Cyberyeti, on 2020-September-18, 08:47, said:
Mike, what do you think the double shows rather than pass ? Presumably he can bid 3N with decent spades.
Is it any balanced hand with a doubleton spade ? Is it any hand with 4 hearts ? Is it any hand with a doubleton spade and 4 hearts ?
Would you double or pass with a 2353 hand ?
I don't play 2♦ waiting, I'm not sure where we end up, might also depend on the interference which might not be the same over 2♣-3♣ but I suspect will end in 6♣ maybe 7.
I don't play 2D waiting, either. Not sure what your point is. 2D waiting means it could be a very weak hand: I respond 2H with those.
Trump quality is important when playing slams in a 4-4 fit, especially when the opps are preempting, suggesting bad breaks.
The double of 3S, to me, is fairly ill-defined, other than being 'takeout'. Partner is expected to hold 1-2 spades. A void would be odd (and not merely because I hold a void....with most 5440 hands, partner should stretch to avoid 2C, which makes finding fits in the 4 card suits difficult)
One cannot wait to be have to hold 4 hearts in order to make a double of 3S...what does one do with 2=3=4=4 with Ax spades and say 24 hcp?
One cannot wait to hold KQJx in hearts either. What would you be doing if we showed you a South hand of Ax Kxxx AKQJ KQx? If you'd pass with that, add the rounded Jacks to become Ax KJxx AKQJ KQJ
As for bidding 3N, he'd need good but short spades, at least 2 stoppers (or one but 9 likely tricks). Also, if playing 2D waiting (a treatment I have played and learned to dislike intensely) 3N is a terrible gamble opposite xx xxxx xxxx xxx or such, so 3N should have at least 24 hcp or so, and 2+ spade stoppers or (alternatively) possibly a weaker hand in terms of hcp but a source of tricks: AQ Kx AKQxxx KQx would be typical. Make it (not opposite our north hand, obviously) Ax Ax AKQxxxx Ax and again 3N seems clear
Also, maybe you misunderstood the passage you quoted. I was discussing how the auction might go if north had responded 3C to 2C, and 4th seat had bid 3S. I won't believe (or, if I did, won't respect) anyone who claims they would double 3S for takeout. Not only is this now a penalty double, in my book, but even if it were not, who in their right mind would double for takeout when holding KQJx in partner's suit? What? Catering ONLY to partner holding an improbable 4 card heart suit of unknown quality?
'one of the great markers of the advance of human kindness is the howls you will hear from the Men of God' Johann Hari