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What’s Standard? by David Lindop

This series is based on Grant What if West opens 4♥ and our Standard, a set of conventions and Advancing a partner doubles? The standard agreements that are in popular use agreement is that this is still a today, such as 15-17 1NT openings, Takeout Double takeout double, so there’s some five-card majors, and weak two- argument for bidding 4♠. bids. A summary chart of Grant TAKEOUT Double At a high level, however, we are Standard and the corresponding DOUBLER allowed to exercise our judgment, can be found at N 1♥ W E Pass and we might pass, hoping it will be www.AudreyGrant.com. The site OPENER S easier for partner to take four tricks also has Grant Basic, a simpler set ? on defense than for us to take ten or of agreements. ADVANCER ♠ more on offense. But Edgar Kaplan Earlier articles in this series Suppose we are sitting 7 6 4 3 would still be shaking his head. appeared in the Bridge Bulletin and South with this hand. ♥ 4 2 can also be found under ‘Articles’ at West opens 1♥, partner ♦ 9 8 6 5 Showing Some Values www.AudreyGrant.com. doubles, and East passes. ♣ 7 6 3 Double ♠ We must bid 1 , even with no high N he partner of the opener is cards. If we pass, West will get to 1♥ W E Pass referred to as responder. The play in 1♥ doubled, likely making S Tpartner of a player who makes several overtricks, since partner ? a takeout double — or an — wants to play with any suit except Suppose our partner ♠ is referred to as the advancer. Why hearts as trumps. That will be more Q 9 7 3 doubles 1♥, right-hand ♥ the difference? The guidelines for costly than bidding. 7 4 opponent passes, and ♦ responding to an opening bid are ♠ A K 9 5 If we bid 1 , nothing too bad is we have this hand. ♣ 10 4 2 different from those for replying to likely to happen. Partner has promised a takeout double. So it makes sense support for spades, so we are probably We need to let partner know we to distinguish between the two. in an eight-card fit. If East and West have a little something. Otherwise Here are the standard guidelines hold the majority of strength, they partner will be worried that we hold the previous hand. So the guideline for advancing a takeout double: will usually simply continue bidding ♠ to their best spot. If partner holds a is to jump a level, to 2 , with about ADVANCING A TAKEOUT DOUBLE strong hand, partner should be 9-11 points. A jump by advancer is 0-8 points Bid at the cheapest cautious about bidding too much, invitational, not forcing. Partner can level. knowing West has an opening bid pass with a minimum takeout double, 9-11 points Jump a level and we might have a weak hand. and continue to game with a bit extra. (invitational). If we think this is as bad as it can Notice that we bid spades rather than diamonds, even though our 12+ points Get to game. get, suppose West opens with a weak two-bid or a three-level : diamonds are better. This follows Let’s take a closer look. another principle in advancing a Double takeout double: give preference to Take Out Takeout Doubles N bidding a . 2♥/3♥ W E Pass The first key when partner makes a S There are good reasons for this. takeout double is that we should First, it is usually cheaper; we’d ? almost never pass if our right-hand have to jump to 3♦ here to show an opponent passes. The rare exception We should still be bidding spades at invitational hand. Second, partner is is when we want to convert partner’s the cheapest level. One of the most more likely to have four-card support takeout double into a penalty double, quoted pieces of advice from Edgar for an unbid major than an unbid and we’ll look at that option later. Kaplan, Editor and Publisher of THE minor. Finally, if there is enough This means advancer may have to BRIDGE WORLD for 30 years, is “take combined strength for game, it is bid with no points — a big difference out takeout doubles.” Most partners more likely to be in a major suit from responder, who can pass an will be sympathetic when we bid than a minor. opening bid of one-of-a-suit with with this hand...but may be less What if West opened the bidding fewer than 6 points. understanding if we pass. with a weak two-bid? BETTER 14 BRIDGE VOL. 12, NO. 3 JANUARY/FEBRUARY 2008 BB Double the ♠Q, we can be fairly certain However, suppose the auction

