Keeping Up With Conventions Doubles BY DAVID LINDOP

suit, it may be difficult to collect a have support for partner, and a bid This series of articles looks at how to fill large enough penalty to compensate of 1NT is unattractive with nothing out the standard convention card. for the score your side would make in spades. Still, you have enough to Previous articles in the series can be playing the hand. Second, a double compete for the contract and would found by visiting www.AudreyGrant.com. at this point warns the opponents like to send this message to partner. that they are in trouble. They may be Most partnerships use a double able to find a better spot. What if the by responder to show exactly this opponents run to 2y, for example? type of hand ... enough strength to he left-hand, or back, side of It’s often better to wait until they compete and support for the two the convention card focuses have nowhere to go. unbid suits. This form of takeout on competitive auctions. The T With this hand, most players double is called a negative (non- first section covers the partnership would pass. The auction isn’t over. penalty) double. agreement about the meaning of a If the opponent on your left passes, double in various situations: If the partnership agrees to use partner may double for takeout with negative doubles after an overcall, SPECIAL DOUBLES shortness in spades. You would pass there must also be agreement on After Overcall: Penalty † a second time, converting the double how high they apply. The standard Negative † thru into a penalty double. agreement is through 2z. This means Responsive † thru Maximal † So, double of a low level overcall that a double of any suit overcall up to can be used for takeout. It’s now so and including 2z is for takeout. A Support Dbl. † thru Redbl † uncommon for a partnership to agree double of a higher level overcall, Card-showing † Min. Offshape T/O † that responder’s double of an overcall such as 3w, is for penalty. This is for penalty that you would have to would be indicated like this: indicate this by checking the box √ This section can be confusing marked ‘Penalty’: Negative † thru 2S since a double is used in many situations ... both by the side that After Overcall: Penalty √† Since this is standard practice, opens the bidding and the side that is negative doubles do not need to be Since this is in red, the double competing. A partnership needs to alerted. Many partnerships prefer a would have to be alerted by opener. discuss this section step by step. higher range for negative doubles, One exception is the double of a such as through 3z. Mark the appro- The Penalty Double notrump overcall. This is for penalty priate level on the card. However, if Suppose partner opens 1x and the in standard practice, so you don’t you use negative doubles higher need to indicate this agreement on z opponent on your z A K J 9 7 3 than 4 , such doubles are alertable. right overcalls 1z. y 4 2 the convention card. The Responsive Double What call do you x 6 2 The Negative Double make with this w A J 7 Suppose you are South and the auc- If the double of an overcall isn’t hand? At one time, it was common tion begins like this: used for penalty, it can be used for to make a penalty double in this WEST NORTH EAST SOUTH takeout. Suppose your z situation. After all, you expect to 6 4 2 1w Double 3w ? partner opens 1x, the y K J 7 5 defeat 1z by several tricks and to next player overcalls x 7 4 Partner has made a takeout double collect a large penalty. w 1z, and this is your w A 10 6 2 of 1 , the opponent z Q J 6 3 In today’s game, this approach is hand. It is more likely to be the type on your right has y Q J 7 4 rarely used ... at least at low levels. jumped to 3w, and x K5 2 of hand you might hold as responder w 8 3 There are two main reasons. First, after an overcall. you have this hand: the situation doesn’t arise often. An You were planning to respond 1y You are the advancer—partner of opponent typically has length and but the overcall got in the way. You the takeout doubler—and have strength in the overcalled suit. Even don’t have enough strength to bid a enough to compete for the contract. if the overcall is made with a poor new suit at the two level, you don’t But which suit should you bid? Partner could have four-card support You could bid z A Q J 7 5 2 how high to bid. Using a double in for both hearts and spades, but there 3z, but what y 9 3 this situation to show three-card is no guarantee. Partner might have would you do if x KJ 2 support is called a support