On May 16, 7:08 am, Terry Faust <m...@comcast.net> wrote:
> Assume that when opponents open a weak NT (12-14) you play your > standard defense in the direct seat that includes double is penalty.
> After 1NT Pass Pass,
> 1. Do you still play your standard defense?
> 2. Is double still penalty or should it now be for takeout?
> Thanks
*** No matter your hand strength, your high cards are not well positioned with the bidder behind you, so this is a consideration. I believe that double is better used in a conventional sense. In addition, there is greater need to be able to "balance" with a natural suit call. My suggestion is that you use Double for 2-suited hand types, and use natural suit bids. In my partnerships we use the balancing Double for the Majors, and other calls to be natural.
> On May 16, 7:08 am, Terry Faust <m...@comcast.net> wrote:
> > Assume that when opponents open a weak NT (12-14) you play your > > standard defense in the direct seat that includes double is penalty.
> > After 1NT Pass Pass,
> > 1. Do you still play your standard defense?
> > 2. Is double still penalty or should it now be for takeout?
> > Thanks
> *** > No matter your hand strength, your high cards are not well positioned > with the bidder behind you, so this is a consideration. I believe > that double is better used in a conventional sense. In addition, > there is greater need to be able to "balance" with a natural suit > call. My suggestion is that you use Double for 2-suited hand types, > and use natural suit bids. In my partnerships we use the balancing > Double for the Majors, and other calls to be natural.
Basically, Sandy is right that you won't often know thay it is right to penalize in the protection seat.
While I play either Mohan or Capp against Weak 1NT in the direct seat (with an optional double), I find it useful to play Bergen (DONT) in the protection seat against both weak and strong 1NT openers.
X=Long suit (partner can sometimes convert for penalties) 2C=Clubs plus one of the 3 top suits 2D=Diamonds and one of the majors 2H=Majors 2S=Natural Usually 5(332) shape.
"Terry Faust" <m...@comcast.net> wrote: > Assume that when opponents open a weak NT (12-14) you play your > standard defense in the direct seat that includes double is penalty.
> After 1NT Pass Pass,
> 1. Do you still play your standard defense?
Yes if 4th seat is an unpassed hand. No if 4th seat is a passed hand.
> 2. Is double still penalty or should it now be for takeout?
I'm playing it as penalty if 4th hand seat is an unpassed hand.
On 16 May, 15:08, Terry Faust <m...@comcast.net> wrote:
> Assume that when opponents open a weak NT (12-14) you play your > standard defense in the direct seat that includes double is penalty.
> After 1NT Pass Pass,
> 1. Do you still play your standard defense?
> 2. Is double still penalty or should it now be for takeout?
> Thanks
1. Yes: we play Suction, so each bid shows the suit above or the other two (with some wrinkles). 2. It's penalty by an unpassed hand; we open anything unbalanced 5+ and balanced 12+, so a passed hand cannot be good enough to double for penalties. We haven't discussed what it means, but I am having difficulty seeing any profit in getting involved at all (it's most likely that we have nothing making; they might not be able to make 1NT).
Terry Faust wrote: > Assume that when opponents open a weak NT (12-14) you play your > standard defense in the direct seat that includes double is penalty.
> After 1NT Pass Pass,
> 1. Do you still play your standard defense?
> 2. Is double still penalty or should it now be for takeout?
> Thanks
Curiously, one of my regular partners (who does not read RGB) suggested just today that we start playing a different defense to 1NT when in balancing seat. I forget already what it's called, but the idea was that X shows any two touching suits (I assume you use 2C relay with optional Paradox stuff); 2C shows a three-suiter including clubs (clubs and 2 higher), 2D shows a three-suiter short in clubs (diamonds and 2 higher), and 2M is natural. I haven't really thought very hard about this defense; does anyone see a particular merit or danger of playing it?
Adam Beneschan wrote: > On May 16, 7:08 am, Terry Faust <m...@comcast.net> wrote: >> Assume that when opponents open a weak NT (12-14) you play your >> standard defense in the direct seat that includes double is penalty.
>> After 1NT Pass Pass,
>> 1. Do you still play your standard defense?
>> 2. Is double still penalty or should it now be for takeout?
> Is there such a thing as a takeout double when there are four unbid > suits?
> My tendency would be to play it for penalty, but I'd need a stronger > hand than in direct seat.
> -- Adam
Sure, just not a "generic takeout". e.g., you could play Woolsey, where double shows a 4-card major and longer minor. This isn't the standard takeout double ("please bid anything"), but definitely asks partner to take out the double unless he has a reason to think 1NX is going down.
Adam Beneschan wrote: > On May 16, 7:08 am, Terry Faust <m...@comcast.net> wrote: >> Assume that when opponents open a weak NT (12-14) you play your >> standard defense in the direct seat that includes double is penalty.
>> After 1NT Pass Pass,
>> 1. Do you still play your standard defense?
>> 2. Is double still penalty or should it now be for takeout?
> Is there such a thing as a takeout double when there are four unbid > suits?
> My tendency would be to play it for penalty, but I'd need a stronger > hand than in direct seat.
> -- Adam
I've even seen that agreement in the direct seat - from two different pairs. Sure enough, both times they had an opening hand with 3+ card support for all the unbid suits. Both times their partner jumped in a four card suit with a balanced 10-11 count.
Needless to say, we now treat a "takeout" of our 1NT opening the same way as a penalty double. They might sort themselves out next time.
Stephen Fischer wrote: > Adam Beneschan wrote: >> On May 16, 7:08 am, Terry Faust <m...@comcast.net> wrote: >>> Assume that when opponents open a weak NT (12-14) you play your >>> standard defense in the direct seat that includes double is penalty.
>>> After 1NT Pass Pass,
>>> 1. Do you still play your standard defense?
>>> 2. Is double still penalty or should it now be for takeout?
>> Is there such a thing as a takeout double when there are four unbid >> suits?
>> My tendency would be to play it for penalty, but I'd need a stronger >> hand than in direct seat.
>> -- Adam
> I've even seen that agreement in the direct seat - from two different > pairs. Sure enough, both times they had an opening hand with 3+ card > support for all the unbid suits. Both times their partner jumped in a > four card suit with a balanced 10-11 count.
> Needless to say, we now treat a "takeout" of our 1NT opening the same > way as a penalty double. They might sort themselves out next time.
Yes, this is the default agreement for confused pairs. We play their "takeout" doubles as if they were penalty, except that on a marginal hand we're more likely to pass than start a runout, figuring they'll usually save us anyway.
