Doubles


Doubles

      The English word "cleave" has exactly opposite meanings (i.e., "join" and "separate") depending on the context in which the word appears.  Similarly, Doubles in bridge can have exactly opposite meanings (i.e., "I want partner to pass" and "I want partner to take this double out by bidding hir length") depending on the context of this particular auction.

Penalty

      The most basic double is the Penalty double, which asks partner NOT to bid (i.e., to "leave in" the double).  The idea is to increase the Penalty for the opponents' failure to fulfill their contract.  Penalty doubles come in two forms:

(1) Penalty doubles of Artificial bids
(2) Penalty doubles of Natural bids.
- Penalty Doubles of Artificial Bids

      When the opponents make an Artificial bid (such as Stayman 2, or Jacoby 2 / 2 response to 1NT, or Ace-showing response to Blackwood) a Double implies

[1] Length in the bid suit, if at a Low Level of bidding,
[2] Asks partner to Lead the doubled suit, at a High level. 
#1 WestNorthEastSouth
1NT Pass 2 Dble  – Clubs.
#2 WestNorthEastSouth
1 Pass 4NT Pass
5 Dble  – "Lead a Diamond, pard !"

      The thing which distinguishes these Penalty doubles is that the opponents DO NOT Intend to play in the bid strain.  Hence, it is the Opponents who usually "pull" (i.e., remove, run from) such doubles. 

      If the opponents Cuebid partner's suit artificially, a Double shows Length/Support in partner's suit if NOT vulnerable, an Honour in partner's suit (lead directing) if vulnerable.

#3 WestNorthEastSouth
1 2 Dble  – 3+ Hearts, if NOT vulnerable,
 – A, K or Q, if vulnerable.

 

- Penalty Doubles of Natural Bids

      A double of 1NT in direct seat is Penalty, showing

(1) 15+ HCPs and a Good suit to lead, or
(2) 18+ HCPs
— unless you and your partner happen to be playing some conventional method of overcalling 1NT (such as DONT). 

      Doubles of 4 opening bids are always Penalty, since one can bid 4NT over an opening bid of 4 to ask for partner's longest suit.  Doubles of game-level bids later in the auction also tend to be Penalty

#4 WestNorthEastSouth
1NT Pass 4 Dble  – Penalty.

      Doubles after OUR side has made a natural NoTrump bid are usually Penalty.

#5 WestNorthEastSouth
1NT 2 Dble  – Penalty.

      Doubles of a 3rd or 4th suit bid are usually Penalty

#6 WestNorthEastSouth
1 1 2 Dble  – Penalty in standard methods.

#7 WestNorthEastSouth
1 Pass 1 Pass
2 Pass 2 Dble  – Penalty.
 

Co-Operative

      A Co-Operative (or "optional") double is one which simply "shows good cards".  A double of any 4-level or higher opening bid Other than 4 (see above) are Co-Operative.  When in doubt, leave the Co-Operative double in.  Bid only if you have an rather long suit (5+cards or more) in a distributional hand. 

#8 WestNorthEastSouth
5 Dble  – Co-Operative.

      A double of 1NT in the balancing seat is Co-Operative too, showing 13-15 HCPs in a flat hand.  Partner will leave the double in, unless weak with a long suit. 

#9 WestNorthEastSouth
1NT Pass Pass Dble  – Co-Operative.
 

TAKEOUT

      Takeout Doubles are identified by Doubler's desire to hear partner Take Out the double to hir longest suit, with particular attention to any unbid Major suit. 

      Unlike the Penalty and Co-Operative doubles (above), the Takeout Double comes in many forms. 

- (1) The Simple Takeout Double

      This Double comes, when partner has not yet bid (other than a PASS) and the opponents have opened in a suit below the 3NT level.  Depending on the level of the opening bid, Doubler shows a near opener (if at the 1-level) or a full opener (if at the 2- or 3-level). 

If weaker than 16 points,
Doubler should have 3-card support in unbid three suits, 4-card support in unbid two suits.

With 16+ HCPs,
Doubler can have virtually any distribution other than the 15-18 flat hands that might be better described by a 1NT overcall.  For this reason, a takeout double followed by a simple NoTrump rebid shows 19-21 HCPs. 

