[oldoc]

I'd like an explanation from one of our experts why ROBOT bid a 4 card heart suit 9XXX in response to a double of opponents opening bid of 1 club when holding a five card diamond suit Q10XXX??????? I'm waiting.

[helene_t]

oldoc, on 2022-February-19, 12:19, said:

I'd like an explanation from one of our experts why ROBOT bid a 4 card heart suit 9XXX in response to a double of opponents opening bid of 1 club when holding a five card diamond suit Q10XXX??????? I'm waiting.

This is normal. Bidding 1M in response to a t/o double and then later 2m if given the chance, would show 4M and 4+m (maybe sometimes 5+ m depending on the concrete auction).

With a stronger hand you might bid 1m first, planning to reverse if given the chance, but a hand that is strong enough to reverse is maybe always too strong for 1♦.

So basically, 1♦ denies a 4-card major. You might make an exception with four poor hearts if vulnerable, especially if the diamonds are good or a six-card suit, but it wouldn't surprise if the robots always bid a 4-card major.

It might also be different over a 1♠ opening where you are bidding at the 2-level so it's a bit riskyer (and 2♥ is more likely to end the auction than 1♥).

[pescetom]

helene_t, on 2022-February-19, 12:52, said:

This is normal. Bidding 1M in response to a t/o double and then later 2m if given the chance, would show 4M and 4+m (maybe sometimes 5+ m depending on the concrete auction).

With a stronger hand you might bid 1m first, planning to reverse if given the chance, but a hand that is strong enough to reverse is maybe always too strong for 1♦.

So basically, 1♦ denies a 4-card major.

Looks like an overbid to me. What you describe is a valid convention, maybe dominant in part of the world, but far from automatic. The essence of a takeout is to bid the longest suit, with two suits of equal length but different rank favour the major (maybe taking into account honours).

[johnu]

oldoc, on 2022-February-19, 12:19, said:

I'd like an explanation from one of our experts why ROBOT bid a 4 card heart suit 9XXX in response to a double of opponents opening bid of 1 club when holding a five card diamond suit Q10XXX??????? I'm waiting.

Is 9xxx a biddable suit? I have my standards and I never bid a suit worse than 5432 so 9xxx looks pretty good to me.

[helene_t]

pescetom, on 2022-February-19, 15:38, said:

maybe dominant in part of the world, but far from automatic

Point taken, I have probably been brainwashed with North American style after 22 years on BBF

[pescetom]

helene_t, on 2022-February-19, 17:36, said:

Point taken, I have probably been brainwashed with North American style after 22 years on BBF

I'm not even sure there is one dominant North American style here... BWS2017 coyly steps around how the advance of a takeout double is chosen and most internet sources are fairly conservative.
I can only tell you that around here you would catch an earful if you bid 1♥ holding stronger and longer diamonds