[Phil]

The thread about redoubles reminds me of a story that has been told to me by one of my regular partners, Steve Clements. He was playing with Rob Crawford a number of years ago and held a hand similar to this:

---

Your call?

[aguahombre]

Yes. Too bad you let the cat out of the bag, up there

Actually, two cats: the thread reference, and Rob's trustworthiness.

[pooltuna]

abstain I never would make the first call for this seat

[aguahombre]

pooltuna, on 2012-April-10, 08:51, said:

abstain I never would make the first call for this seat

reasonable, even though I disagree. But then you wouldn't have gotten your chance for +670 on this one.

[Phil]

aguahombre, on 2012-April-10, 09:02, said:

reasonable, even though I disagree. But then you wouldn't have gotten your chance for +670 on this one.

You know the story?

[aguahombre]

Phil, on 2012-April-10, 09:27, said:

You know the story?

Not exactly the hand, but I seem to remember way, way back in the 90's him bringing the scenario up at dinner during a discussion about taking out take-outs. And, I also know he would bravely choose a suit or inquire re: the minor 100% of the times he didn't want partner to play 2SXX.

[Fluffy]

thx for spoiling the story. I also think pass should be to play, the only thin I am not sur is if 3♣ should be nat or pass or correct. 2NT asks for the minor IMO.

If double creates a forcing pass situaion for opponents there is no need for 2NT asking so maybe 2NT as sing off in my own minor makes sense since 3♣ p/c consumes more space than 2NT asking minor and own minor is certainly very infrequent.

[Phil]

Fluffy, on 2012-April-10, 10:12, said:

thx for spoiling the story.

More to come.

[karlson]

Fluffy, on 2012-April-10, 10:12, said:

thx for spoiling the story. I also think pass should be to play, the only thin I am not sur is if 3♣ should be nat or pass or correct. 2NT asks for the minor IMO.

If double creates a forcing pass situaion for opponents there is no need for 2NT asking so maybe 2NT as sing off in my own minor makes sense since 3♣ p/c consumes more space than 2NT asking minor and own minor is certainly very infrequent.

I usually have the following general agreement when they double our artificial two-suited bid: pass suggests playing where we are, redouble asks partner to pick a suit (so here to pick his minor), and everything else is natural. I'm not too worried about taking their space -- I can't imagine they're very likely to use what little of it there is anyway. But perhaps it would be nice to give partner a choice between his minor and hearts, maybe one of 2n and xx should be 4333.

[chasetb]

In Learn to Play Bridge 2 (I was bored last night, so was going through computer files to delete and stumbled upon it; I've never actually used it), partner's pass of the double asks the Michaels cuebidder to choose his/her best suit. Of course, I have never discussed this with any of my partners, but only 2 would even be remotely interested in discussing it.

How does the rest of the story go?

[Phil]

Steve passed of course. There are lots of ways for partner to proceed. I think 2N should ask about the minor, and 3m is natural, but it should be discussed. Pass has to be to play. I don't know what redouble is TBH.

Rob, who can be a little dogmatic at times complained that Steve should make 870

[Fluffy]

I think redouble should ask partner to bid his longest suit if any, 2NT otherwise

[MrAce]

Phil, on 2012-April-10, 15:32, said:

I don't know what redouble is TBH.

If you play pass as to play, i think you have to spare redouble for hands where you want cuebidder to bid his longer suit, and if there isn't one then he can bid his minor. Or do you never use michaels cuebid with 6-5 ?

[gnasher]

If you can be bothered with the complexity, you could use the available space to find out about 6-card suits and fits in the other minor. For example:

Pass = asking what the second suit is, and then:
Redouble = clubs, equal length or longer hearts
2NT = diamonds, equal length or longer hearts
3C = longer clubs
3D = longer diamonds
Redouble = Advancer has his own minor, but doesn't want to insist on it. Then 2NT asks what the minor is, and 3C/D says "No, let's play in one of my suits."
2NT = asking for the minor, constructive
3C/D = his own minor, to play

[Zelandakh]

Phil, on 2012-April-10, 15:32, said:

Steve passed of course. There are lots of ways for partner to proceed. I think 2N should ask about the minor, and 3m is natural, but it should be discussed. Pass has to be to play. I don't know what redouble is TBH.

One simple possibility is to use Redouble as replacing your forcing relay, 3♣ as pass/correct and then 2NT is a takeout into your own minor suit. You could naturally reverse XX and 2NT if you wanted to. Another option, as already pointed out, is to use one of these (or pass) to ask for the other/better suit. If choosing that then Andy's structure looks as good as anything.

[gwnn]

I hope Frances will explain her method again in this thread (pass means you prefer diamonds to hearts to clubs, xx means you prefer clubs to hearts to diamonds, or some such - hence my hope). This is an interesting auction. BTW there was also a mini-flamewar between jdonn and gnasher on it about 3 years ago.

[RMB1]

gwnn, on 2012-April-20, 07:55, said:

I hope Frances will explain her method again in this thread (pass means you prefer diamonds to hearts to clubs, xx means you prefer clubs to hearts to diamonds, or some such - hence my hope). This is an interesting auction. BTW there was also a mini-flamewar between jdonn and gnasher on it about 3 years ago.

It is clearer on the auction (1H)-2H*-(X), where you want to stop in 2S.
So Pass = prefer clubs to spades, prefer spades to diamonds;
Redouble = prefer diamonds to spades, prefer spades to clubs.

[gwnn]

RMB1, on 2012-April-20, 09:11, said:

It is clearer on the auction (1H)-2H*-(X), where you want to stop in 2S.
So Pass = prefer clubs to spades, prefer spades to diamonds;
Redouble = prefer diamonds to spades, prefer spades to clubs.

Oh yes. I think I was confusing the two.