Three auctions examined: Pass, Redouble and return to suit after a cuebid or raise. I asked my expert panel. What do these three auctions show? You're South.
Auction One: 1♥ 1♠ Pass 2♥ Double
What do Pass, Redouble and 2♠ show?
This auction is different from auction two and three because this could be a competitive auction. I like to play that new suits are non-forcing after an overcall. Therefore my 2♥-cuebid does not promise support. Pass says that I have a four-card or a bad five-card spade suit with unlimited strength. Redouble shows a good hand. 2♠ shows a minimum overcall with a good suit.
Most experts play that bidding 2♠ is the weakest action.
George Jacobs:---2♠ is the weakest bid. Bad overcall. Pass is a better hand but not forcing to game. Redouble says we have them.
Ralph Katz:---Most play that a pass is a mild game try and 2♠ is the weakest bid. But I think that pass could be anything, likely weak, 2♠ is an offensive minimum, and redouble is a game try plus, likely balanced.
Kit Woolsey:---Rebidding the suit is the worst hand. Pass shows game interest and redouble is a cuebid.
Jill Meyers:---2♠ is the worst hand; bids show extras.
Adam Wildavsky:---Most popular is surely that a return to suit is the weakest hand. Other possibilities are that pass is weakest, in which case a rebid of my suit shows extra offense but not extra high card values, or that a pass is weakest below game and a return to suit is weakest at or above game.
Billy Pollack:---2♠ is weak, but OK trumps. Redouble = extras, usually with defense.
Jeff Rubens:---Assuming that 2♥ is a general force (not necessarily a fit), pass is forcing, hence ambiguous, potentially nothing special to say; redouble is strength-showing, creates a force; 2♠ shows good spade suit, strong indication of strain choice, but not enough extra values to raise the level.
Ron Smith:---Pass shows interest, redouble shows strength with no clear direction and 2♠ = the worst hand.
Bobby Wolff:---Pass can be the worst hand, unless your next bid contradicts that meaning. Redouble shows a good hand, likely defense but promises another bid if still under game and in the passout seat. 2♠, while weak and very passable, would show at least five since the overcall could be on a four-card suit.
Marty Bergen:---Pass is a decent hand with five+ spades, 2♠ is the weakest action, and redouble is a four-card spade suit with a decent hand.
Steve Garner:---Redouble is best hand showing a full opener; pass is medium; 2♠ is worst.
Danny Gerstman:---2♠ is the worst hand; pass shows some game interest; redouble says it is our hand, willing to defend if they bid.
Larry Cohen:---For the most part, I play fast arrival in all of these situations. Return to the trump suit is weakest.
Mike Lawrence:---I like pass to imply a four-card suit and a good hand or a bad hand with five spades. 2♠ is a playing minimum hand you rather like. Redouble is all better hands.
Barry Rigal:---Return to trumps weakest. Pass is game try. Redouble undefined.
Henry Bethe:---General principles would say that 2♠ shows no interest in game, pass shows some interest, and redouble shows a heart control and interest.
Richie Schwartz:---2♠ is weak, no interest. Pass is decent hand. Redouble is maximum and a heart control.
Jon Wittes:---I play pass shows nothing extra for my bidding. Rebidding my suit probably shows extra length, but not significant extra values. Redouble should show extra values, and gives partner room to further describe their hand.
Marinesa Letizia:---Pass is forward going, redouble is a really good hand. 2♠ is a minimum.
John Mohan:---I think that after an overcall, pass is the worst hand, a return to suit shows a minimum but a good suit, and redouble is a non-minimum.
Bart Bramley:---Retreating to our suit is the weakest bid, and pass is more encouraging. Redouble shows strength.
Bobby Lipsitz:---Pass is the weakest hand; 2♠ confirms a "real" overcall; and a redouble is the strongest hand, possible penalty-oriented.
Steve Bloom:---For us, pass is always the weakest option. Redouble always shows a control and extra values. It might be an attempt to get to notrump from partner's side.
