The Double

All doubles of suits bid naturally up to and including 2S are asking partner to bid their best suit.

Note.

A double of opponents NT bid is for penalties as is any double of their attempt to escape from 1NTX.A double of a weak 3 or 4 level pre-emptive opening bid or high level overcall is asking partner to bid a suit.

A double in the direct position (next seat) will always have opening values, but just because you have opening values you should not double unless you are very short in the holding of the suit opened. (never more than 2 cards).

Overcall or Double.

With a hand such as this.....

ªAK986

©432

¨AK3

§87

Simply overcall 1S.

(You may overcall with up to 14 HCPs but you must have at least 5 cards in a good suit)

If your right hand opponent opens 1© and you hold

ªAK986

©4

¨AK32

§A87

You are too strong to overcall 1ª. You should DOUBLE first and introduce your spade suit later. This shows a strong hand, short in their suit, with at least 5 cards in your suit.

A Protective Double.

Opponents have been bidding but have limited their hands and have rested in a low level part score. You are in the pass-out seat. You know that partner has some values – assume about 11 points. If you do not have a good suit of your own DOUBLE. You do not need opening values for this double.

When not to Double

Your right hand opponent opens 1©

What should you do with this hand?

ªA

©QJ96

¨K432

§K873

You cannot make a take out double because you have 4 cards in opponents suit. You cannot overcall a suit as you do not have a 5 card suit. You cannot overcall with 1NT because you do not have 15+ points.

You should PASS.

The Negative Double.

Partner has dealt and opened the bidding, your right hand opponent has overcalled a suit. A DOUBLE now is an economical way of bidding 2 suits.

For example, partner opens 1¨, RHO overcalls 2§ and you hold

ªJ1098

©K432

¨A3

§K87

Respond with a DOUBLE, which shows at least 4 cards in both unbid suits. You need to have at least 9 high card points to do this because you are now at the 2 level.

(On a different hand it may have gone 1§ - 1¨- ? now you can double with 6 high card points because partner only needs to reply at the one level.)

Re-opening Double.

You open 1©and your left hand opponent overcalls 2¨, partner passes as does next hand – now how do you reopen the auction with

ªAK43

©KJ1096

¨9

§AK9

You re-open with a DOUBLE showing extra values and tolerance for the unbid suits.

Partner can now bid or leave the double in if he has a stack of diamonds and thinks your side can cash in on a rash bid by the opponents.