[nige1]

Harry Smith's on-line BBO Swiss teams (IMPS), tonight.
No special agreements.
What would you do?

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[mikeh]

I’d abstain. Obviously I wasn’t at the table originally since there is zero chance that I’d perpetrate that initial double.

Are there still good players who double with that hand?

Edit
I should modify that remark….I might well double, intending to treat this as a balanced 19 count and rebid notrump if space permitted. When I first glanced at the hand, I mistakenly saw it as a 16 count, with which I’d never double.

[pescetom]

nige1, on 2021-October-04, 15:26, said:

Harry Smith's on-line BBO Swiss teams (IMPS), tonight.
No special agreements.
What would you do?

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I would ask for a better explanation of 4♠ than "natural" and information about other possible bids that would have shown fit and/or forced to game.

[Winstonm]

If everything is on the up and up, then east must by hugely distributional and we might catch 1 tricks. I can easily see east AQxxx, void, AJ10xxxx, x. I am going to pass.

[Douglas43]

Reluctant pass. Double would be second take-out and might be right, but could be lead to a phantom sacrifice. Partner hasn't got much, but with lots of red cards might have scraped up a bid over 1♠. I think partner could have some values in clubs.

[Cyberyeti]

WOuld have overcalled 1♥, this is far from maximum for us

[Tramticket]

mikeh, on 2021-October-04, 15:31, said:

I might well double, intending to treat this as a balanced 19 count and rebid notrump if space permitted.

This would be my plan.

I guess that I have to double now and lead a trump.

[mikeh]

Douglas43, on 2021-October-05, 01:55, said:

Reluctant pass. Double would be second take-out and might be right, but could be lead to a phantom sacrifice. Partner hasn't got much, but with lots of red cards might have scraped up a bid over 1♠. I think partner could have some values in clubs.

The first double was takeout of diamonds, and promised the ability to handle advancer bidding spades. It is thus, from advancer’s perspective, usually going to contain spade length.

Opener has guessed. It seems likely that opener has significant shape, say 4=1=6=2 as one solid possibility.

Whether it makes sense to jump to 4S after a takeout double and responder only promising 4+ spades is a question for the opponents. Unfortunately I think there’s a good chance he’s hit a home run.

If I double now, I expect my next decision to be my opening lead…I’m leading a heart because I don’t have enough trump to be able to cut down the cross-ruff or the establishment of diamonds.

Partner should not expect my two doubles to be based on xx in spades.

Say I held KQx AKxxx Kx Axx. I’d double (even I sometimes double rather than overcall) and now I’d expect to beat 4S so I’d double again.

If one doubles twice with that hand, I don’t think one should double twice with the posted hand. I’d pass.

[apollo1201]

Opener probably has a highly distributional hand, 4-6 at min, could even be 5-6 or 4-7. With reasonable but not super strong HCP strength, I guess. And a sg diamond in declarer who’ll easily establish the suit.

I am not sure I can cash 3 tricks. Let alone 4 with some unexpected help from an almost broke partner who couldn’t even find a competitive C or H bid over 1S.

Could 5H be a cheap save, idk. But I sincerely doubt it is making.

I’ll reluctantly pass and if possible in tempo. After all, in an ideal world, I cash HAK and CA on the lead, then declarer misguesses trumps finessing me for the SQ, or concedes me a D trick when establishing the suit.