Matchpoints, ACBL robot individual
I can't recall responding to a takeout double in a robot individual previously. Others have had the experience, though, based on their responses on this hand. Of the 23 participants, 3 responded 1♠ with their 14-count (and 3 card suit) and 6 responded ♣. That's quite a few people significantly underbidding their hands and hitting the nail on the head - only those who bid 1♠ and 4 of the 6 who bid 2♣ got plus scores. I played the straight man, bidding 2♥, and got the full Laurel and Hardy - North bypassed its 2 4-card suits to show me its J third in ♣ and the result was not pretty.
I don't recall seeing anything about this in the forums. Has this been documented? North's penchant for bidding 3-card suits seem to be something that BBO is willing to live with (or can't change). But the fact that a significant number of participants know to significantly underbid their hands (including bidding a 3-card suit to stay low) when responding to a t/o double is puzzling, to say the least.