BETTER BIDDING by BERNARD MAGEE

Penalty Doubles

enalty doubles are an integral part last issue and discovered that many Yuck! This is not worth a double: flat of all forms of bridge, especially doubles early in the auction are for take- and no intermediates. PDuplicate Pairs. Not only do they out. However, there are two important generate some very large scores, they exceptions: Over an opening 1NT (12-14), holding: also play an important role in the part- (a) Doubles of no- bids score battle. (b) Doubles after limit bids or pre-empts These types of doubles are for penalties. ♠ A J 10 3 Wielding the Axe ♥ J 8 2 (1) DOUBLING NO-TRUMP ♦ K Q 9 4 If you do not learn to double part-score CONTRACTS ♣ A7 contracts, your opponents will get away with over-bidding when non-vulnerable: Almost all doubles of no-trump bids are a score of +100 for getting them two for penalties, with one exception. Points This is a good hand for a penalty down will be worse than +110 or +140 to bear in mind are: double: honours together and two good for making your contract; if you double (i) To double a 1NT opener you need suits. them, you will collect a healthy +300! 15 or more points. When they are vulnerable, you can (ii) To double other no-trump bids (later After 1♦ – (1NT) – ? take it a step further: +100 for one down in the auction) your side needs the is often not enough but, had you doubled, majority of points. +200 would get you a top score. (iii)1♥ – Pass – 1NT – Double: this ♠ K 10 8 7 double is for take-out, not penalties ♥ K J 6 5 When to Make a (your opponents’ minimum strength ♦ K 3 2 Penalty Double is 18, so going for penalties is ♣ 10 4 highly unlikely) There will be times when you get Doubles of 1NT openers are for muddled up and are doubled, losing penalties: whatever their strength, you Another good hand for a penalty double. 1100 points! It is important that you are need 15 or more points to double, Your partner should have at least 12 able to repay these compliments to your although with just 15 points you should HCP, so you can be sure of the majority opponents. have a good lead, or a few tens and of the points. Doubling for penalties is not easy – nines. one learns from experience. Another common opportunity for a Whenever your partner opens and you To start off with, most players penalty double is when your opponent hold 9+ points, then no-trump contracts would improve their results if they makes a 1NT and you know are generally your property and thus doubled three times as often as they that your side has the majority of the you should punish anybody who tries to do now – and perhaps even more points. steal one. You can get some very often! A good player will not mind Doubling a 3NT contract is unusual, healthy rewards from doubling no- the opponents making their contract but if your side has reasonable strength trump contracts. every now and then, for although (14 or 15 points) and you know the suits Continued on page 11 ‹ you get a bottom on one out are all breaking badly, then go ahead. of ten, the other nine times your Now consider the following examples: double will get you a top. Other There are three basic types of penalty Over an opening 1NT (12-14), holding: double we shall look at: BETTER BRIDGE (1) Doubling No-trumps articles by Bernard Magee (2) Doubling Part-scores ♠ A J 7 6 (3) Doubling Sacrifices ♥ K J 2 can be found at Finally, we shall consider bidding in the ♦ K J 3 www.mrbridge.co.uk/Library.shtm fourth seat. ♣ Q 4 2 We looked at take-out doubles in the

