Posted 2012-March-15, 08:51
What can you do but double?
Sure, partner will usually sit....probably 90% of the time, or even more, given your club void. Sure, they may make this, and even have a trick in the bank. And on a bad day, rho sends it back.
But: most of the time they will fail, and sometimes by 2 tricks.
I'm not particularly worried about protecting our equity in game, since I assume that if 5♣ is normal, my teammates, at imps, and the field, at mps, will protect us most of the time. But if partner has a freak, and wasn't able to bid directly, then I will be happy to hear him make a bid. That is a slight upside to doubling, but I double primarily because I want to turn 100 into 200, 200 into 500...at the risk of turning -600 into -750.
'one of the great markers of the advance of human kindness is the howls you will hear from the Men of God' Johann Hari