[fimre]

When vul against non vul, we were sitting at E-W and the bid was:

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My first question is what the second double means? In my opinion, West's bid was penalty with ♥ and a strong (18+ HCPs) balanced hand. In contrary, with a ♥ stopper and 18+ he would bid 2NT, without a stopper he would bid 3♥.

I've passed and the 2♥ contract was made doubled for -470. (It was an IMP tourney, so we lost zillions of IMPs.) At the post-mortem West stated that his second double was support double with exactly 3 card ♠ support. Is that possible? I do not imagine that support double may be applicable is this situation, because West promised a 4 card ♠ suit with his first (take-out) double (or an extremely strong hand).

The second question is connected the hand he held:

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I think West would have bid pass or even 1 NT (but with 14 HCPs vul against non-vul it would be risky). T/o double isn't option for me in this situation.

As it happens, my hand was:

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What is your opinion?

[Trinidad]

The standard meaning for the repeated double is "more takeout". It means the following:

• West had a takeout double shape. He does not have a hand that was too strong to overcall. Then he would have bid a new suit now.
  
• West doesnot have 4 spades. In that case, he would have simply bid 2♠ (or 3♠ or 4♠, ...)
  
• West does have extra values. The fact that East bid spades, the suit that West likes the least, is bad news for West. He needs to be somewhat careful when he is bidding, since there may not be a fit. The same goes for the fact that East only bid 1♠: East won't have more than 7-8 points. West will have to come up with something extra to justify continuing the fight.

An example hand for West would be:

♠ A85
♥ 8
♦ AQT3
♣KQJ43

Rik

[ilonka]

Fimre u are absolutely right, ur p had not enough point for second t/o

[AL78]

I'd agree with a decent hand for the TOX and three spades. The bidding on the actual hand West held is garbage. Are you expected to bid 3♦? If so, it would be no surprise if you got doubled for -500. There is no bridge law that says it is compulsory to come in just because you have an opening hand (despite what the I-will-not-defend club like to believe).

A TOX does not promise a 4 card spade suit, although the hand is likely to have one. Sometimes with values, you have to double on less than ideal shape, or forever be shut out of the auction.