From: bs@gauss.mitre.org (Robert D. Silverman)
Subject: Re: assign the blame
Organization: Research Computer Facility, MITRE Corporation, Bedford, MA
Date: Thu, 10 Sep 1992 15:05:21 GMT

In article <1992Sep10.140036.15400@walter.bellcore.com> mie@faline.bellcore.com (Martin I. Eiger) writes:
:Regular matchpoints game, NS vulnerable
:
:            S-A98753
:            H-3
:            D-654
:            C-T72                         W    N    E    S
:S-KQ642                 S-T              ---  ---  ---  ---
:H-J9742                 H-KQT86           P    P   1H    D
:D-2                     D-T9             4H   4S   5H    D
:C-86                    C-AKJ93           P   5S   P     P
:            S-J                           D    P   P     P
:            H-A5
:            D-AKQJ873
:            C-Q54
:
:Down three for minus 800 was a cold bottom for north and south.  5H
:doubled, going down 1, would have been better.
:
:North and south play 8-15 points for a simple overcall.  South claims
 
This is sick. Limiting overcalls to 15HCP is going to force you to
first double on a lot of inappropriate hands. Such as the one below.

:that the first double, followed by a free bid in diamonds, was
:intended to show a strong one-suiter.  Unfortunately, the bidding got
 
South has a solid 7bagger and an outside Ace with 4 losers. This is
a borderline hand whether to overcall or double first. I dislike
doubling on so few HCP because you can get preempted to a high level
before ever showing your hand and you DON'T have much defense.

:too high before south could bid the diamonds again.
 
That is why a double is wrong and diamond overcall is right.

:
:North claims that south should have made a 2D overcall instead of
:doubling.  North inferred that south had at least some tolerance for
:spades because of the double.
 
North has no such inference if they double on all 16+ HCP hands.
That is the problem with this crazy agreement.

:
:South claims that north should have inferred from south's second
:double that south was prepared to defend against 5H and not prepared
:to play 5S, and that north therefore shouldn't have pulled the double
:of 5H.
 
If N-S were playing normal doubles and overcalls then South's double
would only be a suggestion that 5H* was better than 5S. North would
still be free to pull with long spades and no defense. 
This is NOT true in the style N-S are playing. If playing that double
shows 16+ and any shape, the final double of 5H is an absolute command
to pass. However, IMO, South really doesn't have enough defense to double
5H. Partner could be bidding 4S on K 7th and out. If South is doubling
simply to keep North from bidding; fine. But South should not be surprised
if they make it.


However, North only has 6 spades and does have an Ace. North should sit
especially with the style they are playing.

:What's your opinion.  Who's to blame and why?
 
I give 90% of the blame to the idiotic system they are playing, and
give the rest to North for pulling the double. South's bids were forced
by system.

IMO, South should overcall 2D on this hand.
--
Bob Silverman
These are my opinions and not MITRE's.
Mitre Corporation, Bedford, MA 01730
"You can lead a horse's ass to knowledge, but you can't make him think"