August 2008 - 45

PLAY BRIDGE

Common Sense
Bidding
Doubles, part 2
Last month, we learned that there
can be many meanings for double
beyond strictly penalty. In fact, most
doubles are not for penalty, although
some of them can be "converted"
if the partner of the doubler passes.
It's rare, but that can happen with
the next on our list of non-penalty
doubles (see last month for numbers
1 through 5). That would be:
6. Negative doubles, originally
called Sputnik doubles because
the Russian space satellite was
much in the news about the time
that Alvin Roth and Tobias Stone
introduced the convention. Here's
how it works: Partner opens the
bidding, next hand overcalls, and
you double for takeout. This
shows unbid suits, but primarily,
the unbid major.
West

North
East
South
1
1
?
With this hand:
A 6 K Q 7 5 8 3 2 8 6 5 4,
you would double to show four
hearts. When would opener pass
the negative double? Well, suppose
the auction goes:
West

North
East
South
1
2
Dbl
Pass
?
and North's hand is:
A 6 2 K Q J 10 8 5 K Q J 9.
This would be an excellent time
to pass, converting the negative
double to a penalty double. Yes,
August 2008

East overcalled a rather motheaten suit, but players do that
kind of thing all the time.
7. Responsive doubles. Opponent
opens the bidding, you double
for takeout, responder raises the
opener's suit, partner doubles for
takeout of unbid suits. For example:
West
North
East
South
1
Dbl
2
?
If South holds a hand such as:
A 7 6 2 K 9 8 6 J 10 8 5 4,
a responsive double tells her story.
8. Competitive doubles. These are
similar to responsive doubles. An
opponent opens the bidding, you
overcall, responder raises opener's
suit, partner doubles for takeout of
the unbid suits.
West
North
East
South
1
1
2
?
Double with:
Q 7 Q J 10 8 6 K Q 10 4 3 2.
9. Support doubles. You open the
bidding, the next player passes,
and partner bids one of a major.
Now your right-hand opponent
bids or doubles. You can double
if RHO bids or redouble if RHO
doubles to show three-card support
for partner's major.
West

North

East

Pass

1

1

South
1
Dbl

Mary Smith
marybridgemary@yahoo.com

West

North

East

Pass

1

Dbl

South
1
Redbl

This is the kind of hand you would
have for a double or redouble.
K 7 K Q 8 8 6 4 A J 10 6 5.
10. Snapdragon doubles. After three
consecutive low-level bids of different suits on the first round of
bidding, double shows the fourth
suit (usually at least five) and
probably tolerance for partner's
suit.
11. Maximal overcall doubles. This
is also called a game-try double.
If the opponents take away too
much bidding space, double is a
game-try, as in this auction:
West

North

East

2

2

3

South
1
?

Any suit you bid except spades
puts you at the four level, so you
cannot make a game try by bidding. Double is your only way to
invite game, perhaps with:
A Q 7 6 5 4 K Q 8 6 A J 5.
r
45
Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of August 2008
