What should I Bid? - Best enquiry for June 2007

Brian Thorp made the best submission for the month of June.

Hand: You are dealer at East with favourable vulnerability, holding: -

KJ63  85  KJ96  AJ6

Q1094  A107  Q432  Q10

Bidding:	West	North	East	South
			Pass	Pass
	1NT	2	?

Comments:    We were playing teams at the VCC with good teammates and opponents. Our system is Acol with 12-14 NT. We play Lebensohl. 2 was alerted as less than 15 HCP with 5+ and 4+ in a minor. What call do you recommend on the East hand? Would you give the same answer at matchpoints?

Peter's Reply:

Hi Brian,

With East holding 10 HCP in a flat hand there can be no real prospect of game for E-W opposite a weak 1NT opening. Additionally, with some length in at least one of the opponents' suits, the prospect of competing successfully is not high.

Playing IMP scoring methods, I think Pass is clear for East. However, given West's hand, I think East-West should win this part score battle. West's hand is suitable for re-opening with a takeout double and thereafter East's 2 bid will probably finish the auction.
What makes the double by West particularly attractive is that, on a different day, East might, with a decent 4+ trump holding and appropriate values, pass for penalty after West's re-opening double.
That is the best reason for playing takeout doubles in situations such as this. You get to penalise in a co-operative auction when appropriate, and you get to bid on, when appropriate.

Playing for Matchpoints, the part-score situation is more urgent and I would probably double with the East cards, not that I think it is much of a bid.
To some degree my decision hinges on what proportion of the field are playing a weak 1NT. The less that do, the more likely I would be to double. The player holding my cards can double if most pairs are playing a strong 1NT and the bidding is opened by West with a minor, followed by North's interpose of 1 or 2. I would want to match that.

Incidentally, I notice the datum on the board was -140, so the field at the better performing teams' tables did manage to compete effectively at East-West.

Regards
Peter Fordham

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