#10 WestNorthEastSouth
1 Dble Pass 1
Pass 1NT  – 19-21 flat.

      Indeed, if Advancer (South) makes a minimum-showing response, ANY rebid by Doubler shows an extra strength.

#11 WestNorthEastSouth
1 Dble Pass 1  – 0-8 points, Hearts.
Pass 1  – 16-24 (else PASS).

      Doubles of a 1NT response (not to be confused with doubles of 1NT OPENINGS) are also simple takeout doubles. 

#12 WestNorthEastSouth
1 Pass 1NT Dble  – takeout.


      For hir part, Advancer can pass the takeout double ONLY with 8+ points and significant length and strength in the opponents' suit (Trap Pass).  Otherwise, Advancer must bid — even with zero HCPs and NO good suit. 

#13 WestNorthEastSouth
1 Dble Rdbl 2  xxxx  xx  xxx  xxxx

      Note that a Redouble does NOT relieve Advancer of the responsibility of bidding hir long suit, if s/he happens to have one.

      Stronger Advancers Should Jump in a long suit (9-12 HCPs, invitational) or cuebid the opponents' suit (with 13+ points). 

#14 WestNorthEastSouth
1 Dble Pass 3  – 9-12 pts, 4+ Hearts.
#15 WestNorthEastSouth
1 Dble Pass 2  – Cuebid, 13+ HCPs.

      With a guard (stopper) in the opponents' suit and balanced distribution, Advancer can respond in NoTrump with 6-10 HCPs, jumping in NoTrump with 11-13 HCPs. 
      Because Doubler is keenly interested in hearing a Major suit, Advancer's NoTrump bids will deny 4+cards in any unbid major.

#16 WestNorthEastSouth
1 Dble Pass 1NT  – 6-10 HCPs, Club guard.
#17 WestNorthEastSouth
1 Dble Pass 2NT  – 11-13 HCPs, Club guard.

      To summarize responses and rebids after a takeout double:
Responses to partner's Takeout double:
Pass:   8+ pts, 5+cards in opponents' suit. 
1NT:   6-10 pts, guard in opponents' suit. 
 Jump in NoTrump: 11-13 pts, guard in opponents' suit. 
Simple Suit Bid:   0-10 pts. 
Jump Suit Bid:   9-12 pts.  Invitational. 
Cuebid their Suit: 13+ pts. One round force. 

Doubler's Rebids after simple suit reply
Pass (10-15 pts)
Raise (16-17 pts)
Cuebid (18+ pts)
New suit (16+ pts)
Rebid 1NT (19-21 pts)

 

- The Negative Double

      A double is Negative only in response to a 1-level suit opening bid by partner and an overcall by RHO.

#18 WestNorthEastSouth
1 1 Dble  – Negative.

#19 WestNorthEastSouth
2 2 Dble  – Penalty opposite TWO-level opening.

      A negative double shows either 8-12 points and support for any unbid suit (especially any unbid 4-card Major-suit partner might hold) or 13+ HCPs and no convenient bid. 
#20 WestNorthEastSouth
2 2 Dble
Maybe:   A J x x    Q J x x    Q x    x x x
Or:   K Q x    A x x    A J x x    x x

      For now, Opener will assume that partner has the weaker, 8-12 point hand with support for any unbid major. 
      Opener will usually (1) rebid naturally, (2) jumping to show a better than minimum hand, (3) cuebidding to show a game-forcing hand, given that Responder just showed 8+ HCPs.

#21 WestNorthEastSouth
1 1 Dble  – Negative, implying 4 (not 5+) Spades.
Pass 1  – Minimum opener with 4 Spades.

#22 WestNorthEastSouth
1 1 Dble  – Negative, implying 4 (not 5+) Spades.
Pass 2  – 15-17 points, 4 Spades.

#23 WestNorthEastSouth
1 1 Dble  – Negative, implying 4 (not 5+) Spades.
Pass 2  – 18+ HCPs, game forcing.

      Responder, too, can use the opponents' suit to show a game forcing hand after making a negative double. 

