it's because he wants a spade lead against anything I declare. A double might look like KQJ9xx x Kx xxx or the like.

Now, there will be times when partner has stretched and RHO will double whatever moves, but, even allowing for the detrimental effect of a spade lead, that can hardly lead to a worse result than passing.

[the hog]

3NT. What else?

[akhare]

Make the same bid I would have made over (3♥) - 3♠ without the X -- 3N.

[P_Marlowe]

What would I have bid without the X - 3NT.

Pass should show the willingness to play 3SX, and 3S does only promises 5 good cards,
so lets play NT, and maybe we can than the opponents for telling us something about
the distribution.

With kind regards
Marlowe

[mcphee]

I'll try the serious 3NT. Pard I am serious not wanting to play your suit. I am sure this suggestion will also be doubled, I hope we do not shed too much blood.

[whereagles]

the hog, on 2010-November-22, 18:06, said:

3NT. What else?

Indeed. As with hoggie, it also a no-brainer to me

Remember pard was under pressure to bid his spades. He might not have a good suit at all. We may very well be booked for a couple down, but hey preempts work.

[Fluffy]

Thx, I was just checking if I was biased/resulting blaming partner for passing.

I held

AKQxx
J9
Q10xx
xx

I didn't know if I should bid 4♦ or not, in the need I missguessed, managed to escape losing only 3 spades and 2 clubs, but still 13 under versus +600 in 3NT

[han]

mikeh, on 2010-November-22, 18:04, said:

3N.

In many situations, a double of our contract will carry with it the inference that doubler is prepared to double whatever we run to, but that isn't the situation here.

RHO is quite likely looking at a spade suit such that he 'knows' we aren't going to end up in 4♠. he is certainly looking at a heart suit that he doesn't want partner leading. So doubling 3♠ is not going to be because he expects to defend spades....it's because he wants a spade lead against anything I declare. A double might look like KQJ9xx x Kx xxx or the like.

Now, there will be times when partner has stretched and RHO will double whatever moves, but, even allowing for the detrimental effect of a spade lead, that can hardly lead to a worse result than passing.

Exactly right imo.

[mikestar13]

Hamman's rule: in a competitive auction, if 3NT is a possible bid, it is the best bid.

[dboxley]

gnasher, on 2010-November-22, 17:21, said:

Before they doubled 3♠, I was going to bid 3NT, because I thought it would be the best game. I can't see that anything has happened to change that.

3♠x is also game, but RHO seems to think it's not making, and nothing about my hand suggests that he's wrong.

3NT.

I agree 100%