Page 9 BETTER BIDDING continued from page 9 their suit to double at high levels – that would be nice, but strength is more important. (2) DOUBLING PART-SCORES ♠ A K 8 7 When Not to Double ♥ 8 3 In order to double a low-level contract, ♦ 10 4 There are four main situations in which you need: ♣ A K 8 7 6 you must refrain from making a penalty (i) The majority of points, and: double, as discussed below. (ii) Good trumps (either six trumps between the partnership or four Do not double. You have plenty of (1) Never double a freely-bid slam – good trumps in one hand). points but very few hearts. except to ask for an unusual lead. Note that both these conditions must be Bid 3♥, the opponents’ suit, to force fulfilled; do not go doubling just because your partner to bid, aiming for game in If you get a slam down you are normally you are strong – it is amazing how many spades or no-trumps. Your side may going to get a good score, so you have no tricks can be made with few points but well have an easy game in 4♠, but there reason to double. Take this hand from a good fit. However, if you know that is no certainty that your opponents cannot actual play, for example: your side has length in trumps as well as make 2♥. If they have an eight- or nine- overall strength, then double: without card fit, they will be able to cross- points and without a fit how can the and make many more tricks than you ♠ 9 7 opponents possibly make their contract? might expect. ♥ K 8 3 This is not easy, but always remember ♦ K J 8 6 5 4 that you expect to take the contract (3) DOUBLING ♣ 7 6 down, so do not worry about doubling SACRIFICES the opponents into game: they are not going to make it, so the problem does If the contract belongs to your side (you Your opponents bid up to 6♦, followed not arise! have the strength for game) you must by two passes and you have the final The easiest situation for this type of double or bid. call. Your thoughts should be: “I am going double is after your partner has opened It is important to identify situations to get a good score here because my 1NT (promising at least two cards in when your opponents are ‘sacrificing’ – opponents have bid to slam and are each suit) and your right-hand opponent that is, when your side has the points going down; I do not need to double.” : and your opponents are bidding on trump At the table, 6♦ was doubled but instead length. At game level, you need more of netting +200 for 6♦ undoubled minus West North East South than just a big trump fit to make the four, the doubler scored –980 for 6♥ 1NT 2♥ ? contract, so make sure you double the making. This is rather like Point 3 on page opponents or bid on. 12, but at slam level the consequences For example: are much more serious: if you think you ♠ A8 7 can get a slam down, be happy but don’t ♥ K J 8 3 West North East South double! The only time you might ♦ 10 4 1♥ 1♠ 2♣ double a slam is for an unusual lead – a ♣ K 8 7 6 4♠ Pass Pass ? Lightner Double.

(2) If you have 15 points and your This is a good hand for a penalty double. ♠ 7 6 opponents bid to game, it does Your partner has at least 12 high-card ♥ K 5 4 not mean you should double; the points and you have at least six hearts ♦ A3 2 chances are that they have between you. ♣ A Q 7 5 4 compensating shape and your The number of players who would partner has a Yarborough! automatically bid 2NT on this hand is extraordinary. Opponents will overcall Double. You and your partner have the This is perhaps the most common ‘bad’ on some terrible hands and it is very strength; you have to do something: double. (Having a Yarborough is bad important to punish them for doing so! 4♠ is a bid. enough, but to have a partner who always The more you double them, the less Yes, one out of six times 4♠ will doubles the opponents’ games when you they will bid against you and the easier make – in which case you should have zero points is much worse – your auctions will become. congratulate your opponents; however, somehow he manages to blame you for Do you see how simple it is to judge on the other five occasions you must get holding no points!) If your opponents bid whether to double when your partner has as much compensation as possible for confidently to game and you have 15 made a ‘limit bid’? He has described his them vandalising your auction and points, how many points do you expect hand neatly for you, so you can decide ruining your game! Too often players your partner to have? Zero! Thus you the final contract. will allow themselves to be outbid on should only double if you can defeat the So, after the same auction but holding such hands without reaching for the red contract from your own hand. the following hand: double card. You do not need length in Continued on page 12 ‹

