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1. • CommentAuthorshippon97
   • CommentTimeFeb 28th 2010 edited

    
   My partner opened 1Diamond, her LHO doubled, I passed (not enough points to answer my partner), opponents partner passed and my partner passed thinking that it was for takeout and opponents had not done so. When I led a diamond my partner who won it, and proceeded to lead diamonds back, but when it was seen that I had run out after two rounds, she suddenly realised that all the rest of the diamonds - 6 of them were with opponents. We went down -3 vunerable doubled 800 points!
   
   I thought a double at the one level and two level of a suit was for takeout, opponents did not alert to indicate otherwise and therefore we could have been disadvantaged as we would not have led diamonds.
   
   I am aware that we could ask the meaning of every bid at the end of the auction but this could be very time consuming. Comments would be welcomed
   
   Shippon 97
2. • CommentAuthorFrances
   • CommentTimeMar 11th 2010

    
   The write-up here is not terribly clear, as I cannot work out who ended up playing the hand - it sounds as if the auction was 1D from your partner, double from the hand in next seat, and that then ended the auction, so your partner ended up playing in 1Dx. But if that was the case, surely your hand was dummy, and your partner would have known how many diamonds you held?
   
   Anyway, I can certainly address your second comment: "I thought a double at the one level and two level of a suit was for takeout, opponents did not alert to indicate otherwise and therefore we could have been disadvantaged"
   
   Without seeing the full hand, there are two different things that might have happened here.
   1. The hand that doubled 1D was indeed making a take-out double. Their partner could still choose to pass a take-out double with a lot of diamonds. For example, suppose you held something like
   
   Spades 3
   Hearts 32
   Diamonds QJ109876
   Clubs 432
   
   and you heard your partner made a take-out double of 1D. In that case you would pass it, because you can see that defending 1D doubled is likely to be your best spot.
   This is completely normal bidding, and your opponents did not need to alert anything, because the double was meant for take-out.
   
   2. The hand that doubled 1D was doubling it for penalties, looking at a hand with good diamonds.
   That's also completely legal, but in that case it should have been alerted because, as you say, otherwise you would be disadvantaged.
   
   "I am aware that we could ask the meaning of every bid at the end of the auction but this could be very time consuming."
   That's right - that's why a take-out double is not alerted, but a penalty double should be.
   
   The one thing you have to be aware of is that the auction as you gave it is quite consistent with it having been a take-out double: you are not legally obliged to bid over your partner's takeout double, you always take the action you think fits best with your hand.