Weekly Hand Analysis - June 26, 2023 -Mark Olsky - Stolen Bid Double

Question:

In this bidding, West uses a stolen bid double and then North steals East 2D bid.  Should East have doubled again because their bid was also stolen or was 2NT or another version of NT the best bid?

Mark:

Actually, I love that 2NT bid, but it requires some pretty advanced thinking by West. East had no obligation to make any bid over 2 diamonds if all he had was a run- of- the- mill 1NT opening. West was going to get another chance to "speak." 1NT is normally pretty descriptive and most of the time no further description is necessary for W to decide where the hand belongs. Making the unforced bid of 2NT should say, and I think it does: "I was almost too good to open just 1NT. I'm pretty confident we can make at least 2NT even with the worst 8 points that W could have for that implied 2 club Stayman bid."  Now West could look at that anemic looking 9 points and be discouraged, but it's not totally trash, so I'd be inclined to bid 3NT. It's not clearcut. I empathize with the pass. Now let's get back to East for a moment. If you are confident that you and your partner are a well- oiled bidding machine, that 2NT bid is great. I would bid that with one of my most trusted partners. If my West is a robot or a less expert player I might take a slight gamble to take the burden of my partner and just bid 3NT. This assumes that the W player can be depended on to have at least about 8 points for that double, which I strongly recommend. Look at the difference that 9 points makes compared to 8 in this case! Give West 3 small spades instead of the Jxx. N-S can now cash 6 spades in quick order and even 2NT goes down. 

  N-S took advantage of the favorable vulnerability to do some pestering (That's good competitive bridge!) and it paid off by giving E-W a tough decision instead of an easy one on the way to 3NT.

  Incidentally, in the actual auction, a double of 2 diamonds would not be "stolen bid." Pass is a better way to say you don't have a 4 card major. Double says you have good diamonds and might want to play defense if the opponents don't have a safe landing place. All doubles from that point on would be for penalty, but you don't want to do that at this vulnerability. The reward is unlikely to be enough compared to the probable 600+ of a vulnerable game.