ONEHITCHIN BRIDGE CLUB LESSON 17

THE USE OF DOUBLESTake-out doubles Double is the most underused card in the bidding box and it can be used on so many occasions giving partner information and keeping the bidding at a low level.In the modern game, nearly all doubles of suits are used for take-out. Doubles can be used up to and including 2S but as the game has grown more competitive take-out doubles are now used up to 3S.The double for take-out usually comes in 2nd position after opener but if the opponents have bid 2 suits you can also double showing the other two suits. You can also double on the second round of bidding if opponents have stopped in a low level contract.Doubling with a weak hand (with distribution)It is best not to double with a weak NT hand as partner will invariably bid your 2 card suit!Suppose you pick up hand (a) which has 13 points.(a) doubling hand (b)responder (c)responder

S AK108 S Q765 S Q765H 4 H J864 H A862D KQ72 D 963 D 963 C J1098 C A7 C A7

The first player to bid is on your right. He/she opens 1H. You are unable overcall because you need a suit with a minimum of 5 cards for this bid. You now double asking partner to bid their best 4 card suit. Because the opposition have opened 1H it is normal for your partner to think that you have a spade suit (the other major). With 4 spades (hand (b)) partner bids 1S. The guide is that with less than 9 points you reply with a four-card suit at the lowest level you can. Hand (a) with 13 points will now pass (assuming that the opposition passes too). Responder, with a hand like (c) bids STOP:2S, which hand (a) raises to 3S (asking if partner is top of the 9-12 range) and responder passes with 10 points. TWO

(d) (e) (f)S J73 S J73 S 73

H AQ109 H Q109 HKQ10982D 1072 D 107 D 108C Q43 C KQ652 C A86Responder responder responder

What would you do if your partner doubles 1H and you hold a hand like (d)? With a balanced 9 points and good heart values bid 1NT which hand (a) will pass. With hand (e) and only 3 spades (and 8 points) bid 2C. Partner, with hand (a), will pass. Hand (f) presents an interesting problem. If opener’s partner passes your partner’s double, rather than bid 1NT, pass. You have a good chance of taking a good penalty, especially if the opposition are vulnerable. Doubling with Strong Hands(g) (h) (i) (j)

S 3 S 1064 S 1064 S 1064H AK1098 H Q732 H QJ32 H Q72D AKQ7 D 984 D 984 D J82C J109 C A73 C AK8 C AK75Doubler responder responder responder

When opener bids 1S what action should his/her LHO with hand (g) and 17 points take? A simple overcall would not convey the strength of this hand and partner might well pass. A double ensures that hand (g) has the chance to bid again. The double probably indicates that (g) has the other major, hearts, but does not guarantee it. Hand (h) now bids 2H showing that he/she has anything from zero to a poor 8 points. With more points (h) would have made a jump bid. For example hand (i) would bid STOP: 3H, converted by hand (g) to 4H.If opener’s partner bids after the double, hand (h) being weak, would pass. However, hand (i) would still bid 3H.

THREE

After the double by hand (g), hand (j) would bid STOP:3C. Hand (g) now bids 3H. This bid, which is a change of suit by the doubling hand, shows 16+ points and a five-card suit. Hand (j) now raises to 4H.

(k) (l)SAQ98 S AQ98

H J6 H Q6D 10964 D 10964C Q85 C K87

With a hand like (k) and 9 points partner will bid 1NT. With a similar hand and eleven points (l) partner will bid 2NT which the doubler will raise to 3NT.By doubling first and then bidding you are promising partner a good hand, usually 16+. However doubling and then bidding in NTs shows a much stronger hand of 19+ points. Partner should treat your double as a bid and respond according.

Action by Opener’s Partner As opener’s partner, what action do you take when he/she opens and your RHO doubles? If you have 6+ points (sometimes less) no 5-card suit and can support opener’s suit, then do so. With 6-9 points and a 5-card higher-ranked suit than partner, bid it at the one-level. Your partner will know what this indicates. In other words a change of suit over a double shows it is a five-card suit. If you have 10+ points and a five-card suit you can bid this at the two-level, if it is of a lower rank than opener’s suit. Eg. 1S-double-2C (2D, 2H).What do you do if you have a biddable four-card suit and 6-8 points but can’t support opener’s suit? One option, with a balanced hand and no biddable four card major is to bid 1NT, otherwise pass. Similarly, with 11-12 points bid 2NT and 13-14 points 3NT. In other words bid as you would in the absence of a double.

FOURExamples(a) (b) (c) (d)

S KQ85 S J96 S J962 S J96H A103 H Q83 H Q8 HQJ986D QJ10 D 962 D 962 D 96C QJ10 C K852 C K852 C AK4Opener partner partner partner

Hand (a) opens 1S, which his/her LHO doubles. With hand (b) partner bids 1NT. With hand (c) partner bids 2S and with hand (d) partner bids 2H which opener raises to 4H.Redoubling

An alternative with 9+ points and an unbid four-card major the answer is to redouble. A redouble shows that opener and yourself hold the balance of the points. Declarer can then bid on accordingly, or the opposition will bid.

(e) (f)SJ96 S J96H QJ96 H KQ96D 986 D 986C AJ10 partner C AJ10 partner

If you hold hand (e), after the double you could bid 1NT but a redouble shows 9+ points and gives more information to opener(a) who rebids 1NT (15-16). Hand (e) now bids 2NT (invitational) which opener with 15 points passes. With hand (f), after the double you redouble, opener rebids 1NT and you (f) sign off with 3NT.To redouble when the opponents double the opening bid shows 9+ points and can be either 1/short in partner’s suit and hoping there could be a penalty.2/Three card support for partner’s suit and 9+ HCP. This is a way of showing 3 card support. 3/ A balance 10+ HCP which will bid NTs if unable to double opponent’s contract. This is all down to partnership agreement. Usually though, it means 9+ points and no agreement for partner's suit. It can be used also as a waiting bid (if you have a stronger hand ) to see what your partner rebidsFIVE

Re-opening Doubles.

