[AL78]

Yesterday was playing with a scratch partner as a practice for a local teams competition in a couple of weeks. The session had been a mixed bag although we hadn't had any bidding misunderstandings or defensive disasters. We got to the final round and my estimate was we were somewhere in the middle although it is hard to tell when there are only four and a half tables and some boards only get played three times. The score didn't matter, this was about getting some feel for each other.

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I was North. I had no idea what partner was doubling on nor why she couldn't find a 1♠ overcall. It can't be takeout as the opps have bid three suits, but what can partner have to penalise when she couldn't do anything on the first two rounds? Is opener 1444 and they have landed in a 4-2 fit and she is sitting with a diamond stack?

2♦X makes 10 tricks for -580 which is a top for us. The other two pairs are in 3NT+1 and 5♦+1 for 620 and 630. I have never seen the strategy of doubling the opponent's making partscore with overtricks in order to seduce them out of a higher scoring game before.

After questioning what partner was thinking it turns out she was applying the principle of not letting the opponents play in a two level contract and was trying to do a TOX, playing me for some HCP, although the standard when making a TOX is that there are at least two possible strains to play in.

[DavidKok]

An interesting misunderstanding and fortunate outcome. I don't see how declarer can be kept to only 10 tricks, but perhaps there was a slipup during the play.

There is a 'convention' called the Stripe-tailed Ape Double, where you double a high level bid (typically at the 4-level) of opponents to allow them to play 4-something-doubled making a few overtricks, in the hope you'll dissuade them from going to slam. It's named after the fact that you must run like an ape with your tail between your legs if they redouble, so this call requires a long suit.
On the example auction partner could have passed them out, so I don't think the double had tactical merit. I would have overcalled 1♠ on the first round.

[Cyberyeti]

This double if it exists would be something like 5 diamonds and 4 hearts and an opening hand. Opps deserved their bottom, I presume W doesn't actually have a pulse for his 2♦ bid (or E had previous for some very dubious 3rd seat openers and he was fielding a non existant psyche). Given E only made 10, W might have seen his declarer play before.

I've kinda used a more extreme version of this before, I had xxxx, AQ10x, xxxx, A and made an ill advised takeout double of RHO's 1♣, redouble P-P and I decided this was not going to go well, so I hoped they could only make +1 and this would be less than the game. Partner couldn't believe his luck, opener was also quite light with an indifferent club suit and when the smoke had cleared with the help of partner's ♣KQ10xxx and xxx/KJx in the heart suit under my AQ10 this was +1600.

[pescetom]

I cannot imagine a reason for South not to overcall 1♠ on first round.
Nor for West to bid a mere 2♦, nor for South not to pass it out with relief.

[Cyberyeti]

pescetom, on 2023-June-07, 12:54, said:

I cannot imagine a reason for South not to overcall 1♠ on first round.
Nor for West to bid a mere 2♦, nor for South not to pass it out with relief.

As a passed hand, I'd be bidding 2♠ (fit) on the first round with the W hand.

[pescetom]

Cyberyeti, on 2023-June-07, 13:03, said:

As a passed hand, I'd be bidding 2♠ (fit) on the first round with the W hand.

Fair enough if you play that convention.

[Cyberyeti]

pescetom, on 2023-June-07, 14:44, said:

Fair enough if you play that convention.

Doesn't everybody who would have opened a weak 2/multi on any hand they'd have WJSd on

[pescetom]

Cyberyeti, on 2023-June-07, 14:59, said:

Doesn't everybody who would have opened a weak 2/multi on any hand they'd have WJSd on

I'm not sure what you're saying.
I would never open W as a weak 2, I don't play fit bids and nor does everybody and I'm comfortable with 1♠ over 1♦.
It's 2♦ that I consider an underbid.

[Cyberyeti]

pescetom, on 2023-June-07, 15:20, said:

I'm not sure what you're saying.
I would never open W as a weak 2, I don't play fit bids and nor does everybody and I'm comfortable with 1♠ over 1♦.
It's 2♦ that I consider an underbid.

You were saying "If you play P-P-1♦-P-2♠ as fit"

I was suggesting that if you play widish range weak 2s where any hand you would have WJSd into spades over 1♦ would qualify for a 1st seat weak 2, then what else can 2♠ be other than fit by a passed hand.

Yes 2♦ is a MASSIVE underbid