Interesting Hand 24
You pick up 
AK
J6
AQ983. 19 points with two suits
and you are going to bid. The dealer on your right opens 1
which is a nuisance. Do you bid your suit or double? Your left hand opponents
isthen going to overcall in s, and
s are supported to at least to 2,
your partner remains silent. over 2
wht do you do?
Interesting hand 24 replies
This is a strong hand, at least by hcp’s (19) but odd shape , only 3 trick games in hand and on the loosing trick count 5 but we have not found fit so cannot use this method yet!
I would double over 1 diamond, telling partner I have a hcp hand and a weakness in diamonds. Partner would either, pass, or show their best suit. If partner showed more than 6 points and good heart fit go to game, if a club fit stop at 3rd level , as no point in pushing for 4.
A double is obvious but I am so strong I might force partner with a bid of 2 diamonds. Later I am going to show my heart suit or club suit if I am not out bid
What actually happened
Over the 1
opening I doubled, and this was overcalled by my RHO with 1.
Partner passed and spades were supported on my right. I decided that partner
is likely to have either a heart suit or a club suit, so I bid 3,
which was overcalled 3, and partner
re-evaluated her hand and bid 4 holding
1pt! Having a fit in both suits makes the combined hands so much stronger
4
makes. With no entry to dummy I cashed AK of hearts, and the Q fell. Played
the third heart to dummy’s J and led a low club finessing the Q. When that
held, cashed the ace and the K and J fell.. Contract made with an overtrick.
The only pair in game. Was it a good score, yes, but doubling 3 spades gets
it 2 tricks off, scores 500, instead of 450, so it could have been a bottom!
Partner's hand as dummy was:
94
J853
85 107642