[kfay]

I was kibitzing a vugraph hand today when this inexplicable auction came up. The N/S pair are world class so I assume they have their reasons or I didn't understand something.

Scoring: IMP

2NT-P-3♥-P
3♠-P-3NT-P
4♣-P-4♦-Dbl
Rdbl-P-5♠-All Pass

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The rest of the auction aside, it's the Rdbl that concerns me. Assuming you play rdbl shows 1st round control, how do you like to play a 4♥ bid instead of rdbl? Does it make a difference if you play rdbl shows 1st or 2nd round control?

Whether or not North should have allowed this auction to occur in the first place, the 5♠ jump seems really dangerous to me. If he could be assured that S doesn't have a ♥ cue since he'd bid 4♥ with both the ♦A and a heart card, then he can just bid 4♠ in peace.

So how do you usually play it? I gather there's pretty much zero standard. Do you think there should be?

[JLOGIC]

You don't bypass redoubling with the diamond ace just because you have a heart control.

[ArtK78]

I assume that the 2NT bid was a standard 20-21 HCP balanced hand (the actual hand notwithstanding).

Could someone explain to me the 3NT rebid by North? That seems very odd with 6-4 in the majors and very good spades.

[Zelandakh]

It seems likely that this pair play 3S as 3+ spades thus setting a trump suit with 3NT showing only 2 spades. The last control double agreement I had was that XX showed 1st rd control, a new cue showed protected control, and pass asked for clarification as to partner's control. The main idea being to prevent Kx from being led through for a quick set. I've no idea if this is any good as i didn't put a huge amount of thought into it - was just first idea that came into head when partner asked...

[Pict]

Was this a real competition, or were the guys a bit relaxed?

[lmilne]

JLOGIC, on Sep 2 2010, 12:28 PM, said:

You don't bypass redoubling with the diamond ace just because you have a heart control.

What about pass denying the ♦A and higher bids showing it? Then redouble would show the ♦A but not ♥A, 4♥ would show both, etc.

[Free]

I play RDbl as showing a first round control (here the Ace obviously), passing means you're interested if partner has a first round control (for example if you'd have Kx, the Ace is way more useful than a singleton), and bidding on means you don't care what the holding in ♦ is.

Here you don't care because you have Ax and you just want to run your ♣s. So I'd just bid 4♠ denying a ♥ control.

[kfay]

Free, on Sep 6 2010, 04:26 AM, said:

I play RDbl as showing a first round control (here the Ace obviously), passing means you're interested if partner has a first round control (for example if you'd have Kx, the Ace is way more useful than a singleton), and bidding on means you don't care what the holding in ♦ is.

Here you don't care because you have Ax and you just want to run your ♣s. So I'd just bid 4♠ denying a ♥ control.

This seems correct to me.