double. four-card support for one major but you held this hand? w Q 4 This isn’t standard practice, so only three-card support for the other. Now you’d like to compete to 3z support doubles must be alerted. You don’t want to guess wrong and but don’t want partner thinking you Without this agreement, South’s land in a 4–3 fit at the three level. are inviting game. double would be for penalty in this When left-hand-opponent opens, To distinguish between the two auction ... showing length and partner doubles, and right-hand types of hands, some partnerships strength in spades. opponent raises opener’s suit, a play maximal doubles. South would The partnership must also decide double in standard methods is for double with the first hand, showing how high this convention applies. A penalty. However, many partner- interest in reaching game. Partner typical agreement is up to and ships prefer to use the double for could then bid 3z with a minimum including overcalls of 2y. The part- takeout. It is called a responsive and jump to 4z with a maximum. nership can also use a redouble to double and asks for the takeout South would bid 3z with the second show three-card support ... if East doubler’s help in choosing the suit. hand, showing enough to compete doubled instead of overcalling. The partnership has to agree for the contract, but not enough to Using support doubles, the card how high responsive doubles apply. invite game. would be filled like this: For example, the partnership can If you have this agreement, check Support Dbl. √† thru 2H Redbl √† agree to play them through 3x: the appropriate box: Support doubles are not for a Responsive √† thru 3D √ Maximal † casual partnership. Using this agreement, South’s double Maximal doubles only apply if Card Showing Doubles would be for takeout in this auction: there is no room to make a game try. Suppose the auctions begins: You are South. As z KJ8 6 2 WEST NORTH EAST SOUTH responder, what would y 6 4 WEST NORTH EAST SOUTH 1x Double 3x Double you do with this hand x K 6 1z but is for penalty in this auction: if the auction begins: w K 9 7 3 2x 2z 3x Double WEST NORTH EAST SOUTH WEST NORTH EAST SOUTH 1y Double 3y Double South’s double is for penalty since 1x Pass 1z y Some partnerships also agree to 3 is available as a game try. 2y Pass Pass ? use responsive doubles for takeout Support Doubles With 10 high-card points, you have after an overcall. For example: As South, you open z 9 5 too much to pass 2y, but any bid WEST NORTH EAST SOUTH the bidding 1x with y Q 8 3 might turn out badly. Most players 1x 1z 2x Double this hand and the x A Q J 4 3 would double with this hand. It isn’t With this agreement, South’s double auction continues: w A 10 2 for penalty; it simply shows enough strength to take some further action. would be for takeout, not penalty. WEST NORTH EAST SOUTH This is referred to as a card-showing Note: a responsive double only 1x double and is standard practice: applies if responder raises, or jump Pass 1y 1z ? √ raises, opener’s suit. If responder Should you raise to 2y, perhaps Card-showing † bids notrump or a new suit after a landing in a poor 4–3 fit if respon- takeout double, the standard agree- der has a weak four-card heart suit? Takeout Doubles ment is that a double is for penalty. Should you rebid 2x, perhaps What would you do z A J 9 3 The Maximal Double missing a 5–3 heart fit and ending in with this hand if the y 10 3 a 5–1 diamond fit? Or should you x K Q 7 4 z opponent on your Suppose you hold A K J 6 2 pass and let responder decide w K 10 2 y 6 5 right opens 1y? this hand as South. whether to compete further? z x K J 5 4 This is a standard takeout double, You open 1 and the Some partnerships use a double auction continues: w KQ which doesn’t fall in the SPECIAL here to specifically show three-card DOUBLES category. However, if you WEST NORTH EAST SOUTH support for responder’s suit. A raise to 1z would also double if the opening bid 2y would promise four-card support. were 1w or 1x, you need to check 2y 2z 3y ? A pass or a bid such as 2x would the box indicating that you make Now what? With 17 high-card points tend to deny three or more hearts. takeout doubles with a minimum plus 1 length point, you have enough This approach lets responder offshape hand ... a hand without to invite game. Without interference know how many combined hearts support for all the unbid suits. you could show interest in game by the partnership holds, often making √ bidding 3x, but now there’s no room. it easier to decide what to bid and Min. Offshape T/O †