What’s your call?
| 2♠ | 2NT | |||
| 3♣ | 3♦ | 3♥ | 3♠ | 3NT |
| 4♣ | 4♦ | 4♥ | 4♠ | 4NT |
| 5♣ | 5♦ | 5♥ | 5♠ | 5NT |
| 6♣ | 6♦ | 6♥ | 6♠ | 6NT |
| 7♣ | 7♦ | 7♥ | 7♠ | 7NT |
| Pass | Dbl |
Lawrence doubles. “Dare I hint that this should be unanimous?” asks Lawrence. “This hand is too good for 2♠ or 3♠. Doubling does not stop you from showing your spades later.”
Cohen explains further: “I have too much potential in the other suits and too much overall strength for 3♠. With better spades and less strength, 3♠ (intermediate) would be indicated. I am sure not rooting for partner to leave the double in, but really – having ruled out 3♠ – there is no other sensible call.”
“Too strong to just bid spades,” says Meckstroth. “I have a great hand for three different suits.”
The Sutherlins agree. “A jump in spades would tend to take clubs and diamonds out of the picture. Double lets partner convert, which should be a big juicy number.”
Weinstein says he will ignore any attempt by partner to use lebensohl (2NT) to relay to 3♣. “If partner bids 2NT, I plan to bid 3♠. I have multiple places to play and a massive hand.”
Boehm doubles and says he’ll let it develop from there. “If partner passes under the gun, his excellent trumps and my defensive tricks should yield a nice number.”
Korbel doesn’t have quite as much faith in partner, but he doubles all the same: “This hand is just too strong to start with anything else. If partner passes, it’s probably wrong, but it may not be that bad.”
Lee says, “Our spades are not good enough to insist on them as trumps.” He doubles. “If partner passes, that’s fine – I’m not thrilled, but we have tons of defense and it could easily be right.”
Meyers, too: “I think I have enough to double and correct to spades. If partner happens to make a constructive bid in one of the minors, I have a lot more options than if I had committed to spades.”
Colchamiro contemplates several alternatives before deciding on 3♠. “I’m really torn on this one. Either my (reluctant) choice of 2♠ or double could work out. Of course, I’d rather my ♠5 was the jack. Although double is perhaps the most flexible, in life it always seems to go 4♥ by my lefthand opponent back to me. And, if lefty is about to bid 4♥, I’d rather bid spades then double, than the other way around.”
Robinson isn’t the least bit conflicted. “3♠. I don’t want to defend 2♥ doubled.”
Nor does Sanborn. “3♠ should be played like a good, intermediate jump overcall. I would hate to double and have partner pass with no direction and a smattering – e.g.,
♠K x ♥J 10 9 x ♦ Q x x x ♣Q x x.
This hand is good enough to raise 3♠ to four, but might easily pass a takeout double.”
Hampson bids a heavy 2♠. “I expect to have a chance to double back in later when LHO raises hearts. I prefer to start with my six-card suit and follow with double, rather than the reverse.”
