[helene_t]

 Phil, on 2017-February-02, 09:45, said:

Kleinman really suggests a reopening double shows extras?

yes. in chtonic's "human bridge errors"

[kenberg]

It seems to me that if S does not act over the 2C then there is no plausible route to game. A jump to 3S over the re-opening double would work but that's because of the fur spades and the nice five diamonds in the in hand, neither guaranteed. And still 4S, while likely, is not on ice.

So can S act on the first round? Not if it's me. I recently started a thread with general issues with the negative X after 1D-(2C). S has to be ready for opener to bid 2H. Some say that over 2H then S can bid 2S with this hand. If that is the agreement that I have, then I would probably double on the first round with reasonable hopes of landing on my feet if I get a 2H rebid from N. But I don't have that agreement with anyone, and I am not sure how standard it is.If I cannot X and then bid 2S over 2H, I am not up for X and then 2NT over 2H. Qxx in clubs doesn't seem like enough and probably will not be enough. If N is 2=4=5=1 with the same count and the same stiff club, the defense will begin with a club lead from W to the A, and then another club. Missing the K, Q of clubs I imagine E holds the diamond K. 2NT is not going to go well.

So: Unless NS are playing that S can double and convert 2H to 2S on this hand, I don't think S can risk the double. And, then, I don't expect them to get to 4S. Too bad, but that's life.

[gszes]

I have no heartache with the bidding until S bid 2s. Once n backs in with x S cannot keep showing a broke hand. Yes indeed once in a while you will get overboard with 3s but far more often it will be the right spot or even game will make. If you wanted to be conservative at MP I could understand sort of but at IMPS sheesh lets see a bit more aggression here by south or north will go nuts with overbidding to compensate.

[keen2learn]

Surely North looking at the short clubs in his hand and knowing from the bidding that partner has a few and would be concerned about club losers can bid three spades which is encouraging and has to show a club shortage otherwise why bid.

[maartenxq]

 GrahamJson, on 2017-February-02, 08:12, said:

This looks to me like a hand where you just have to accept a poor score and move on. No partnership or system will reach the optimum contract every hand. In this case both players have made reasonable bids so there is no real blame. Of course it may be possible to have advanced agreements that would help in this particular situation, as has been suggested, but they often lead to problems elsewhere.

Agree. Another option would be of course to pass the dbl, opps are at least vulnerable. I know several opps in bbo tnrmts against which I would do this a tempo.