[ArtK78]

My basic principal in handling hands of this nature is that, when it is known that both sides have significant distribution, at IMPs it almost always pays to bid one more.

There are numerous examples in high-level play of hands of this type where it is right to bid one more. This hand may not be one of them, but it seems to me that the auction is consistent with everyone having a lot of distribution.

In a short match, you just have to be right. That is the best argument that I can see for doubling.

I have previously mentioned a hand that I played in the GNT qualifying round in Chicago. My partner and I bid to 6♣ white on red, got doubled, and my partner played it safe for making (he could have tried for an overtrick which would have worked). At the other table, my vul teammates bid on to 6♠x and went for 500. This result was against the Meckwell team.

I have seen this theme repeated many times, and the hand presented above may be another example of this theme.

By the way, the absence of any significant diamond cards in this hand is a warning sign that the opponents may have a strong diamond fit in addition to their club fit.

[pclayton]

I think Art makes a lot of good points but I'm probably influenced by the result. I doubled. Nearly everyone I gave the hand to doubled.

We are all -1540

Pard had ♠AKxxx ♥KJxxxxx ♦xx ♣---. RHO was ♠---♥Axxx ♦AKxx ♣AJTxx.

It really doesn't matter what you do since your teammates double 5♠ and crater a trick on defense for +200 (they don't find their heart ruff). So if you bid 6♠, plan on being -800 to lose 12. 1540 costs 16 and 1370 is 14 (or 15, can't remember).

I do agree that it's very difficult to tell who's hand it is. Pard is a lock to be a 5-6 or a great 4-6. Besides the ♣K, what defense do we have? If pard has diamond card's, I think 6♠ looks to be successful anyway.

Perhaps doubling 6♣ aims for a very narrow target. I really don't see what pass accomplishes. Most of the time, pard will just feel he's already bid his hand and have nothing else to say.

[brianshark]

I'm a doubler also. I think it's clear and your bad score quite unlucky.

I'd go as far to say I don't want to pass specifically because I've a very defensive hand given my bidding thus far and actually want to discourage partner from bidding one more.

[mikeh]

If I were to deal with a 'You be the Judge' on the team result, my inclination would be to say that Phil's teammates bear 70% of the blame for the bad result.... and I am discussing the auction, not the play. I would apportion the blame 70% to them, 20% to luck and maybe 10% (at most) to Phil... and would feel I was being generous to his teammates and tough on him

Surely with void Axxx AKxx AJ10xx, bidding on over 5♠ has to be the percentage call.

Start with the assumption that partner has at least 8 and usually 9 or 10 black cards (with 5+ clubs), and try to construct hands on which slam is poor... it can be done, but it seems against the odds. Heck, give him the not unrealistic hand of xxx x QJx Kxxxxx and you are defending 5♠ doubled making when declarer has some 5=7=1=0 or 5=7=0=1 hand while (on the latter) you are cold for a grand slam.