[AL78]

MPs, Playing with a scratch partner, playing Acol, weak NT, 3 weak twos.

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Your call, and what does passing over the redouble show?

[jillybean]

Firstly, what does XX show?

[bluenikki]

AL78, on 2025-January-15, 09:09, said:

MPs, Playing with a scratch partner, playing Acol, weak NT, 3 weak twos.

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Your call, and what does passing over the redouble show?

My strong preference is that at the one-level, pass by advancer shows 4+ in the suit doubled.
That's probably unplayable at higher levels.

Regardless, I bid 3♣ without pause for thought.

[AL78]

jillybean, on 2025-January-15, 09:19, said:

Firstly, what does XX show?

It wasn't alerted and West couldn't give an answer.

[Cyberyeti]

bluenikki, on 2025-January-15, 10:58, said:

My strong preference is that at the one-level, pass by advancer shows 4+ in the suit doubled.
That's probably unplayable at higher levels.

Regardless, I bid 3♣ without pause for thought.

I pass, no 5 card suit. If I've agreed no 4M on the pass I'm even happier.

[mike777]

 AL78, on 2025-January-15, 09:09, said:

MPs, Playing with a scratch partner, playing Acol, weak NT, 3 weak twos.

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Your call, and what does passing over the redouble show?

It says to partner
You dug this hole, I ain't playing it 😔 😔
But with a British accent

[pescetom]

Pass seems inevitable whatever agreements either side may have.
Partner would be unlikely to thank me for forcing him to play 3C in the 4-4 (at very best) rather than 2M in the 4-3 (at worst).

[AL78]

I didn't know how partner would interpret a pass and didn't fancy going to the three level so decided to mastermind and bid 2♥, thinking it would at least give us a chance of stopping at the two level and partner might be able to work out I hold garbage. It didn't work:

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That was a four digit negative score in our column. Bidding 3♣ or passing would likely have worked better.

[mycroft]

If pass is "you pick", do that. 100% do that.

If you're not 100% sure that's what it means, though, passing here can lead to an equivalent zero (they weren't vulnerable, so it wouldn't be four digits, but still).

I think most of this could be handled by "counting to 40." 12 + 6 + 16 at the time of the double, + opener shows "more than 12" with the redouble - looks a lot like 40 HCP to me. Okay, maybe 37.

But partner thought you must have good enough hearts that 8xxx was sufficient support to compete at the 3 level, and enough outside that you wouldn't be stuck on dummy and lose three minor suit cards. And that's even if the spades run. Which points are those, and where do they come from?

Simon strikes again - overbidding good hands.

"But the opponents could have raised light/psyched". Sure. And it's true. But which is more likely - that the opponents psyched a redouble or raised on ♦xxxxxx and no HCP, or that partner felt "forced" to bid on their 0-3 count?

And even though he will feel that he "hasn't shown his hand", he does have a way of finding out if they "psyched" - pass it to you (in tempo). With a real 2♥ bid you'll do something, no?

But Simon strikes yet again - he's used to his partners underbidding bad hands. So he "knows" you won't.

[mikeh]

One of the hallmarks of bad players is that they don’t know how to listen to the auction.

The redouble, in normal usage, says two things. Firstly, I’m making 2D! But that is consistent with simply have very long diamonds and a side card. However, that hand, having no defence against at least one major, bids 3D, rather than the fatuous redouble, allowing south to bid his (in this scenario) very likely 4 or even 5 card major….opener knows he’s competing to 3D, so it’s basic bridge to do so immediately

That’s where the second part of the message comes into play…the part your partner either didn’t understand or wilfully ignored. ‘I’m making 2D because I have a BIG hand…feel free to double if you have a defensive hand….’

Holding 16 hcp, having west show some modest values….assume a minimum so about 6 hcp. Place opener with a good 16 or more and north will be lucky to find partner with a 2 count.

Bridge can be very difficult but an understanding of basic concepts…such as allowing the information the opps hand you to inform your decisions….makes many apparently difficult situations rather easy.

[thepossum]

AL78, on 2025-January-15, 09:09, said:

MPs, Playing with a scratch partner, playing Acol, weak NT, 3 weak twos.

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Your call, and what does passing over the redouble show?

Pass. Partner has another bid if necessary
Hopefully partner is switched on enough to pick the least damaging option
Surely you are entitled to pass with that hand
What would you bid with 4 points

Give it some shape perhaps

[johnu]

bluenikki, on 2025-January-15, 10:58, said:

Regardless, I bid 3♣ without pause for thought.

Regardless, I pass without pause for thought.

There's no guarantee that partner has 4 clubs, and even if they do, 2M on a 4-3 fit may play as well or better than 3♣ since you are a level lower, or maybe partner has a bad 5 card major so you can play 2M in a 5-3 fit.

[barmar]

johnu, on 2025-January-15, 20:42, said:

Regardless, I pass without pause for thought.

There's no guarantee that partner has 4 clubs, and even if they do, 2M on a 4-3 fit may play as well or better than 3♣ since you are a level lower, or maybe partner has a bad 5 card major so you can play 2M in a 5-3 fit.

When you're in a 4-3 fit, you want to be ruffing in the short hand. You have no ruffing value in your hand, while partner should be short in diamonds.

But it's possible that this benefit is cancelled out by staying a level lower. You're also less likely to be doubled on the 2 level.

No matter what, I'm not putting any money on coming out of this unscathed. But if partner has a clearcut double, the rest of the field has the same problem.