08/23/16 Updated: 11/02/16

Negative Doubles Summary by Bob Gruber

Bob’s Bits column first appeared in May 2015. It was merely an introduction of what was to follow. The first real bridge topic column was in June 2015 and covered an often overlooked aspect of negative doubles. Today, I’d like to give a fairly complete summary of the basic system.

A negative double is a for the other 2 suits after partner opens at the 1 level and Right Hand Opponent (RHO) in a suit. It shows: Only after a 1 level  Support for both unbid suits –or– opening in a suit o Support for one unbid suit with a retreat to partner’s suit –or– o A 5+ card unbid suit in a hand too weak to bid it at the required level  Enough points for the level of the bidding o 1-level: 6+ pts o 2-level: 8+ pts o 3-level: 10+ pts Doubles above the agreed Most partnerships apply a negative double only over a suit (not over a upon negative double level NT overcall). are for penalty The partners need to agree on the top level of the negative double, usually 2 or 3. Doubles of overcalls above the agreed upon negative double level are for penalty. A negative double promises four (4) cards in all unbid major suits. Four (4) cards in all unbid minors is expected, but not guaranteed. Responder can no longer directly make a penalty double through the agreed upon level for negative doubles. Responder must pass and wait for partner (the opener) to make a reopening When 1st playing double and then pass to convert it to a penalty double. negative doubles, When playing negative doubles and Left Hand Opponent’s (LHO’s) overcall is these 2 aspects of making a penalty passed back to opener, opener strives to reopen the bidding with a double double are often (rather than bidding a suit) when short in the overcalled suit (one or two forgotten cards).  A good 6-bagger or a 5-5 is an exception  A 1NT reopening bid shows a with at least one stopper in the This proviso is opponent’s suit and 18-19 HCP. Yes, 18-19 HCP, that is not a typo and also often applies whether playing negative doubles or not. forgotten / ignored

When responding in a suit to a negative double, opener bears in mind the minimum, medium, and maximum hand valuations of: Minimum 13-15 total points Medium 16-18 total points Maximum 19-21 total points and bids at the appropriate level. If RHO takes action by bidding or redoubling, passing with a minimum hand and no fit is appropriate. In general: minimum hands make minimum bids, including Pass as noted above medium hands often jump a level maximum hands ensure getting to game

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Responder also applies the minimum, medium, maximum valuations for a rebid: 6-9 is minimum, 10-11 medium, 12+ maximum These values are used in conjunction with those shown by opener’s rebid to help determine responder’s rebid.

As noted earlier, there is another competitive situation where negative doubles come to the rescue. You have a 5-card suit (typically a 5-card major) but too few points to bid it directly at the level required by the auction. Now you can first make a negative double and when partner bids the minor you tended to promise, you bid the major. Partner should recognize you do have a 5+ card suit, but too few points (< 10) to have bid it directly.

And, of course, the caution of the original column shouldn’t be ignored, so here it is again.

Negative Double after both Minors

The Negative Double is a cornerstone of modern bidding, but there’s a particular auction that is often misunderstood and its influence on two other auctions is then also misunderstood. This auction is at the one level only and specifically it’s: 1♣ - 1♦ - Dbl - The Negative Double in this case should guarantee both majors. Not one or the other with a retreat to ♣s if no fit is found, but guarantee both majors. As a consequence, in the following two sequences a 1-level bid may be made on a 4-card suit. 1♣ - 1♦ - 1♥ [ the ♥ bid does not guarantee a 5-card suit, only 4 ] 1♣ - 1♦ - 1♠ [ the ♠ bid does not guarantee a 5-card suit, only 4 ]

This wrinkle may take some getting used to if you’ve played these sequences differently. And certainly, you need to discuss these auctions with your partners, but they are part of the basic Negative Double system.

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