(g) (h)SA108 S 62H AQ85 H K963D KQ D J854 C A764 C 1095Opener responder

Suppose you have a strong hand like (g). You open 1C, only to find that your LHO overcalls 1S. Your partner passes (cannot bid at the two level) and your RHO bids 2S. You are non-vulnerable and loath to let the opposition play in

2S and you realise that your partner has no more than 2S. You, therefore, double to ask partner to bid their best suit which you intend to pass. Your partner, with hand (h) bids 3H which you pass. If the opposition goes on to 3S, you pass, hoping that they fail to make 9 tricks.This type of double is called a re-opening double and is used when opener wants his partner to make a bid when they would otherwise pass.Opener uses a re-opening double when -He wants his/her partner to bid even without points, to stop the opposition playing in an easily made low-level contract. They might go off if they bid higher. A re-opening double can be made on as little as 15 points but vulnerability is important. Going one or two off non-vulnerable can produce a favourable score if the opposition would make more in a contract. Partner should only pass this double if the opposition bid again before his/her bid and he/she is very weak or has a bid holding in the opposition’s suit and expects them to go off for a penalty score.

Doubling for penalties.If a contract is doubled by the opposition and goes down by one trick, the penalty which the opposition gains is doubled. When a doubled contract goes two down the penalty is increased. The magnitude of the penalty depends on the vulnerability of the dealer. Some of the penalties are shown over.SIXTricks short of the Non-Vulnerable VulnerableBid contract. undoubled doubled undoubled doubled

1 50 100 100 2002 100 300 200 5003 150 500 300 800

How should your partner distinguish between your double for take-out and one for penalties?Apart from the examples mentioned above where your partner doubles for take-out and you leave it in because you have a good holding in the opposition’s trump suit, there are two situations where doubles are for penalties.Firstly, during a contested auction, when both you and your partner have been bidding freely to game, a double is always for penalties. If you and partner have 25+ between you then the opposition is not

going to make a game!. Secondly, when in a contested auction the bidding reaches 3NT or above, the double is for penalties. When you are on lead against 3NT, a double is asking you to lead the first suit bid by dummy. Be careful with this double though, unless you can take declarer off in this contract because you are not just doubling for the lead, you are doubling the whole contract.A double over a pre-emptive four bid ( later lesson) is usually for penalties but can be taken out if you think a contract your way would be more profitable ( opposition – non-vulnerable and you are vulnerable) What if you are playing in a doubled contract and make it? The answer is that you receive an enhanced score.An exception to all these take out doubles over RHO opening bid is when they open 1NT. If you have 15+ points (the upper range of the opener’s bid) your double will always be for penalties as will all subsequent bids by the opposition. YOUR partner will only bid if they are weak (-5 Points) and also distributional.If you are the opener’s partner only bid if you are weak (less than 6 points) and have a 5 card suit) This will NOT be regarded as stayman or a transfer as the double cancels them out. Be careful doubling the 1NT, look where the SEVEN

tricks in your hand are coming from. Remember you have to take at least 7 tricks and partner may not be of much help.Score

Contract Non-vulnerable Doubled VulnerableDoubled3NT 400 550 600 7504H 420 590 620 7902S 110 470 110 6704C 130 510 130 7101NT 90 180 90 1803D 110 470 110 670

The table shows that, if you double some part-score contract for penalties and it makes, the opposition receive a game score. For example, a vulnerable 2S doubled contract which makes, scores 670. Negative Doubles

When opposition overcall they sometimes remove bidding space and make it difficult to express your hand. A negative double can be used to express values/length in the unbid suits especially the unbid major. Essentially it says I have been prevented from making my natural bid. It should promise 6points at the 1 level and 8+ at the 2 level or you could use it with a good hand in order to see what your partner’s next bid will be.

(a) (b) S 82 S 1053

H AJ74 H K1097D K105 D AQ62C KQ107 C J4

You are sitting third-in-hand with hand (b) when your partner with hand (a). opens 1C. Your RHO overcalls 1S and it is your turn to bid. What action do you take? With 10 points and no overcall you would normally bid 1D. However, you cannot bid at the two level with a four-card suit and are loath to pass. EIGHTThe answer is double! This double shows partner that you probably have an interest in the other two suits, hearts and diamonds but cannot raise opener’s bid. With a four-card heart suit and 13 points partner will bid 2H and a fit is found. This is not a reverse, you are simply supporting one of the suits partner is likely to hold. If he/she were stronger they would jump to 3H. In the absence of further opposition bids you would play in 2H but would be prepared to go 3H if necessary.This type of double is called a negative double and can be made on 8+ points but no five-card suit or the inability to bid at the two levelIf your RHO overcalls 1NT however and you are sitting with 11+ points a double now would be regarded as penalty showing partner that you have the majority of the points.

Responsive doublesWhat does a second double show?

W N E S1S dbl 2S dble

The opposition have found a fit in spades so it will not be a penalty double at this level. The second double shows a hand who would

normally have bid but is unsure which suit to bid. This is called a responsive double and shows an interest in at least 2 suits.South would normally bid a five card suit or longer and double with only 4 card suits. The player who made the first double responds naturally. With an average hand, a simple bid in the cheapest 4-card or longer suit should be made. A bid of the opponent’s suit is used to show a good hand that wants to go to game.