What’s your call?
| 2♣ | 2♦ | 2♥ | 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 |
2♣ by Korbel. “Logically, 2♣ should show both majors, as East will always have some clubs when he bids 1NT. Sure, I’m a spade short, perhaps, but this is the hand they dealt me.”
A cavalier 2♣ by Rigal. “What’s a spade between friends?”
2♣ by Sanborn, who doesn’t think this hand is good enough to double and then bid hearts. “The hearts are too ratty to overcall, so an off-beat Michaels is my ticket to enter the auction.”
Abdou calls 2♣ “the best lie” because it’s likely to get the partnership to a playable spot. “Double causes the obvious problem when partner bids diamonds. I’m not worried about protecting the ♣K, as it is facing shortness anyway.”
“Double is out,” Cohen agrees, “and I can’t pass. So my choices are showing nine of my cards with 2♣ or five of them with 2♥. 2♣ feels like a better overall description with a bigger upside. Picture partner with something like:
♠A x x x x ♥x ♦ x x x x ♣Q x x.”
“Double. Takeout,” booms Lawrence. “Run from diamonds to hearts. My ♣K 9 4 hints that they won’t be competing to 3♣, and if they do, and if that back-doors me into 3♥, at least I can hope for some heart support. Partner didn’t bid 1♦ , so his values there rate to be minimum. Hence his values may be useful ones.”
“Double. Takeout,” agrees Meyers. “If partner bids 2♦ , I will bid 2♥.”
The Sutherlins double. “Overcalling 2♥ risks playing in hearts with a six- or seven-card fit when we might have an eight- or nine-card spade fit. If partner bids 2♦ , we will correct to 2♥.”
Robinson doubles, also planning to correct diamonds to hearts. He suggests an interesting twist. “Actually it’s best to treat the 1NT response as an opening 1NT and play your notrump defense against it.”
Lee chooses 2♥, calling it “too scary to double here with a singleton diamond and no recovery. I like to play that 2♣ in this auction shows 5–4 in the majors either way and 2♦ shows 5–5.”
Falk agrees. “Double is just too dangerous. North is a huge favorite to bid some number of diamonds, and if I then bid hearts, I’ll be an ace or two short of what I’ve promised. Whereas if I leave partner in diamonds, I’ll need a new partner and possibly new teammates before the next hand.”
Colchamiro: “2♥. And pray.”
Hampson, confidently, 2♥: “I don’t have support for the unbid suits, and I do have a clear preference for one major.”
Boehm and Weinstein both pass. Says Boehm, “No diamond bids from either opponent suggests partner has length there. If I double, guess which suit I am apt to hear. I may be giving up a partscore swing, but game is more remote than a large penalty.”
Weinstein, who also likes 2♣ to show 5–4 in the majors and 2♦ to show 5–5, says it’s really close. “But I will lean conservative for a change.”
