In article <3FF799F3.9C84AA03@[EMAIL PROTECTED]
>,
william henderson <wchen@[EMAIL PROTECTED]
> wrote:
> We were a first-time pick up partner****p (intermediate) playing in a
> tourney. In third seat I opened the bidding 1 spade with ten points, my
> hand satisfying the rule of 15. My LHO bid two hearts and my partner
Rule of 15 is for 4th seat. In 3rd seat you can bid a bit more
aggressively than normal, and some get very frisky (it helps to play
Drury if you open real garbage).
> made (ostensibly) a negative double. I refused to be forced to the
> three level, so I passed. It transpires that my partner HOPED that I
> would do just that, for his hand was penalty oriented.
With a hand like that he should pass, and hope you will make a reopening
double, which he converts to penalty by passing. If he doubles with
both types of hands, you need to be psychic to do the right thing.
In this case you just got lucky. Next time he'll have 5-5 in the minors
and no defense, and you'll get a bottom by letting them make 2H doubled.
When partner makes a forcing bid, you have to have a really good reason
to pass it. If you're not willing to go to the 3 level, you should
rebid your spades -- it's the least lie. And if you couldn't stand the
consequences, you shouldn't have opened in the first place.
> Before the play began, the 2 heart bidder enquired whether we played
> negative doubles. I felt that to answer this question would reveal the
> strength, or rather the weakness, of my hand so I remained silent.
You mustn't remain silent. If someone asks about your agreements, you
have to explain them.
> My question to the forum is this; should my partner have told them that
> we do play negative doubles, but that he was hoping I would pass when he
> made the bid. Sounds ridiculous to me. But apparently he should alert
> his bid because he was hoping that I wd take it as penalty oriented; a
> negative double "intended" as a penalty double, so to speak.
You're only required to describe your agreements, not your actual hand,
nor what you "hope" partner will do. Although he may have been hoping
you would pass for penalties, he presumably wasn't expecting it. You
didn't take it as penalty oriented, you simply chose to ignore your
agreement -- you hoped it would be safer than getting too high.
The opponents weren't misinformed if you told them you play negative
doubles. They're just unlucky that you both misbid and it worked out
well. It's called "getting fixed".
--
Barry Margolin, barmar@[EMAIL PROTECTED]
MA
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