I see where you’re coming from on BWTA but the hand could double and then bid (say) 4C over 3S if passed back to it or 4N over 4S. Is that a reasonable alternative? It may well be better to start with 2C or is even 2S worth a thought given the strength although partner may then overrate the D support?
Regards,
Iain
Bobby WolffFebruary 15th, 2023 at 2:10 pm
Hi Iain,
Yes, you are, with the BWTA, sniffing around a high level bridge principle, rare to appear, but when established, needs to have consistency.
Most of the time, with few exceptions, a negative double will be limited, to less than a game force, but normally just the beginning of a contested auction, allowing those using it, to gauge their bidding (both partners) in case the bad guy (4th seat) is able to preempt your partnership with good support, but a weak hand. In so doing, it allows the opener to not expect extra values from the negative doubler which could, in some cases if inconsistently occurs, make competitive bidding
much more difficult, for fear of missing a slam.
For those who desire examples: After opener South starts with 1 club and West overcalls 1 spade, if North holds s. xx, h. Kxxx, d. AQJxx, c. Jx, he shoud double, but if the same holding but the jack of clubs is the ace he should instead bid 2 diamonds, increasing the possibility of missing the heart fit, but rather tipping partner off from the beginning, that they are forced to game and need not worry
about jumping around, to confirm.
Yes, this ploy is seldom explained nor written often, and, for that matter, always incorporated with less than top-level partnerships, but upon reflection, it is a worthwhile adjunct to include, since GF, as opposed to not, is not to be down graded as only semi-important, with the major plus, of not having to cue bid with xx in the opponents suit to recover the advantage this subject protects.
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Hi Bobby,
I see where you’re coming from on BWTA but the hand could double and then bid (say) 4C over 3S if passed back to it or 4N over 4S. Is that a reasonable alternative? It may well be better to start with 2C or is even 2S worth a thought given the strength although partner may then overrate the D support?
Regards,
Iain
Hi Iain,
Yes, you are, with the BWTA, sniffing around a high level bridge principle, rare to appear, but when established, needs to have consistency.
Most of the time, with few exceptions, a negative double will be limited, to less than a game force, but normally just the beginning of a contested auction, allowing those using it, to gauge their bidding (both partners) in case the bad guy (4th seat) is able to preempt your partnership with good support, but a weak hand. In so doing, it allows the opener to not expect extra values from the negative doubler which could, in some cases if inconsistently occurs, make competitive bidding
much more difficult, for fear of missing a slam.
For those who desire examples: After opener South starts with 1 club and West overcalls 1 spade, if North holds s. xx, h. Kxxx, d. AQJxx, c. Jx, he shoud double, but if the same holding but the jack of clubs is the ace he should instead bid 2 diamonds, increasing the possibility of missing the heart fit, but rather tipping partner off from the beginning, that they are forced to game and need not worry
about jumping around, to confirm.
Yes, this ploy is seldom explained nor written often, and, for that matter, always incorporated with less than top-level partnerships, but upon reflection, it is a worthwhile adjunct to include, since GF, as opposed to not, is not to be down graded as only semi-important, with the major plus, of not having to cue bid with xx in the opponents suit to recover the advantage this subject protects.