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[Event "Trouble -- Problem"]
[Site ""]
[Date ""]
[Board "10"]
[West ""]
[North ""]
[East "Pete"]
[South ""]
[Dealer "E"]
[Vulnerable "All"]
[Deal "E:J9873.3.AQ3.AK52 KT5.986.954.J864 Q4.KT74.KJT86.Q9 A62.AQJ52.72.T73"]
[Scoring ""]
[Declarer ""]
[Contract ""]
[Result ""]
{

Take my seat in a Swiss Team event in Westwood.  What would you do?  What do
experts play in this situation?



































2019-05-17 https://3nt.xyz (c) Pete Matthews Jr}
[BCFlags "1f"]
[Hidden "NSW"]
[Auction "E"]
1S Pass 1NT =1= 2H
+
[Note "1:Forcing, usually 5-11 HCP."]

[Event "Trouble -- Solution"]
[Site ""]
[Date ""]
[Board "10"]
[West ""]
[North ""]
[East "Pete"]
[South ""]
[Dealer "E"]
[Vulnerable "All"]
[Deal "E:J9873.3.AQ3.AK52 KT5.986.954.J864 Q4.KT74.KJT86.Q9 A62.AQJ52.72.T73"]
[Scoring ""]
[Declarer "N"]
[Contract "2H"]
[Result "6"]
{

The choices are Pass, Double and 3\C.  The last is off the charts - partner
will expect five cards for 3\C; should he go back to spades on a doubleton, you
are likely to get doubled.  So Pass and Double are the viable options.

Partner and I had played the day before, after a lengthy hiatus.  Both of us
privately thought that double by either of us would be treated by the other as
penalty.  Accordingly, I passed.  Partner was fearful of doubling them into
game.  Despite all those points, he passed as well.  At the other table, the
opponents bid and made 3NT, so we lost 9 IMPs on the board.  We would have been
OK (lose 3) if we had doubled, and would have pushed the board by bidding and
making 3NT.  Of course, going down in 3NT would have been worse.

When 3NT is played by West, North must not lead a heart, or declarer gets the
ninth trick.  A spade lead blows up that suit, and hearts cannot be run.  The
only chance to set the contract is to lead a minor suit and hope that declarer
misguesses spades (defense gets three spades and two hearts).  This great
defense is unlikely.

Multiple national champion Adam Grossack told me he plays a double at my second
turn as takeout.  With this agreement in place, I would indeed double (great
shape and 14 HCP).  Partner would either convert for penalties or make a move
toward game.

The flip side of this, as with negative doubles, is that partner's double would
also be takeout.  So if I had hearts behind the overcaller, I would pass, and
hope partner would reopen with a double.

Conclusion:  This is a low-level competitive auction where our relative
strength and fit is largely unknown.  Experts play doubles as takeout.  On the
other hand, we would have been OK, had West acted over 2\H, so this is not a
strong endorsement of the expert method.  As usual, understanding your system
is most important.}
[BCFlags "1f"]
[DoubleDummyTricks "4363443634897a8997a9"]
[Hidden ""]
[OptimumScore "EW 600"]
[Score "NS -200"]
[Auction "E"]
1S Pass 1NT =1= 2H
AP
[Note "1:Forcing, usually 5-11 HCP."]
[OptimumResultTable "Declarer;Denomination\2R;Result\2R"]
N NT  4
N  S  3
N  H  6
N  D  3
N  C  4
S NT  4
S  S  3
S  H  6
S  D  3
S  C  4
E NT  8
E  S  9
E  H  7
E  D 10
E  C  8
W NT  9
W  S  9
W  H  7
W  D 10
W  C  9
