[mikl_plkcc]

A very interesting auction:

---

I opened 1♦, LHO made a "takeout double" and RHO responded 1♠. I felt it unacceptable to play in 1♠, and jumped to 3♦, and attracted a penalty double. Partner pulled it to 3NT, and I was happy to play in it, thinking that partner had some stoppers in ♠. However, LHO again made a penalty double. I realised that LHO's initial takeout double was a strong one (18+ HCPs), and decided to pull it out of fear to 4♥, hoping to find a 4-4 fit in ♥s. LHO made a penalty double again (the 4th double!), and partner, realising that we had found our fit, put a redouble directly. I was very happy then because we would probably make the game. But LHO, having a void in ♥s, pull it out of fear to 4♠ and partner finally put our penalty double. The deal went down one, but others got 10 or 11 tricks. DD result also showed that 4SX made. That was very interesting. Were there any signs shows that the "mistake" in the declarer was caused by the bidding? Or were any E-W calls not good? (The initial takeout double by South was certainly wrong) Or was this a good example on destructive bidding?

[Antrax]

No, I don't agree with the auction.

[Zelandakh]

mikl_plkcc, on 2012-July-04, 05:49, said:

were any E-W calls not good?

All of them? (ok, the 1♦ opening was correct)

[Cyberyeti]

Interesting auction, declarer obviously decided he didn't want to make 10 tricks.

After winning the second club and cashing ♠AK, A♦, ♦ ruff, ♥ ruff, ♦ ruff, ♥ ruff now play winning clubs and you score 2 clubs 3 spades (AK and your 5th one, W can exchange the 5th one for another club trick if he wishes), 4 ruffs and the A♦.

The redouble of 4♥ is silly, 4♥x has chances, so does 4♠, so you probably want to play 4♥x rather than give them another chance to pull.

[hrothgar]

This could be the worst auction I have ever seen

Lets get started

1. The original 1D opening is perfectly fine
2. Playing any kind of standard methods, a takeout double by South is unfathomable.
What is the plan when partner bids Hearts? You can't introduce your own suit. You can't bid NT with a 5440 12 count.
I suspect that most people would pass with this hand, hoping that partner would double. If you can't stomach pass, then overcall 1S
3. West's initial pass seems timid. You have a solid 10 count and are happy to penalize a heart contract.
Redouble seems right. A 1H bid is reasonable. Passing is unfathomable.
4. The 1S bid seems a bit timid, but whatever... Plenty of worse bids to be seen.
5. 3D with a so-so 12 count and a broken suit. Not as bad as South's takeout double or West's pass, but still awful.
6. The second double: I'm used to seeing this as optional, rather than pure penalty.
7. 3NT: Once again unfathomable. A single spade stopper and no expectation that partner's diamonds will run based on the penalty double. If you're going to do something, why not rewind?

I'd post more, but I am having trouble keeping breakfast down

[Antrax]

If you want a more concrete answer:
South has 12 HCP but the wrong shape for a TO double. He deserves to catch a partner with 2=6=2=3 distribution and hear a high number of hearts in response.
Regardless whether S doubles or not, W has a 1♥ bid. Some would have him redouble, I would prefer my partner didn't.
N bid his hand correctly.
E, not believing his partner heard his ♦ opening bid, again stresses that he has an opening hand with diamonds. 3♦ is an overbid. After W's pass, 2♦ is okay, showing a desire to compete in diamonds, which is decent with a okay six-card suit and a singleton in their suit.
S now doubles instead of supporting spades, which is strange as his partner will likely expect short diamonds from him, so it can't show the hand he's holding. It might be better to show your AKxx support.
W suddenly finds the KQJ of hearts he didn't see last round, and figures his partner's diamonds might be running and he has some stoppage in the unbid suits. 3NT makes sense as partner won't expect a real suit for a 3♥ bid - where was it last round?
S doubles again because you don't change horses in the middle of the race. Surely opposite a silent partner his three defensive tricks ought to be enough to set 3NT.
E now decides his partner probably doesn't know what he's doing, and also that the hearts he chose not to bid at the 2-level must be good enough to introduce at the 4-level. He does so despite his partner showing a somewhat balanced hand and not bidding hearts in two opportunities.
S frantically looks to unstick his double button.
W redoubles, showing that (a) he expects E to make 4♥ and (b) he apparently didn't expect to make 3NT. At the point W is expecting E to have some sort of 6-5 hand or better, and surely with a spade void.
S manages to unstick the button, and finally supports his partner's suit. Doubled undertricks might outscore 4♠, not not redoubled ones.
W doubles, probably on general principles, since nobody knows what's going on anymore.

