[thepossum]

Hi

I recently had this one in small IMPs tourney
Spent a while debating pass, double (pen) or 2 hearts (I play Capelletti/Hamilton)

---

Fortunately I made the right call (scoreise but not playwise) but it could easily have been the wrong call - a trick either way
I certainly did not feel comfortable with a penalty double, thought about defending 1NT etc

Disclaimer I am not sure I was in the strongest field

[jillybean]

With one partner, I'm back playing Landy so this is an easy 2C. 2D! sorry, playing Landy, thinking your system

[thepossum]

jillybean, on 2025-June-02, 18:19, said:

With one partner, I'm back playing Landy so this is an easy 2C

ok thx, so no debate about defending

oops sorry will tell you what happens with Landy, wait a sec

Edit. I don't know Landy well but I think West will pass and North will bid 2 diamonds. I thought Landy was both majors. Are there variants?

[akwoo]

I'm passing. It's likely a small minus, but both double and 2H risk a bigger (if less likely) minus.

[jillybean]

I assume East passes?
I bid my suit.

[thepossum]

jillybean, on 2025-June-02, 18:40, said:

I assume East passes?
I bid my suit.

I assume you would be in 2 hearts

But my ignorance of Landy and having to read up about it, if North thinks you have 54 majors there is a chance it could bid 2 spades, not 2 diamonds, so I hope you are bidding a different variant

Edit. Reading more on Landy, even if they thought it was 54 majors I think they would bid 2 diamonds

[thepossum]

akwoo, on 2025-June-02, 18:38, said:

I'm passing. It's likely a small minus, but both double and 2H risk a bigger (if less likely) minus.

You have your lead worked out

I found it a surprisingly interesting hand to think about all the options - and the actual layout has a lot of interesting options too

[thepossum]

I debated passing or doubling but took the cautious option and bid 2 hearts

[thepossum]

I did not get many takers but here is the hand

Ironically 1 NT doubled and the right lead would score a few IMPs

But 2 hearts-1 did ok

---

Not sure why but I found it quite an interesting result

[Huibertus]

When partner holds ♥ Jack this is a double, if he doesn't this is 2♥

[bluenikki]

Huibertus, on 2025-June-03, 01:08, said:

When partner holds ♥ Jack this is a double, if he doesn't this is 2♥

The ♥ jack only gets you to the 6th trick.

[Cyberyeti]

I'm doubling and leading ♥K

[P_Marlowe]

Hi,

if you go in, than it would be 2H, the hand is not a penalty double.

Should you go in ..., it is 50/50.

With kind regards
Marlowe

[Cyberyeti]

P_Marlowe, on 2025-June-04, 01:52, said:

Hi,

if you go in, than it would be 2H, the hand is not a penalty double.

Should you go in ..., it is 50/50.

With kind regards
Marlowe

I would double with the 4432 version of this hand, I have an obvious lead with the 5 card suit, why not double ?

[P_Marlowe]

Cyberyeti, on 2025-June-04, 01:58, said:

I would double with the 4432 version of this hand, I have an obvious lead with the 5 card suit, why not double ?

Hi,

I usually dont play penalty X against strong NT.
I think the hand is weaker than the 15HCP, e.g. due to the doubleton Q, the heart suit is nice but not running, if you
exchange the Q with the jack of hearts the hand is a lot stronger, and you are certain to make at least 6 tricks, which means at
worst you are 1NTX=
Also I wont be able to get the hearts in, if they run to spade, switch the majors and you will survive a heart runout, I still
would show the 2-suiter, but the penalty gets more attractiv, but than see my starting sentence.

With kind regards
Marlowe

[Cyberyeti]

P_Marlowe, on 2025-June-04, 03:23, said:

Hi,

I usually dont play penalty X against strong NT.
I think the hand is weaker than the 15HCP, e.g. due to the doubleton Q, the heart suit is nice but not running, if you
exchange the Q with the jack of hearts the hand is a lot stronger, and you are certain to make at least 6 tricks, which means at
worst you are 1NTX=
Also I wont be able to get the hearts in, if they run to spade, switch the majors and you will survive a heart runout, I still
would show the 2-suiter, but the penalty gets more attractiv, but than see my starting sentence.

With kind regards
Marlowe

We do, and because dummy is shorter of entries on a 20/20 it tends to do better. Also many strong NT pairs are not great with their runouts.

[P_Marlowe]

You know your customers better than I do, if it works, brilliant.
AWN said, that the standards for a 15-17 NT are declining in the US, and Frances Hinden said once, that psyching of a strong NT was
also a popular thing (at least in 3rd) seat, ... all those make penalty doubles more attractive.

[thepossum]

I did consider pass or double for quite some time but wasn't sure I would find the defence
It looks like a nice hand though