TAKEOUT DOUBLES Chapter 2 DOUBLING NATURAL SUIT OPENINGS A direct double of the opponent’s natural suit openings, natural suit responses, and support raises of the opening suit to the two or three level forces partner to bid. This very important convention, called the takeout double, is used for two purposes. To compete With 13-16 points (FP) and a hand suitable for the unbid suits, double is used with the plan of passing partner’s response, unless he shows strength. In this application: - The location and quality of honors is important; holdings like K, QJ, Qxx, or Jxx in the opening suit should be devalued. - Having too many points in the opening suit is a negative factor. - Good holdings in the unbid major(s) and a singleton or doubleton in the opening suit is ideal. - With a five card major or 5-5 distribution, avoid doubling except under special circumstances. To show strength In this case double is used to show support for the unbid suits, balanced hands that will interfere with NT but have more than 18 HCP, or strong single suited hands. The strength is not limited in this app - lication. Rules For Takeout Double With Different Distributions Over One Level Suit Opening . With 4-4-4-1 distribution * If the singleton is in the opening suit, double with at least 10 + HCP. * If the singleton is in an unbid suit, pass with 12-17 HCP, overcall at the one level with a good four card major, and double with 18+ HCP. K J 5 2 K 863 5 Q743 AJ74 KQJ9 ? K Q952 A842 KJ75 6 AQ53 1[ Pass X 1_ Q 6 5 2 K JT4 KQT9 7 8 A ? AQ94 AKT8 K753 AKJ7 AKJ3 QT62 1+ Pass X 1] Q 8 6 2 A JT9 KJT8 KQ74 3 A653 ? AK53 A852 7 6 J854 KQ64 1_ Pass X 1] 62 Q 8 5 2 4 KT63 6 Q853 AKJ5 ? AKJ4 AT76 K KQT9 KQ52 AQJ7 1] Pass X X . With 4-4-3-2 distribution * If the doubleton is in the opening suit, double with at least 12 + HCP. * If the doubleton is in an unbid suit, pass with 12-15 - HCP or overcall at the one level with a strong four card suit. Overcall 1NT with 16-18 HCP and double with 19+ HCP. A 6 K J86 AQJ9 K874 KT4 KT6 ? AJ53 AJ93 K4 Q52 82 J762 1[ Pass X 1] K 2 A KJT J5 AKQ7 Q7 A984 ? KQ5 K653 AQ9 QT86 J84 KQT3 1+ X 1] 1NT Q 8 4 A QJ9 AQJ9 KJ53 74 K64 ? 62 KJT AT83 AKJ9 K963 52 1_ Pass X 1] Q 8 5 2 AKJ5 K872 KT93 63 ? KJ4 KQ86 KQ4 KJ63 AJT QJT8 1] Pass X 1NT It is highly probable that partner will respond to takeout double with a major if the opening suit is a minor. Therefore double can be used with at least 13 + HCP with 4-4 in majors, even if the other minor is doubleton. On the other hand, if double is used to compete over a major suit opening, the hand should be little stronger and suitable to the other three suits since partner has to bid at the two level. If double is used with a minimum hand and a doubleton in the other minor, you should pass if partner bids this minor. A Q T 7 J T 75 QJ63 QJ73 KJT8 KQT4 AK96 KJ96 ? K9 A6 Q5 AQ 752 A83 K74 KT7 1[ X X X 1NT 63 . With 4-3-3-3 distribution * If you don’t have low quality honors in the opening suit, double with at least 14 + HCP. * If there are low quality honors in the opening suit, pass with 12-15 HCP, overcall 1NT with 15 +-18 HCP and double with 19+ HCP. A 7 4 A K7 J64 KJ6 K83 KQ72 ? Q852 AT9 AK9 QJ3 7652 KJT 1[ Pass X 1NT Q 8 4 K Q2 J42 AQ62 AJ8 AQT6 ? QJ7 QT3 KT7 Q93 AQJ7 AQ5 1+ Pass X 1NT A 7 3 K T7 JT82 Q52 863 AQT ? AJ4 AQ4 AJT KJ64 AJT8 K97 1_ Pass X 1NT Q 7 4 A 63 KJT KQ63 KT87 Q843 ? A92 A94 AQJ Q85 KT5 A92 1] Pass X 1NT . With 5-4-3-1 distribution and a five card minor * If your singleton is in the opening suit, double with at least 10 + HCP. * If you have three or four cards in the opening suit and 8-17 HCP, either pass or overcall with an appropriate hand. A one level overcall with a strong four card major is preferable to an overcall with a bad five card minor. Double with 18+ HCP. * If you have five cards in the opening suit and 12-17 HCP, passing is usually best, although overcalling a strong four card suit at the one level is acceptable. Double with at least 18 + HCP. K 9 8 6 A JT KQT9 AQ4 AKJT 7 ? K7532 2 A7543 5 T9753 KJT 1[ X 1_ 1] 64 J 9 8 3 K T87 KJT9 AK7 QJ8 6 ? KJT85 3 AT7 K AK642 AJ543 1+ Pass X 1] K A Q6 AQJT QJ75 7 A7653 ? Q8642 KT873 4 AQ3 K542 K52 1_ Pass X 1] K Q J 8 KT7 AJ84 JT62 K643 ? 