[SumZero]

[ QUOTE ]
[ QUOTE ]
off topic

1. IMPs. N-S vul.

[img]/images/graemlins/spade.gif[/img]64 [img]/images/graemlins/heart.gif[/img]J72 [img]/images/graemlins/diamond.gif[/img]AQ652 [img]/images/graemlins/club.gif[/img]874

West....North....East....South
1[img]/images/graemlins/club.gif[/img]____Dbl____Pass____1[img]/images/graemlins/diamond.gif[/img]
1[img]/images/graemlins/heart.gif[/img]____1[img]/images/graemlins/spade.gif[/img]____Pass____?

Freeman, "...partner has a big one-suited hand
with long spades or a balanced 18-plus points
with only a five-card suit...."

I disagree with this statement. There is a third
and most likely possibility. Pard is 5-3-4-1.
He has the same 11 highs he doubled with. How
else can you find 5-3 in spades with half the
deck.
Therefore 2[img]/images/graemlins/diamond.gif[/img] is 100 and all other bids
are zero.

jogs

[/ QUOTE ]
I'm inclined to believe he does have a strong spade hand. With 5-3-4-1, I would usually overcall 1[img]/images/graemlins/spade.gif[/img] rather than double. Change it to 5-4-3-1 and double becomes preferable.

Tysen

[/ QUOTE ]

Something's fishy here. What is East's hand like to pass both times? Weak, probably without a huge fit in clubs for partner as no 2[img]/images/graemlins/club.gif[/img] over the 1[img]/images/graemlins/spade.gif[/img]. What is West's hand like? Who bids 1[img]/images/graemlins/heart.gif[/img] here after the dbl? I'd think West should have 6[img]/images/graemlins/club.gif[/img] and 5:hearts: before considering this. With 55 he'd start with hearts and with 54 he wouldn't bid hearts given pass from partner and dbl indicating likely 4 hearts with north. If partner had a balanced or semi-balanced hand with clubs and hearts stopped and 18+ points he should bid nt and not spades. If partner doesn't have those stopped or has a big - but not huge - hand he should bid 1[img]/images/graemlins/spade.gif[/img]. With a huge hand he should cue bid the opps suit. The south hand actually a pretty good one for the bidding so far as 7 points and 1.5 QT is better than the 0-0 we've promised. I'd say we should bid something and 4[img]/images/graemlins/spade.gif[/img] will have a chance if partner is strong, but think 2, or maybe 3, [img]/images/graemlins/diamond.gif[/img] is probably best.