[jillybean]

We have a sectional over the next 3 days and with my regular partner away I had only booked to play with a friend, one game Saturday and teams on Sunday. The partnership chair
contacted me last night as she has a player stopping in Vancouver on his way back to Vancouver Island who wants to play today, unfortunately not MikeH.

Thanks to some previous threads, I do have a good idea of the questions I am going to ask before the game but I don't know the answer to one question.

playing 2/1, forcing nt

1M (P) 1N (2D) x?

I think this should be showing ownership of the hand, DSIP but I would like to hear how others play it.

And for your amusement, I will be playing the dreaded Mexican 2♦ for the rest of the weekend. I was relieved to find that there are no complex follow ups this time, just 2♠ relay to 2N, everything else
natural and to play. I'm already lamenting the loss of my weak 2.

[gszes]

It can be hand ownership but it should also include hands like AKxxx Kxx x Kxxx
that would like to compete but have no decent way of doing so over 2d.

[paulg]

I play it as takeout. I only play it as penalty when partner has denied the suit, so

1♠ - (Pass) - 1NT - (2♥) - double is takeout

1♦ - (Pass) - 1NT - (2♥) - double is penalty

At least it's a simple rule.

[Phil]

gszes, on 2015-January-02, 11:29, said:

It can be hand ownership but it should also include hands like AKxxx Kxx x Kxxx
that would like to compete but have no decent way of doing so over 2d.

How can you sensibly play x as ownership and as takeout? The idea that double is cards means partner should be comfortably passing with Hxx.

With my partners this x is TO. With a random, I would expect penalty.

[jillybean]

paulg, on 2015-January-02, 11:49, said:

I play it as takeout. I only play it as penalty when partner has denied the suit, so

1♠ - (Pass) - 1NT - (2♥) - double is takeout

1♦ - (Pass) - 1NT - (2♥) - double is penalty

At least it's a simple rule.

I like this. Thanks

[1eyedjack]

paulg, on 2015-January-02, 11:49, said:

I play it as takeout. I only play it as penalty when partner has denied the suit, so

1♠ - (Pass) - 1NT - (2♥) - double is takeout

1♦ - (Pass) - 1NT - (2♥) - double is penalty

At least it's a simple rule.

Thanks for this. I also have a simple rule, although it is subtly different and not quite so simple.
X of 2-suit is takeout unless
(1) I previously trap passed the same suit at the previous level OR
(2) pass would have been forcing OR
(3) we have already found an expressed fit

I like your additional take on it and may work it in.

[ggwhiz]

My first discussion with a 1 shot partner would be defensive carding/tendencies, ie. my personal preference when leading from 3 small is any other suit.

That and general tendencies as to opening light (or not), aggressive balancing, LTT disciple etc. with whatever conventions will give you a chance to land on your feet in the bidding. Too much ground to cover on bidding situations that may not come up but I always ask if 1nt by me, 2x by them, double is negative or not.

[monikrazy]

takeout is standard, and partner can decide to convert it to penalty or not

[mike777]

there is a lot more to the Mexican 2d..for example many bids are tfr over 2d so you may wish to just double check how they ply it. Good Luck win!

In practice though 90% of the hands go:

2d=2s(forcing 2nt then normal nt stuff over 2nt)

[jillybean]

Dinner break, 53%
So far this auction has not come up, of course

[the hog]

I would play it as t/o as I did when playing fnt. Mind you I do not play fnt any more.

[Zelandakh]

Whilst takeout is standard, the auction 1♠ - (P) - 1NT - (2♦) lends itself quite well to the much maligned stolen bid double concept. Ask yourself, or your partner, this: what rebid would be chosen with 5413? If the answer is 2♥ then you lose little in specifying X as showing clubs.

This form of competitive double can also be used in Paul's auction to differentiate between good and bad minor hands, a "ghetto" Good-Bad 2NT for those that want to keep things more natural. So after 1♦ - 1NT - (2♥), either X = competitive; 3m = good or vice versa. I assume that Paul plays G-B to be able to afford a penalty double here, something to be aware of before incorporating such a rule into your system.

[Mbodell]

One of my regular partners and I disagreed on this sort of auction just last week (was strong club and semi-forcing NT but still 1♠-1nt-(2♥)-X is mostly similar principles), and it is one of the places I often feel unsure in 2/1 F1nt auctions. I like paulg's rules and explanation of them.