N where it lies — with opener. begins this way: 2♥ W E Pass We can still exercise ♠ K J 7 5 3 WEST NORTH EAST SOUTH S some judgment. This ♥ Q 6 3 Pass ? hand also has 11 high- ♦ 7 4 1♦ Double Pass 2♦ ♠ card points plus a ♣ A J 8 Pass ? We still jump with Q 9 7 3 ♥ about 9-11 points. We ♥ 7 4 length point. However, the Q is of Now the advancer, South, passed ♠ ♦ dubious value opposite partner’s initially and can have at best an bid 3 . We need to let A K 9 5 ♦ partner know we have ♣ 10 4 2 likely shortness in hearts, so we invitational hand for the 2 cuebid. should probably pull in a notch and some values. Also, partner should With extra values, North would make an invitational jump to 2♠. need to jump, or make a further have better than a minimum hand to ♦ bring our side into the auction at the Advancer’s forcing cuebid of 3 , because South doesn’t promise another bid. two level or higher. When advancer is unsure HOW HIGH What if West opened a preempt? or WHERE the partnership belongs, Advancing in Notrump Double advancer needs a forcing bid to get A takeout double asks advancer to more information. Since a new suit N bid an unbid suit. Doubler is usually 3♥ W E Pass bid by advancer is non-forcing, and short in the opponents’ suit. Advancer S even a jump is merely invitational, should suggest notrump only with a ? advancer’s only forcing bid is a cuebid strong holding in the opponents’ of the opponents’ suit. ♠ suit and no better alternative. Now a jump takes us to 4 . That’s Double okay. Partner should have a very good ADVANCING IN NOTRUMP hand to double at the three level. N 1♦ W E Pass 6-10 points Bid at the cheapest Getting to Game S level. The guideline suggests that advancer ? 11-12 points Jump a level should get to game with as few as Holding 13 points, we ♠ Q 8 7 3 (invitational). 12 points. Why is advancer more know the partnership ♥ Q 7 6 4 13+ points Get to game. aggressive than responder, who belongs in game, but ♦ J 5 needs 13 points to insist on game we don’t want to jump ♣ A K J opposite a minimum opening bid? to 4♥ or 4♠ and possibly land in a Double Experience shows we often make 4-3 fit. Partner doesn’t guarantee N 1♥ W E Pass game opposite a takeout double with four-card support for any unbid S as few as 25 combined points, even major. To help find the right contract, ? in a major suit. If opener has 13 we can start by cuebidding the ♦ points, doubler has 13 points, and opponents’ suit, 2 . ♠ ♥ This hand has a 8 4 advancer has 12 points, there’s little If partner bids 2 , we can jump to strong holding in the ♥ A J 10 8 left for responder. Opener won’t get 4♥; if partner bids 2♠, we can bid ♦ ♠ opponents’ suit, so an K 9 3 much help on defense, and declarer 4 . If partner doesn’t have four advance of 1NT seems ♣ 7 6 4 2 can virtually ‘see’ any missing high cards in either major, we might end more appropriate than a bid of 2♣. cards in opener’s hand. up in 3NT or 5♣. With this hand, we Double Advancer’s cuebid shows at least ♠ 9 7 3 interest in game — an invitational would make an invi- ♥ K Q 10 6 N tational jump to 2NT 1♥ W E Pass hand or better. With ♠ Q 8 7 3 ♦ 8 4 2 S this hand, we start ♥ Q 7 6 4 as advancer, showing ♣ A Q 8 ? with a cuebid of 2♦. ♦ J 5 about 11-12 points. If partner bids 2♥, ♣ A Q 3 This hand is too ♠ With 11 high-card ♠ K J 7 5 3 we make an invitational raise to 3♥; weak to advance to Q 6 3 ♥ 10 8 7 3 points plus 1 length ♥ 8 6 3 if partner bids 2♠, we raise to 3♠. 1NT, and the heart ♦ 8 5 4 point for the five- ♦ 7 4 holding is tenuous. So The takeout doubler doesn’t need ♣ 10 7 2 card spade suit, jump ♣ A K 8 the best choice is to ♠ to jump to show extra values when to 4 after partner’s takeout double. advancer cuebids, because a cuebid bid 1♠, treating the spades as a If partner has a holding such as the four-card suit. Partner would expect ♦ ♦ by advancer promises another bid, A–Q, for example, the K is likely unless advancer passed originally. a better hand if we bid 1NT. Also, to be with West, the opener, so our Doubler can bid naturally, and show partner will move cautiously if we will work. If we are missing the extra strength later. bid 1♠, showing 0-8 points. BETTER 15 BRIDGE VOL. 12, NO. 3 JANUARY/FEBRUARY 2008