Joe Kivel:---Pass is the weakest bid. 2♠ shows typically an extra spade, and invites partner to compete. Redouble shows defensive strength.
Auction Two: 1♥ 2♦ 3♦ Double
What do Pass, Redouble and 3♥ show?
Partner's 3♦ shows a limit raise or better in hearts. Most experts agree with me and like returning to 3♥ to reject partner's game try. Pass shows some extras and allows partner to sign-off in 3♥ to show a bad limit raise. However, the meaning of redouble is split. I think that since this could be a slam auction and 3♦ does not promise a control, redouble should be slammish and promise a diamond control.
Joe Kivel:---Pass is the weakest bid. 3♥ shows an extra heart or a second suit. Redouble shows defensive strength.
George Jacobs:---3♥ is an attempt to sign off, pass is game interest and redouble is a control.
Ralph Katz:---Pass is a game try. Redouble shows a good balanced hand, and sets up a forcing pass. 3♥ is a signoff.
Kit Woolsey:---Pass shows game interest and redouble is a cuebid.
Jill Meyers:---Bidding 3♥ shows a minimum opener, redouble shows first round control of diamonds, and pass is slam interest but nothing further to say.
Adam Wildavsky:---Return to 3♥ is the weakest hand.
Jeff Rubens:---Without discussion partner would expect 3♥ to decline the game-try so it is non-forcing. A pass leaves the question open and perhaps conceals a slam-try. Redouble is game-forcing.
Ron Smith:---Pass is game interest. Redouble could have a penalty aspect, but is a good hand; bidding 3♥ shows a minimum opener.
Bobby Wolff:---Pass is likely to be the minimum opener unless later contradicted. Redouble would show good defense and a promise not to pass. 3♥ would be a minimum opener and passable, but at least five cards in the suit.
Steve Garner:---Redouble shows a full opener; pass shows a medium hand; a 3♥ bid shows a minimum hand.
Danny Gerstman:---3♥ is a minimum hand; pass shows some game interest. Redouble says it is our hand, willing to defend if they bid.
David Berkowitz:---3♥ is a minimum hand, pass shows some game interest and redouble is a balanced hand with extras.
Larry Cohen:---3♥ is weakest bid.
Mike Lawrence:---Prefer old fashioned limit raises here with a cuebid being game forcing. Pass is encouraging. 3♥ is worst. Redouble is a control with a good hand.
Barry Rigal:---3♥ is weakest bid. Pass is a game try. Redouble is undefined.
Henry Bethe:---General principles would say that 3♥ shows no interest in game, pass shows some interest, and redouble shows a diamond control and interest.
Richie Schwartz:---3♥ is a minimum hand, no game interest. Pass is a decent hand. Redouble is a maximum opener with a diamond control.
Jon Wittes:---Pass shows nothing extra for my bidding. Redouble shows extra values and should be a game try similar to a maximal overcall double.
Marinesa Letizia:---Pass is encouraging, redouble shows first or second round diamond control and 3♥ is a minimum not accepting a limit raise.
Bart Bramley:---Retreating to 3♥ is the weakest bid, and pass is more encouraging. Redouble shows strength.
Marty Bergen:---3♥ is the weakest bid. Pass is decent, and redouble is 0-1 diamond, not game-forcing.
John Mohan:---Pass is a minimum hand, return to the suit shows a minimum but a good suit, and redouble is non-minimum.
Bobby Lipsitz:---Pass is a minimum hand; 3♥ confirms an opener without extras; redouble = diamond control slam try.
Steve Bloom:---Pass is always the weakest option. Redouble shows a control and extra values. The return to our suit is also weak but somewhat forward going — think of that as a last train try.
Auction Three: 1♥ Pass 4♦ (splinter) Double
What do 4♥, Redouble and Pass show?
Partner's 4♦ bid shows at least four hearts, short diamonds and game-forcing values. Most of the experts play that bidding 4♥ over the double is the weakest action.