#24 WestNorthEastSouth
1 1 Dble  – Negative, implying 4 (not 5+) Hearts.
Pass 2 Pass 2  – 13+ HCPs, Game Forcing.

- The Re-opening Takeout Double

      Any double of an opponent's part score by OPENER (when Responder has PASSed throughout) is a Re-Opening Takeout Double.  In DIRECT seat, this shows a VERY strong hand, 18-21 HCPs. 

#25 WestNorthEastSouth
1 1 Pass 2
Dble  – Re-opening.  Very strong.

#26 WestNorthEastSouth
1 Pass Pass 1
Dble  – Re-opening.  18-21 HCPs.

      In the Balancing (i.e., passout) seat, a re-opening double can be made on a slightly weaker opening hand. 

#27 WestNorthEastSouth
1 1 Pass Pass
Dble  – Re-opening.  15-21 pts.

 

- The Balancing Takeout Double

      In the passout seat, any double of the opponent's fit is takeout — even if the doubler is a passed hand !   

#28 WestNorthEastSouth
Pass Pass
Pass 1 Pass 2
Pass Pass Dble  – Balancing.

      These Balancing doubles are, of course, fraught with danger.  Their purpose is usually to boost the opponents up one level in order to effect a one trick set (on a good day). 
      They are more common in MatchPoint play (where +50 versus –110 is a great score, well worth the occasional –500) than at IMPs (where –500 might cost the entire match and +50 versus –110 is only 4 IMPs). 

 

- Common NON-STANDARD Takeout Doubles

      You may assume that all of the doubles described ABOVE will be understood and employed by any new SAYC partner.
      In addition to these, you may choose to discuss other, non-standard doubles.  There are many such doubles, including Snapdragon, Fisher, Defensive (which you can read about at Colin's web page: http://www.escape.ca/~ksired/bridge.htm if you are curious) and conventional doubles of 1NT openings (such as with DONT, BROZEL and McGuinty). 

      Please bear in mind that you should assume that your are NOT playing the following doubles, unless you and your partner have explicitly agreed to play them (and marked them on your convention card, if you have one). 

      Here are the three best known non-standard doubles:

- The RESPONSIVE TAKEOUT Double

      A Responsive Double is a double of RHO's Raise of LHO's (Opener's) suit over our partner's Takeout Double.  They show 4 cards in any unbid major.

#29 WestNorthEastSouth
1 Dble 2 Dble  – Responsive,  4 Spades.

      If NOT playing Responsive doubles, the above double of 2 by Advancer is Penalty.

      Expert opinion on Responsive doubles varies.  Most experts, including OneDown, employ them.  Others, including Kaltica, dislike them. 

- The SUPPORT Takeout Double

      A second non-standard but popular takeout double is the Support Double.  This involves Opener doubling RHO's interference over partner's suit response in order to show THREE-card support (hence the name) for Responder's suit. 
      It follows that, if playing support doubles, a Raise of Responder's suit instead of the Support Double promises Four (or more) card support. 

#30 WestNorthEastSouth
1 Pass 1 2
Dble  – 3-card Spade support.

#31 WestNorthEastSouth
1 Pass 1 2
2  – 4-card Spade support.

      If NOT playing support doubles, the double of 2 in the first example above would be Penalty.

- The COMPETITIVE Takeout Double

      Another non-standard but rather common Takeout Double is the Competitive Double.  Again, you must have discussed and agreed to play Competitive Doubles with your partner beforehand, and marked it on your convention card. 

      The Competitive Takeout Double arises in competitive auctions, where both sides have found a fit.
      In such cases, the bidder could either (1) bid the agreed suit (2) or Double, the latter action suggesting Game in the agreed suit.  In such cases, failure to make a Competitive double (if you've agreed to play Competitive Doubles with this particular partner ahead of time) denies interest in game.

#32 WestNorthEastSouth
1 1 2 2
3 Dble  – COMPETITIVE.  "4 ?"

#33 WestNorthEastSouth
1 1 2 2
3 3  – NOT inviting 4.

      If NOT playing Competitive Doubles, the double in the first auction is Penalty, while 3 in the second auction may or may not involve game interest (and therein lies the advantage of agreeing to play Competitive Doubles with your steady partners). 


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