Comments

• Killeavey

  January 2017 edited 6:02AM

  I am only a beginner / improver so this may well be  unsound thinking, but....

  
  

  Assume RHO has 9 HCP and the outstanding points are evenly split, and that gives your side 24 HCP.  Give LHO one club and they have an 8 card fit, which means there is likely to be an 8 card fit your way too. So on that basis I would double and keep my fingers crossed. 

  
  

  My guideline for a takeout is 15 points including shortage where a void/singleton/doubleton is worth 5/3/1 points, So in this case there are no shortage points but 15 HCP. With 4441 a 12 HCP hand would be enough. 
  

  
  
• Killeavey

  January 2017 edited 6:02AM

  And the preempt is in clubs which means partner's response is sure to be at the 3 level. 
• ayduck

  January 2017 edited 6:02AM

  You don't come across as a beginner, Killeavey. What you say is very sound. I think what concerned me is that, if partner responded in a major, as one would expect, and perhaps at the 4-level, we would likely be playing in a 4-3 fit. Not nice, with a distributional hand! As it happens, her only 4 card suit was diamonds. Oh yes... the preemptor had a 4 card spade suit on the side, which is a big no-no in my book of preempts!
• Killeavey

  January 2017 edited 6:02AM

  ...... your side 23 points!
• Tramticket

  January 2017 edited 6:02AM

  The simple fact is that pre-empts work. That's why we bid them. I don't think that you have an easy choice.

  
  

  Although you have 15 HCPs, your hand is very balanced with no ruffing potential and no long suits to establish. Your playing strength is not particularly strong. On the other hand you have plenty of defensive strength with two aces and two kings. For this reason, I would not be rushing to bid. As you noted above, a take-out double usually promises shortage in the suit bid.

  
  

  You haven't given the form of scoring (IMPs or pairs?) or the vulnerability, but allowing 3C to make when 4D can be made your way is only a part-score swing.

  
  

  You haven't given the hands, but I am a little surprised that 10 tricks are available in clubs and diamonds. Your partner's only 4-card suit was diamonds, so she presumably had four diamonds and three cards in each of the other suits (a mirror distribution to your hand?). So presumably declarer held a seven-card club suit opposite a void? Dummy must have held good values in spades for 10 tricks to be available in that scenario.

  
  

  But in that case I am surprised that 10 tricks are available for you in diamonds when you only have an 8-card fit, no ruffing potential in either hand and no length winners to establish! Not only that, but RHO can give his partner a ruff at trick 1!

  
  

  So I would definitely pass with your hand.
• Killeavey

  February 2017 edited 6:02AM

  I ran your hand and 3C opener  through Jack (the World Champion computer bridge program), with your side vulnerable, opp's NV, and Jack doubled.
• robertolamb

  September 2017 edited September 2017

  Yes, this 23 points is yours!