George Jacobs:---4♥ is to play, pass is slam interest, and redouble is first round control.
Ralph Katz:---4♥ is a signoff, pass is a slam try and redouble is a slam try with the ace of diamonds.
Kit Woolsey:---Rebidding 4♥ is the worst. Pass shows slam interest and redouble is a cuebid.
Larry Mori:---4♥ shows no slam interest. Redouble shows first round control of diamonds, and pass shows interest to let partner redouble with a first-round control.
Jill Meyers:---4♥ is a minimum opener. Redouble shows first round control of diamonds, and pass is slam interest but nothing further to say.
Adam Wildavsky:---The redouble of a splinter should show extras plus the ♦A, so partner knows how to value a void.
Billy Pollack:---4♥ is a minimum opener. Redouble is extras, slam-going. Pass is in between the two.
Jeff Rubens:---Some preferred 4♥ to show extra values but not enough to bid over game, but it was more popular to use 4♥ to show no interest in bidding higher. Redouble was widely seen as first-round diamond control.
Ron Smith:---4♥ is a signoff, redouble shows the ♦A and looking for more, and pass shows interest in slam but not first round control of diamonds.
Bobby Wolff:---4♥ is of course a minimum opener and very passable. Redouble is always first round control of diamonds. Pass denies first round control but is obviously forcing, and no doubt denies a minimum.
Steve Garner:---Pass is willingness to compete if they save; redouble is slam interest; 4♥ is a minimum opener.
Danny Gerstman:---4♥ is to play; pass = interest; redouble is first round diamond control and is not a drive beyond game.
David Berkowitz:---4♥ is the weakest bid, redouble is first round control with slam interest, and pass is no first round control, but still slam interest.
Larry Cohen:---For the most part, I play fast arrival in all of these situations. Return to the trump suit is weakest.
Mike Lawrence:---Pass is encouraging. 4♥ is a minimum hand. Redouble is slammish with no indication of your diamond holding.
Barry Rigal:---Return to 4♥ is weakest.
Henry Bethe:---4♥ is no slam interest. Pass is slam interest, and redouble is interest with the ♦A.
Richie Schwartz:---Over a splinter bid, redouble is first round control.
Chuck Berger:---4♥ is freeze out. Redouble is first round diamond control and slam interest. Pass is waiting, good or bad.
Albert Siebert:---4♥ is no slam interest, and redouble is a mandatory control bid. Pass shows some slam interest.
Bobby Lipsitz:---4♥ is sign off; pass looking for cooperation; redouble strongest.
Marinesa Letizia:---4♥ shows no diamond control and no slam interest. Redouble shows first round control, and pass denies a diamond control, but shows slam interest.
Carol Simon:---4♥ is weakest action and shows negative slam interest. Redouble shows a first round control. Pass shows slam interest and is probably looking for a spade or club cuebid.
John Mohan:---Redouble first with slam interest, pass otherwise with slam interest and, if room, a cuebid below game is a direct slam move.
Bart Bramley:---In all cases retreating to our suit is the weakest bid, and pass is more encouraging. Redouble shows strength, but redouble of a splinter-double shows the ace of that suit.
Marty Bergen:---4♥ is weakest action. Pass is slam interest. Redouble is a slam try with a bad suit.
Steve Bloom:---Pass is always the weakest option. Redouble always shows a control, and extra values.
Joe Kivel:---Pass is the weakest (least interest) response. 4♥ shows extra length or extra strength, but is certainly not forcing. Redouble showed the ace.
Jon Wittes:---Pass shows nothing extra for my bidding. Redouble should show first round control, and be a slam try.
In auction one, I like 2♠ to show a minimum with six spades, and pass to show a minimum with four or five spades. Redouble shows a hand that is not good enough to bid higher than 2♠ but not a sub-minimum — 11-12 points. In auction two, I like 3♥ to show no game interest, pass to show some interest without a control and redouble to show interest with a control. In auction three, 4♥ shows a minimum, pass shows extras and redouble shows first-round control.