My hand: ♠ Q 8 ♥ 8 4 2 ♦ A Q 9 5 ♣ A J 8 7
East opens 1 club in 3rd chair. I have no bid. West responds 1 heart and East bids 1 spade. I could double to ask for a diamond lead and show some values. Will this help declarer more than partner? I doubt it. West bids 1NT which gets passed to me. My hand is way too balanced to bid again.
Partner leads the 2 of diamonds.
NORTH ♦ 2 | ||
| EAST ♠ A K T 5 ♥ A J 6 ♦ 8 4 3 ♣ Q 4 2 | ||
| SOUTH ♠ Q 8 ♥ 8 4 2 ♦ A Q 9 5 ♣ A J 8 7 |
| West | North | East | South |
| Pass | Pass | 1♣ | Pass |
| 1♥ | Pass | 1♠ | Double1 |
| 1NT | Pass | Pass | Pass |
| 1Penalty | |||
2-3-A-6. I return a diamond. 5-J-K-4. Partner shifts to the T of clubs. T-2-8-K. If partner gets in again and plays another club I have 5 tricks. Declarer plays a heart. 5-3-A-2. And another. J-4-7-9. Unlucky. 6-8-K-T. I guess declarer has 7 tricks. It turns out partner only had 3 diamonds so I don't have an entry to his hand and am endplayed into giving declarer his Q of clubs. Making 2.
| NORTH ♠ J 7 4 3 ♥ T 9 3 ♦ K 7 2 ♣ T 9 6 | ||
| WEST ♠ 9 6 2 ♥ K Q 7 5 ♦ J T 6 ♣ K 5 3 | EAST ♠ A K T 5 ♥ A J 6 ♦ 8 4 3 ♣ Q 4 2 | |
| SOUTH ♠ Q 8 ♥ 8 4 2 ♦ A Q 9 5 ♣ A J 8 7 |
Professor Jack disagrees with my double since apparently it was for penalty. I don't know how that can possibly make sense. Does anyone else think that was penalty?
He then disagrees with ducking the club lead. I guess he doesn't think partner can have the K of clubs or another entry?
On the replay my hand shuts up. East bids 2 hearts over 1NT. West bids 2 spades which gets passed out. They end up taking 9 tricks. A great MP result for my double, at least!
Nick: -120
Jack: -140
IMPs: 1 (-32 total)
I love the system of 'double at the one level after *already passing* is penalty'. What the hell kind of hand would that require?
ReplyDeleteI don't know what the double should mean specifically in that situation but penalty is a joke.
That's pretty much my line of thought too. For it to be penalty I have to have a 15 count, and a spade stack, and the ability to profitably double any contract they run to at the 2 level, and have not been willing to act over 1 club? AKxxxx QJxx VOID AJx? Is that even a penalty double? I don't have the 8 tricks to be confident about down 2 and I certainly don't have 7 tricks to think we can set 2 hearts 2 either. And I would have bid a spade myself!
ReplyDeleteFor what the double should mean, I think it should show a hand that couldn't overcall, or make a takeout double of 1 club, but still wants to act. So it can't have a 5 card suit (unless that suit is clubs) and it can't have a lot of points (or you would make an off-shape double). I think on this auction in particular it should show the minors. Exactly 4 diamonds and 4+ clubs, with a concentration of points there. (1NT would probably be a balanced hand with major stoppers? 2 clubs would be a long club suit I think.)