Page 11 BETTER BIDDING continued from page 11 in their suit; he waits patiently and is rewarded. When West passes your double, so does North! You are asking Your opponents bid to 4♥; what is your See page 11, under ‘Doubling Part- for your partner’s best suit, but North is call? scores’. This is a very important well placed to know that 3♠ doubled is principle: do not double for penalties at the best contract. Taking 3♠ doubled low levels with shortage in the trump suit. four off will give you 800 points – much ♠ 5 more than any game might be worth. ♥ J 8 3 2 Doubling in 4th Seat ♦ A K 8 6 5 4 Partnership Trust ♣ AQ When a ‘pass’ would finish the auction, the player whose turn it is to call is said When your partner makes a penalty to be in ‘fourth seat’ or in the ‘protective double you are likely to be very short in Give your partner no points; can you be position’. So, when you are the fourth the opponents’ suit, so you must trust sure of defeating 4♥? No! Worse still, person to call and a pass from you would partner. In fact quite often the shorter your double will tell declarer that hearts finish the auction, think seriously you are, the better (although a is not might not be dividing kindly. If you before passing. One of your opponents ideal!) for then your partner will hold double with hands like this, how will will have shown a very weak hand, more cards in their suit. you feel when they ruff the second which would suggest that your partner diamond trick and the king of clubs is must have some strength: this might on your left? mean that you should make a bid. A good Dealer: West. Love All. rule of thumb is to add about three ♠ 5 (3) Do not double if you think that points to your hand (‘borrowing a king ♥ A K 8 6 4 2 your opponents can find a better from partner’, as it were) and see if you ♦ AQ 7 contract. would then want to make a bid. ♣ Q J 9 This is especially important when you ♠ A Q 8 7 4 3 2 ♠ 10

Sometimes your opponents will take a are short in the opponents’ suit because ♥ Void N ♥ Q J 10 9 3 gamble on a particular contract which your partner will often be sitting with ♦ 8 6 4 W E ♦ K 10 5 2 S you know is not going to make; in such length in that suit waiting to pounce: ♣ 8 5 2 ♣ AK 6 cases doubling is not very sensible, for ♠ K J 9 6 telling your opponents that their bet is ♥ 7 5 going to fail is likely to persuade them Dealer: West. Love All. ♦ J 9 3 to withdraw it! ♠ K J 9 5 ♣ 10 7 4 3 This field of bidding is of course open ♥ K 8 2 to bluff and double-bluff; however, the ♦ 7 3 hand below is a simple example. The ♣ K Q 9 3 As West, you open 3♠, North overcalls bidding has been: ♠ A Q 8 7 4 3 2 ♠ 10 4♥ and your partner doubles. You must

♥ 7 6 N ♥ J 10 4 3 pass. You have pre-empted and therefore West North East South ♦ 4 W E ♦ K Q J 10 5 2 should not bid again unless asked. Your S 1♣ Pass 3NT ? ♣ 8 5 2 ♣ A6 partner does not expect you to hold a ♠ 6 heart and you should feel pretty good ♥ A Q 9 5 because you have the ace of your suit ♠ 5 3 ♦ A 9 8 6 which is just what your partner will ♥ 8 4 3 ♣ J 10 7 4 want. Rather like limit bids, pre-empts ♦ A K Q J 10 give a very accurate description of your ♣ 7 6 2 hand and allow your partner to pick the West North East South best contract. North’s 4♥ bid was quite 3♠ Pass Pass ? reasonable – he was just a little unlucky! Don’t double. The responder should not really have jumped straight to 3NT, but West opens with a pre-emptive 3♠ Conclusion perhaps holding a hand such as: which comes round to you in the South ♠ K Q 2 ♥ K Q 2 ♦ 9 3 ♣ Q J 9 8 4, seat. Passing would finish the auction, Top-level duplicate players will generally he could not resist it. If you pass 3NT, so think carefully before you do so. You double one contract that their opponents you get a healthy score of +50; if you have 11 points and the perfect shape for will make one time out of ten. However, double, they may end up in 5♣ and you a take-out double; perhaps you are a the other nine times they will get them will finish with –400. little weak, but once you ‘borrow your down! Double much more often – it is partner’s king’ you will feel a lot safer. great fun and the more you do it, the (4) Do not double at a low level just There is no doubt that with 14 HCP you more you will get used to it. A large on points. You do need trump would be making a take-out double and majority of the lessons about penalty length too. A surprisingly high that is what you should do here. doubling have to be learnt the hard way number of tricks can be made North, your partner, has 12 points but – at the table! The more mistakes you on a big fit with very few points. is unable to call because he has length make, the better you will become.

Page 12