[inquiry]

Scoring: MP

BPO-006B

LHO Opens 1♠, Pard passes, RHO bids 3♠ (preemptive).

---

[hrothgar]

BPO-006B: Double

There are two critical issues for this hand:

First: Give partner King third of Hearts and Qx of Diamonds along with his marked Spade shortage and 4H rolls home. I trust my partners to balance, however, forcing a mandatory balancing double on

x
Kxx
Qxxx
xxxxx

is a bit rich for my blood. The first choice in the hand is whether or not to take direct action or give up on a lot of very reasonable games.

Second: If you do decide to act in direct seat, whats the best bid? There are any number of bids that COULD work: Pass, Double, and Four Diamonds, all have their appeal. Hell 3NT might even work if the Spade honors are split.

I'm not especially fond of Equal Level Conversion - more importantly, I doubt whether BBO Advanced specifies ELC at the four level - however, if there is one sequence where ELC should apply, its this one: Our bidding space is exceptionally cramped. Being able to explore for the best game should take precedence over showing a monster single-suiter with Diamonds. (I can jump in Diamonds if its that important).

[han]

Yup, double for me too for similar reasons. 4H is likely our best contract and this is the only way to get there.

[cherdano]

I also double, but with nagging doubts as for what to do over 5♣ (we have to pass I think).

[han]

I also think we have to pass 5C, but I will bid 4D over 4C.

[Blofeld]

I passed, but I can see that double or 4♦ could work. However, preempts work, and a lot of the time that we want to be going somewhere partner is going to muster a double.

Double and then bidding 4♦ over 4♣ should show something like this.

[pigpenz]

i dont know why but passed

[Winstonm]

I doubled also, but the main reason is that I want to allow partner to make a card showing double over the expected 4S. I don't expect to ever get to play this hand in hearts or diamonds and hopefully not in clubs, either. And I'm not too keen on playing 4S doubled, either, unless partner is the doubler. If partner holds some random 9-count I would expect him to double rather than jump to a dubious 5C.

Winston

[HeartA]

I voted for dbl, pass would be my second choice.

[42]

I pass

[mike777]

X, no second choice.

[luke warm]

006B - i voted X also, bidding 4D over 4C

[Double !]

My choice was to Double !

Just hope that P doesn't have 6 (or 7) little clubs and upgrades them, thinking that I, too, am short in spades.

DHL

[Rebound]

Strangely enough, I agree with much of the reasoning so far, but voted pass. It looks to me like the only plus will be on defense. I realize partner is unlikely to re-open. But I think it's still the spot.

[joker_gib]

Dbl too, 4♦ over 4♣ and pass over 5♣

Alain

[Gerben42]

I hovered over the pass button for ages but then I doubled anyway.

We are certain to have an 8-card fit (as we have only 4♠ the remaining 22 cards must have 8 of one suit), so far so good. Since my hand is pure (our side has no HCP in their suit) something is bound to make for someone. It could be us, or it could be a cheap save against 3♠. Anyway, I'm feeling robbed if I pass.

[inquiry]

In another one-sided vote (again 11-2), the panel went for DBL here. Unlike the last hand, there was little sympathy for the second choice vote (pass), so the second place bid was not upgraded.

DBL     11  100
Pass     2   60

Once again we will start iwth the minority view, headed by reignning Junior World Champpion, Justin Lall. "B ) Pass. Interesting hand. Partner almost surely has 0-1 spades so if we have a red suit fit my hand could play very well. The problem is I have no way to get in there. If I double, I could easily imagine it going 4S, 5C and me having to pull. If I bid 4D that would be unilateral and leave hearts out of play. I'm going to pass becuase even though I doubt defending 3S is best, I have no idea how to get to the best contract. "

Agreeing with Justin, was Fluffy: "Pass, I hate this deal, but can't help it."

Most of the panel however, agreed with Fred, who thought pass with this hand was much too dangerous. Note Fred's dicussion of correcting clubs to diamonds and the view about bidding 4♥ or 4♦. B. DBL. It is too dangerous to Pass and, since we will never get to 4H if I bid 4D (and since 4H is where the money is), I don't like 4D here. A 4H overcall would be my second choice. In fact, I almost made it an undisciplined first choice due to the fact that we are playing matchpoints. DBL has the advantage of keeping both of my suits in the picture. Obviously I will correct any club bid that partner makes to diamonds. Yes, I will be overbidding, but given that partner is known to be short in spades, I think there is a good chance we will land on our feet.

All the other panelist, more or less agreed with one or more points that Fred made.

Roland: BPO-006A: Double, with the intention of correcting clubs to diamonds, thus showing a red 2-suiter. I have a rather promising hand with three small spades. Partner has 0-1, so we have a certain red fit unless he has 7 clubs.

Gabor (ng) Double. T/O. I have a very good hand, and my position is comfortable. I’m able to convert any Club contract to Diamonds, and the Heart game is also in the picture. North has 0-1 Spades, so we have great chances for game.

Sergey: B. Dbl - what else? Then raise to game or correct 4C to 4D.

Richie: B. DBL ..intending 4D over the expected 4C

Henri : double. and if my part raises 4♦ to five, OK for me.

Gerben42: Double.
Might turn a plus into a minus but partner's singleton ♠ suggests he'll bid 4♥ next. Since I didn't bid 3NT or 4/5♦ directly this should be an ELC, unless we have agreed here that a direct 4♦ shows both red suits.

Jeffrey and Frances: Double. No real choice. Partner can't have that many clubs as she didn't bid 3C or 4C at green over the 1S opening. We will convert 4/5C to diamonds.

Luis: Double, and will pull 4c to 4d is there a better way to describe this hand?

Mikeh: Double. Risks looking very, very silly if partner bids 5♣ over 4♠ or directly over my double. But I like the vulnerability: partner did not preempt at favourable, despite his very short ♠, so we rate to have a red fit somewhere.

Beto: Double. If partner bids 4♣ i will bid 4♦. Equal level conversion in a high level after a preempt does not promisse as much as if it was made after the 1-level takeout double. I would only pass if someone had a gun pointed at my head.

[pclayton]

At the table my pard bid 4♦. I had a random 8 count with 4 hearts and 2 diamonds and I think he was -1. 4♥ is a spread.

Interesting to see that many play ELC in sequences like this. In my other partnership, we've agreed to pretty much play them when the doubler has to start at the 2 level and higher.

[MickyB]

My choice on this hand was pass, which I agree was wrong. Think I let MP/Green sway me far too much, if they are 2 off we should probably be in game, and our chances at finding our best fit are better than I first thought.