[awm]

Scoring: IMP

---

Partner opens 1♥ and RHO bids 5♣. What's your call?

[NickRW]

Well, I can see why nobody has made a written reply to this one yet. What an awful decision to have to take. Of the suggested bids, the only ones that I think definitely have to be wrong are the 5/6♥ bids. Surely you can't want to do that when that could be a poor quality fit. However, of the alternatives, almost anything could be right.

I think double is the best alternative. You have enough strength/shape to think that this might be your hand, but don't really know if you belong at the 5 or 6 level, or which strain to be in or even if defending is the right choice. But passing would leave partner having to make the decision in the dark. On a bad day you'll either be off in 5 of something when 5♣ was down or partner leaves the double in and it makes, but double seems the lowest risk option to me.

Nick

[mikegill]

I'll go with X also. Any 5-level bid is a shot in the dark about strain and could easily end you in a ridiculous contract. My second choice is probably 6♣ - at least that will probably get us to the right strain even if at the wrong level.

[ArtK78]

I hate this problem.

Normally, on a distributional hand at IMPs, it is right to bid. And I believe it is right to bid on this hand. However, every conceivable bid on this hand is so fraught with danger that it is impossible to make the call.

As much as I hate it, I have to agree with Nick that double is the only call that makes sense (not that I hate agreeing with Nick, just that I hate making the double). We certainly rate to go plus against 5♣x. If partner pulls, then we may be in a position to make a more informed position. But I doubt that partner will pull (especially if you take a lot of time before doubling).

Mark me down for a very reluctant double.

[Apollo81]

Tough hand. Pass, double or 5NT pick-a-slam could all be right. I think it's easy to fall into the potential trap of doubling because we have something and all suit bids are so unappetizing. The problem IMO is that partner is going to sit on virtually all hands -- those with club length because he has club length and those without because he will figure us to have it. Even if we beat 5♣, I strongly doubt we're beating it more than 1.

I'd pass because I feel that partner will be better placed to make the final decision after this than if I had doubled. The worst case is probably that we pass it out, making when we could make 5 of something, but at least it won't be doubled. The most common case is probably down 1 undoubled. However I feel a significant pct of the time partner will be able to bid something only if we don't double in front of him. I don't feel strongly about this.

[pclayton]

Double for me too. I don't particularly like it, but I like pass less. Don't ask me about my opinion of 5♠.

[Apollo81]

Jlall, on Jun 9 2008, 11:01 AM, said:

Apollo81, on Jun 9 2008, 09:43 AM, said:

However I feel a significant pct of the time partner will be able to bid something only if we don't double in front of him.  I don't feel strongly about this.

Really? What hands is partner bidding with if we pass that pass if we double? I don't think that exists. Mind you, I don't expect him to bid very often over our X but I would expect him to bid even less over a pass, and I think all hands that bid over a pass should bid over a X.

There are three possible meanings for the double:

(1) We're usually beating this, and I don't promise my values will work well on offense. Please don't pull without an exceptional hand.

(2) We're usually beating this, and my values should convert reasonably well on offense. Pull if you'd like, but my intention is to defend.

(3) I think we can make something. If you deign to pass, I will contribute enough high cards to the defense to expect a plus score.

I would assume that an undiscussed double in this position is by default (2), and I assume the doublers think it is (3). That's the best explanation I can offer.

[NickRW]

Apollo81, on Jun 9 2008, 03:16 PM, said:

There are three possible meanings for the double:

(1) We're usually beating this, and I don't promise my values will work well on offense. Please don't pull without an exceptional hand.

(2) We're usually beating this, and my values should convert reasonably well on offense. Pull if you'd like, but my intention is to defend.

(3) I think we can make something. If you deign to pass, I will contribute enough high cards to the defense to expect a plus score.

I would assume that an undiscussed double in this position is by default (2), and I assume the doublers think it is (3). That's the best explanation I can offer.

Well your disquiet about double is the same as mine. However, I plumped for double in that it was the lesser evil of all the hard possible choices. I tend to think that passing will leave partner in an even worse position about making a choice than we're in.

[Sambolino]

playing goulash i'd pass without worrying much because there is 5% chance that this will finish in 5C undoubled. playing bridge double has more sense because declarer won't lay 12 clubs down for 5cx+1 against 7h but i still like pass a tiny bit more, and i do think x inhibits p from further action