[daveharty]

Doron, please be more careful, you almost caused me to spit my orange juice all over my keyboard.

[FM75]

I appreciated Doron's explanation of the bidding as well. I only wish he/she explained why the bidding stopped.

[daveharty]

I wonder if the previous 368 boards were as interesting.

[rmnka447]

I agree with the general consensus that the auction quickly derailed.

Instead of a T/O double, I would be very likely to make a "Lawrence" overcall of 1 ♠ with the South hand. The genesis for this type of overcall apparently comes from Mike Lawrence's Overcall book. Basically, if you have length and honors in opener's suit and another good 4 card, it's often right to overcall in the 4 card suit because partner is much more likely to have a fit with you. One of my KO teammates first brought this to our attention. It has come up a number of times and seems to really work well.

After the overcall, North has no problem making an immediate 4 ♠ bid despite whatever call West makes (Dbl?).

[ArtK78]

In the OP, above the hand diagram, it is stated "A very interesting auction:"

Just like the dark ages was a very interesting time period and the plague was a very interesting condition.

[DrMunk]

mikl_plkcc, on 2012-July-04, 05:49, said:

A very interesting auction:

---

I opened 1♦, LHO made a "takeout double" and RHO responded 1♠. I felt it unacceptable to play in 1♠, and jumped to 3♦, and attracted a penalty double. Partner pulled it to 3NT, and I was happy to play in it, thinking that partner had some stoppers in ♠. However, LHO again made a penalty double. I realised that LHO's initial takeout double was a strong one (18+ HCPs), and decided to pull it out of fear to 4♥, hoping to find a 4-4 fit in ♥s. LHO made a penalty double again (the 4th double!), and partner, realising that we had found our fit, put a redouble directly. I was very happy then because we would probably make the game. But LHO, having a void in ♥s, pull it out of fear to 4♠ and partner finally put our penalty double. The deal went down one, but others got 10 or 11 tricks. DD result also showed that 4SX made. That was very interesting. Were there any signs shows that the "mistake" in the declarer was caused by the bidding? Or were any E-W calls not good? (The initial takeout double by South was certainly wrong) Or was this a good example on destructive bidding?

What were you drinking?

[Trinidad]

DrMunk, on 2012-July-04, 11:54, said:

What were you drinking?

"I'll have what she has." does not apply.

Rik

[Statto]

rmnka447, on 2012-July-04, 10:39, said:

Instead of a T/O double, I would be very likely to make a "Lawrence" overcall of 1 ♠ with the South hand. The genesis for this type of overcall apparently comes from Mike Lawrence's Overcall book. Basically, if you have length and honors in opener's suit and another good 4 card, it's often right to overcall in the 4 card suit because partner is much more likely to have a fit with you. One of my KO teammates first brought this to our attention. It has come up a number of times and seems to really work well.

This logic is wrong. We have been here before. See http://www.bridgebas...-results-in-800 and linked topic from that thread.

The reason it probably produces good results is that opps don't expect you to have quite the hand you have and overcompete, while you wait to pass partner's competitive X.

[mikestar13]

This is a perfectly reasonable double of 1♦---of course, the year is 1905, the game is Auction Bridge and this is a penalty double. . . .

[billw55]

To the OP: you might consider posting your threads in the beginner/novice forum. From what I have seen, most of them would be appropriate material there. Plus the replies would probably be less, ah, vigorous.

[perko90]

LOL. Not much more can be said for that train wreck of an auction, but I love the replies.

But to be serious for a second, declarer mangled the declarer play all on her/his own.
Cashing the ♠K was the last good play. From there, regardless of the bidding, 10 tricks are easy.
In just about any order, cash the ♦A and 2 clubs and then start cross-ruffing.
W can ruff in whenever desired, but can't stop the plan.
Declarer eventually runs out of trumps in both hands and has to concede a red suit loser.
Although if EW get sloppy w/ discards, the last trick might be good.