9 KQ5 AKJT8 Q8653 AJ643 6 1] Pass X 2+ . With 5-4-3-1 distribution and a five card major Over a minor suit opening * If you have a singleton in the opening suit and four cards in the other major, double with at least 15 + HCP. * If you have a singleton in the opening suit and three cards in the other major, double with at least 16 + HCP. * If you have three or four cards in the opening suit and a singleton in the other major, double with at least 17 + HCP. Q T 7 6 K Q5 J952 KJT85 AKJ82 AJT92 KJT87 A952 ? KQ5 7 KT3 K63 8 AKT3 A 4 1[ X X 1_ 1] A Q J 8 4 6 AQ852 T KJ983 K ? AQ2 AK52 A73 AT93 KJ4 QJ64 1+ X 1_ 1] Over a major suit opening * If you have a singleton in the opening suit, double with at least 15 + HCP. * If you have three or four cards in the opening suit, double with a least 17 + HCP. * If you have five cards in the opening suit and a singleton in the other major, double with at least 19 + HCP. 65 Q 6 5 3 A KQJ AQJ9 AJ742 A9632 A7542 ? AKJ KQ5 4 6 9 AJT 1_ Pass X 1] 8 6 5 4 2 A J985 KQT84 KQJ9 K974 AQ5 ? Q 2 8 QJ8 AKQ KJ53 1_ Pass X 1] K J 8 5 6 A84 Q7632 96543 KQJ98 ? Q KQT8 3 AQJ AK5 KJ62 1] Pass X 2_ K J 9 8 4 Q JT85 AQ852 AJ5 AKQ7 Q ? AKJ6 J AKJ3 7 K92 AJ9 1] Pass Pass X Without sufficient strength to bid again after doubling, overcall with a five card major. If the five card major is low quality, double with suitable distribution with the intention of passing later. With 5-4-2-2 distribution and a five card minor * If you have a doubleton in the opening suit, double with at least 16 + HCP, then rebid your five card suit if you have not found a fit. * If you have four or five cards in the opening suit, overcalling or passing are the two choices with 12-15 HCP. Overcall 1NT with 15 +-18 HCP and double with 19+ HCP. J 6 A KJ5 KQJ9 A852 J8 63 ? KQ AJT83 A9 KJ874 K4 K8754 1[ Pass X 1] Q J 9 8 K 5 AQ AQ AJT8 Q7 ? AQ532 74 QJ942 AJ KJ532 KQ74 1+ X 1_ 1NT 66 T 6 K QT9 K3 KT52 K5 A642 ? AK AT QJT97 AKJT8 98643 AT 1_ X 1] 2+ Q 8 A K A4 KJ53 J864 K653 ? K7642 AQJ52 72 AJ Q3 KQJ98 1] Pass X 2[ . With 5-4-2-2 distribution and a five card major * If you have 5-4 in the majors, double with at least 15 + HCP then bid your five card suit if you have not found a fit. * If you have a doubleton in the opening suit and four cards in an unbid minor, double with at least 16 + HCP then bid your five card major. * If you have four cards in the opening suit, double with 17 +-18 HCP then bid your five card major. * If you have five cards in the opening major, double with 19+ HCP and rebid no-trump unless partner bids your four card suit. A Q J 8 A K JT876 KQT74 QJT82 K5 ? 62 53 AKJT K3 T976 Q3 1[ X 1_ 1] J 4 5 3 T9864 KQ987 KJT82 63 ? AKQ3 74 AQJ8 K8 AJT6 AQ 1+ X 1_ 1] 6 4 Q JT74 98654 AQT76 AT63 K7 ? AK K8 AKJ3 Q532 AK K8 1_ Pass X 1] . With 5-3-3-2 distribution and a five card minor * If your doubleton is in the opening suit and you have a bad five card minor, double with at least 13 + HCP over minor openings and at least 15 + HCP over major openings. * If you have three cards in the opening suit, overcall 1NT with 15 +-18 HCP and a stopper. Double with stronger hands, then choose whether to bid your five card minor or no-trump, which shows 18 +-20 HCP and a stopper.