Defensive Doubles
I first heard of Defensive Doubles from Mr. Brian Thomas
and Mr. Denis Leduc, then of North Bay,
Ontario.
Neither they nor I claim to have
invented them, so the possibility exists that
Defensive Doubles have other
names in other locales.
Playing Defensive Doubles affects
how Advancer (the partner of the
simple suit Overcaller) shows support (or "tolerance") for Overcaller's suit.
First, we operate from the understanding that Advancer's entry into the auction
is very dangerous, if she/he does not have support for Overcaller's
suit.
When playing Defensive Doubles, such an Advancer will have to bid
beyond partner's suit.
| North | East | South | West
|
1
| 2
| 2
| ??
|
| 2NT
| Scattered values, supporting Diamonds.
|
3
| Lead-directing, supporting Diamonds.
|
| 3
| Offensive support for Diamonds
|
3
| 5+ Hearts.
No Diamond support suggested.
|
Defensive Doubles come into effect in
competitive auctions only (i.e., when Opener's partner, "Responder", has made a
Negative double or a free bid).
Any bid by Advancer, then, up to and including
Overcaller's suit, suggests support.
In such instances, the following rules apply:
Any raise, including a single direct raise, shows an offensively oriented hand.
If the opponents bounce
to game, Advancer's vote is deemed to suggest a sacrifice.
West
| K x x
| | x x x x
| | x
| | A x x x x
|
| |
East
| A Q x x x x
| | J
| | K Q x x
| | x x
|
|
| |
| South | West | North | East
|
|
| 1
| 1
|
| 2
| 2
| 4
| ??
|
|
Here, Overcaller should feel free to bid
4♠ here,
knowing that this is Advancer's preference.
Any suit bid BELOW Overcaller's suit is
lead-directing, but shows good defensive strength — no interest in
sacrificing, if the opponents stumble into game.
West
| x x x
| | A J 10
| | x x
| | Q x x x x
|
| |
East
| A Q x x x x
| | x x
| | K x x
| | x x
|
|
| |
| South | West | North | East
|
|
| 1
| 1
|
| 2
| 2
| 3NT
| ??
|
|
By promising 2+ Spades and asking for a
Heart lead, the 2♥
call sets up the defence against 3NT,
while warning partner not to sacrifice
in 4♠.
Any Notrump bid BELOW Overcaller's suit shows
"scattered but significant defensive values" — no interest in sacrificing
against any game contract.
West
| K x x
| | J 10 x
| | Q x
| | Q J x x x
|
| |
East
| x x
| | K Q x x x x
| | K x x
| | x x
|
|
| |
| South | West | North | East
|
|
| 1
| 1
|
| Dble
| 1NT
| 3NT
| ??
|
|
West does not have any compelling reason to
call for any particular lead.
West's 1NT call,
then, helps East find a pass and a
Heart lead here.
Any double shows defensive strength (no
interest in sacrificing against a game contract), often with no room to make
an appropriate lead-directing or "scattered values" free bid.
West
| A K x
| | 10 x x
| | Q x
| | Q J x x x
|
| |
East
| x x x
| | K Q x x x
| | K x x
| | x x
|
|
| |
| South | West | North | East
|
|
| 1
| 1
|
| 2
| Dble
| Pass
| ??
|
|
Advancer cannot afford 2♠ here,
and so contents themself
with a Double so as to advise East not to sacrifice
at the game level.
West
| K x x
| | A x x
| | Q x
| | Q J x x x
|
| |
East
| x x x
| | K Q x x x
| | K x x
| | x x
|
|
| |
| South | West | North | East
|
|
| 1
| 1
|
| 1
| Dble
| Pass
| ??
|
|
Because Advancer had the option of
encouraging a lead in any non-Heart suit (e.g.,
2♣ here),
or no particular suit
(i.e., 1NT here), double here
has a "Rosencranz" overtone (suggesting an honour
in Overcaller's suit).
A redouble of a negative double is also
defensive, suggesting the Ace or King of Overcaller's suit — especially at
the 1-level.
Assuming the opponents are playing Negative Doubles at the one
level on this hand:
West
| K x x
| | A x x
| | K x
| | Q J x x x
|
| |
East
| x x x
| | K x x
| | A Q 10 x x
| | x x
|
|
| |
| South | West | North | East
|
|
| 1
| 1
|
| Dble
| RDbl
| Pass
| ??
|
|
East may have been reluctant to lead hir own
suit (here, Diamonds), without the encouraging Redouble by West.
Having played Defensive Doubles with my steady partners
for almost two decades, I can whole-heartedly recommend them over existing uses
of the competitive double.
Consider this prosaic hand:
|
| K x x
| | Q J x
| | A Q J x x
| | Q x
|
|
| IMPs
| | Vul: N-S
| | Dealer: North
|
|
| J x x
| | x x x
| | K x x
| | A x x x
|
| |
| A Q 10 9 x
| | K x x
| | x x
| | 9 8 x
|
| |
| x x
| | A 10 9 x
| | 10 9 x x
| | K J x x
|
|
| |
| West | North | East | South
|
|
| 1
| 1
| 2
|
| Dble
| 3NT
| Pass
| Pass
|
| Pass
|
|
A Heart lead at the other table handed our
team mates +600.
Trusting Declarer to hold at least the ♠K, I
found the "miraculous" lead of ♣9.
Sure enough, partner got in with ♣A,
and tracked ♠J for down two.
Any other lead　would have handed them 600 or 630.
While one opponent checked us for wires, I explained to the other
that partner's Double and North's confident
3NT bid essentially eliminated
any other lead from serious consideration !
The opponents didn't seem mollified, though ...
On to
Golady 2♣ Response
article.
Back to
Colin's Bridge Page
Back to the
Ward's Home
Page
Links to
Other Bridge Pages
saved from url=http://www.firesides.ca/defdble.htm