[lisengerg]

Scoring: Rubber

Partner opened 1♥, East passed, and I bid 1♠, West passed and partner bids 2♣, and east comes in with 2♦. Now what? I don't want to play these spades opposite a singleton or even a doubleton, but I feel like I have too much defense to just pass. 3♣ Also feels like an underbid. I chose to double, and partner took out to 2NT, which I thought was takeout per the bypass principle because 2♣ was not forcing. I bid 3♣ and partner bid 3NT. Partner made a nice end play for down 1. How should this auction go?

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[Mbodell]

I don't know what the bypass principle is, but it is a bit of an odd auction. Your double ought to be somewhat penalty oriented since you've bid all the other suits, and that sort of matches your hand. Your partner pulls the double, but pulls it to 2nt which is rarely the best place to play and often take out/scrambling. On the one hand, if your partner has diamonds stopped then 2♦X is probably the best place to play. On the other hand, what is partner's shape? He didn't rebid hearts or support diamonds so his likely shape is 1=5=3=4 or maybe 2=5=2=4 (although this may have bid 1nt instead of 2♣) or maybe 1=5=2=5. And he's probably a minimum. I think I pass playing MP and bid 3nt playing IMPs (which might well be wrong), not sure if in rubber you want to add the 70 partscore below the line or risk the game, probably it is a pass.

[Cyberyeti]

Having more than 12 cards would help

[Mbodell]

Cyberyeti, on Aug 14 2010, 01:06 PM, said:

Having more than 12 cards would help

No wonder I felt trapped with the OP's 5=2=2=3 holding! Let's say he also has the ♦2.

[nigel_k]

From the comments I'm guessing the thirteenth card was a club. In that case I think 3♣ over 2♦ is ok. If you haven't discussed with your partner what his 2NT and your 3♣ mean after the double, I'm not surprised he chose to keep bidding.

[Gerben42]

Seems to me that your approach was fine. Partner should have taken 3♣ as a signoff in context of the previous bidding and pass.