[sceptic]

Scoring: IMP

---

West North East South

 -     -     -     Pass
 Pass  1NT   Dbl   2♥
 3♣    3♠    Dbl   Pass
 Pass  Pass  

Hi All,

Can you tell me if you think my x was sound ?

all vulnerable

[whereagles]

Yes. Pard has made a competitive bid, so it's your side's deal. Doubling isn't 100% safe, but if you don't double them when you hold the majority of points, you'll be robbed blind.

[PriorKnowledge]

If West leads the AH, and returns a diam after the ruff, you set them 1100. You are sitting behind the 1N bidder, responder ran from 1NX, and your partner made a free 3C bid. The double looks good to me. How else can you punish foolish opps?

Can they make if opps have the right hands? Yes! If the opps never make a doubled contract, you aren't doubling enough.

[P_Marlowe]

Hi,

In my opinion, the double is not sound.

In the actual case, the contract is headed for -1100,
because North bid unwisely 3S with wasted values
in clubs and with only 3 card support.

In other words: If you believe, that North
knows what he is doing, and the current North doesnt,
than the double is unwise, because the risk, that
the contract is making is fairly high, to high to bet
my money on it.

Mind you, I double fairly often, because I play some fairly
aggressive agreements in this context, but in this special
situation, I would simply pass.

With kind regards
Marlowe

[inquiry]

Perfectly normal double. Even unlucky defense should net you 2♦+1♣+1♠+2♥ for +500. Sterling defense, (HAHKHruff, !DJ) will get you 2♥+1♥ruff + 1♣+ 3♦+1♠ for down four. It will not be easy to find this defense, but after big diamond, discouraging card, a heart switch is not impossible. Against which you have no game of your own.

[HeartA]

Let me guess. The defense went wrong (low ♣ lead ...) and only 200 or let opp make 3♠x.

[hotShot]

The double is sound, if your partnership has the playing skill to take your tricks.

Obiously you have 2♥, 2♦, 1♣ and 1♠ trick for 2 down, with a little luck and expert knowledge you will find the ♥ ruff and the ♦ finesse for down 4.

Of cause unless you lead a low ♣.

[luis]

The question is if the double was sound or if it was succesful?
Because I think that it was or should have been a success but I don't think it was sound.

Actually I hate the double, There're many hands where 3♠x will make spcially if dummy has a singleton in diamonds and North knows what he is doing. Furthermore pd should be able to compete with a long suit and no values if he wants without fearing that you will double the opponents if they bid one more, this is the fundamentals of competition.

Luis

[sceptic]

it went down for 500 so it worked, I was just interested in whether it was sound x or not

[P_Marlowe]

As an after though:
The 3C bid was also a little bit on the light sight,
at least I would expect a better suit, than Jxxxxx,
unless the first double already promised a bal. hand,
which I doubt and even than Jxxxxx is not a suit for
such a bid. (*)
If East has to expect a suit, which earns the name "suit",
the 3 card support makes the double also a lot riskier,
because the likelyhood increases that South has a
Singleton.

(*) In case the auction develops
(Pass)
Pass - (1NT) - X - (2H)
Pass - (2S) - (Pass) - (Pass)
...
now 3C would be ok, and should North compete
further, now a double by East is a lot less riskier,
because East knows, that the club suit in West
hands is garbage.

With kind regards
Marlowe

[whereagles]

luis, on May 4 2005, 04:54 PM, said:

pd should be able to compete with a long suit and no values if he wants without fearing that you will double the opponents if they bid one more, this is the fundamentals of competition.

Giving pard the final call is all fine and stuff but you're forgetting one very important thing:

Chances are pard won't have more than 6-7 points. By bidding 3C, he has already streched his neck to help. The last thing he wants is you bouncing the final decision back to him. By passing now, you can be 95% sure pard will pass 3S and North will get away with murder.

You know better than no one that North, under pressure, streched far more than he should (South has a yarbourough and you know it - just count points). It is the duty of the stronger hand to be brave enough to take the final decision and double. It is a partnership game and your hand screams "defend", so just do it

[luis]

whereagles, on May 5 2005, 10:10 AM, said:

luis, on May 4 2005, 04:54 PM, said:

pd should be able to compete with a long suit and no values if he wants without fearing that you will double the opponents if they bid one more, this is the fundamentals of competition.

Giving pard the final call is all fine and stuff but you're forgetting one very important thing:

Chances are pard won't have more than 6-7 points. By bidding 3C, he has already streched his neck to help. The last thing he wants is you bouncing the final decision back to him. By passing now, you can be 95% sure pard will pass 3S and North will get away with murder.

You know better than no one that North, under pressure, streched far more than he should (South has a yarbourough and you know it - just count points). It is the duty of the stronger hand to be brave enough to take the final decision and double. It is a partnership game and your hand screams "defend", so just do it

Well I disagree with your view. As Justin said I also think thet you need some trump tricks to double a partscore. In this particular deal they bid badly, but some day they will bid 3♠ seriously and make it. You can't just risk it is one of those days and double.

[whereagles]

I can, and should, risk anything as long as it is statistically favourable to do it

In this case I don't think opps will make 3S more than 20% of the time. The other 80% they go down, possibly a lot. On this assumption, if you make some simple calculations, you'll see double is the percentage play.

Of course, in the end it's a matter of style. And my style is not to let opps abuse my fears. When I have the points, it is them who should fear me.

[han]

Unsound imo. You have told your strength with the first double (assuming that that's how you play it). You have nothing extra, and you spade queen is a dubious value. North should have a hand that plays much better in spades.

Having said that, if you think that the opponents don't know what they are doing (and it does look like that) then go ahead and double.

[whereagles]

Sorry, but I think that saying "I have bid my hand" is just a sorrow excuse for not having the guts to take responsibilities. In this case you might not have any extras, but you have one thing that you haven't said yet: your hand is defensive. That you say with "double".

Suppose you pass and pard passes as well. Now suppose it goes down a few. Who's to blame for the poor score? No one? After all, pard has shown his hand (competitive with clubs) and you have shown yours (16+).

[Brandal]

sceptic, on May 4 2005, 10:56 AM, said:

Hi All,

Can you tell me if you think my x was sound ?

all vulnerable

No I don't think it was sound,a contract like that will normally
balance between 8 and 9 tricks,and a slightest mishap or
distribution slightly different from what you "hope"
will send it home to -730.

In this particular case I think your pd holding Ax in hearts
has to be the one deciding,he knows you have about 15+.