[lamford]

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Do you pull to 7NT? Would it make any difference if the Double was alerted? Would it make any difference if you were the Secretary Bird, and you knew Blue Book 4B4(c) by heart: [alertable doubles] (c) Doubles or redoubles that are lead-directing but ask for the lead of a suit other than the suit doubled (or redoubled)?

[WellSpyder]

(1) Yes, I pull to 7NT
(2) No it wouldn't make any difference if the double was alerted. I would certainly ask about the meaning of a double out of the blue like this if I felt it might be important for my decision, whether or not it was alerted (and even though I know the implications of the relevant part of the EBU regulations). I don't necessarily expect all my opponents to be completely clear on the alerting regulations here, and I can ask without causing other difficulties for my side in the auction.
(3) It follows from my answer to (2) that I think it is the SB's attitude to winning the game of law rather than the game of bridge that is relevant here, rather than precise knowledge of the Blue Book.

[lamford]

WellSpyder, on 2018-May-09, 03:59, said:

(1) Yes, I pull to 7NT
(2) No it wouldn't make any difference if the double was alerted. I would certainly ask about the meaning of a double out of the blue like this if I felt it might be important for my decision, whether or not it was alerted (and even though I know the implications of the relevant part of the EBU regulations). I don't necessarily expect all my opponents to be completely clear on the alerting regulations here, and I can ask without causing other difficulties for my side in the auction.
(3) It follows from my answer to (2) that I think it is the SB's attitude to winning the game of law rather than the game of bridge that is relevant here, rather than precise knowledge of the Blue Book.

Annoyingly, SB passed, intending to get the pigs in if there were a heart ruff. Most unfairly, the Lightner Double was psychic, with ♥QTxxx and SB did not need his second chance of winning in the AC when the heart was not ruffed. 7NT cannot make.

[WellSpyder]

lamford, on 2018-May-09, 04:31, said:

Annoyingly, SB passed, intending to get the pigs in if there was a heart ruff. Most unfairly, the Lightner Double was psychic, with ♥QTxxx and SB did not need his second chance of winning in the AC when the heart was not ruffed.

That does sound annoying! I suppose 7NT doesn't make? I guess East needs to train his partner to alert next time he (east) makes a psychic call!

[JanisW]

Why did I jump to 7♠ in the first place? Did it promise all Kings?

AKJxxx and out would surely not have opened 1♠. A 7th ♠ or any Q will make 7NT cold.
I suppose partner could have AKJxxx,x,Jx,Jxxx, some would open 2♠ some would open 1♠.

I would've bid 5NT and pulled the 6♠ reply to 7. I hope P realizes that I always intended to bid to 7 regardless of any Kings in his hand.
That should (at least could) alert him to the fact that I am looking for a 13th trick for 7NT, without causing any harm (he will not bid anything that gives the possibility for a lead-directing X)

To the actual problem:
I would pull to 7NT, if E really has a ♥-void, 7NT is cold anyway. Also P is quite likely to have a minor-suit Q or a 7th Spade. If E has J109x of ♠ I might make 7NT and not 7♠. AKxxxx,Qx,Qxx,xx has 13 toptricks.

[lamford]

JanisW, on 2018-May-09, 04:55, said:

To the actual problem:
I would pull to 7NT, if E really has a ♥-void, 7NT is cold anyway. Also P is quite likely to have a minor-suit Q or a 7th Spade. If E has J109x of ♠ I might make 7NT and not 7♠. AKxxxx,Qx,Qxx,xx has 13 toptricks.

Annoyingly, partner has AKJTxx x x T9xxx and thought this was a One Spade opener. The club guards are split, and the heart finesse is wrong, so 7NT fails!

[lamford]

WellSpyder, on 2018-May-09, 03:59, said:

I can ask without causing other difficulties for my side in the auction.

Except you may cause the opponents to realise it is an obvious lightner double, which the brain-dead oppo might not have twigged. I don't think you have any obligation to ask at all. "You are quite entitled to assume the call is not in an alertable category."

[Cyberyeti]

lamford, on 2018-May-10, 04:10, said:

Except you may cause the opponents to realise it is an obvious lightner double, which the brain-dead oppo might not have twigged. I don't think you have any obligation to ask at all. "You are quite entitled to assume the call is not in an alertable category."

It shouldn't in theory matter, but do my opps usually play under EBU rules ? If not I might be more inclined to cut them some slack.

[MrAce]

Yes I would pull to 7 NT and no it would not make any difference to me whether they alerted the x or not.

[lamford]

Cyberyeti, on 2018-May-10, 05:45, said:

It shouldn't in theory matter, but do my opps usually play under EBU rules ? If not I might be more inclined to cut them some slack.

It was the Spring Fours, but the pair would probably not have been aware that a lightner double was alertable in England. I think I would pull to 7NT as well, but I quite "liked" SB's idea of having two bites at the cherry. If they find a heart ruff, and 7NT would make, immediately cry foul!