Bridge for Beginners Lesson 15 The Use of Doubles

Homework  What are your bids in the sequences shown?  KT87 QJ3  AT5  Q87  KQ87 QJ3  AT5  Q87  KQ87 QJ3  AT5  Q87  KQ J763  AT54  QJ7  KQ QT9  AT5  QJT87  KQ QT97  AT5  QJ87 1NT P 2 P 1NT P 2  P P 2NT P P 2NT P? 2222 ?P 1NT P 2 P 1NT P 2  P P 2NT P P 2NT P? 2222 ?3NT 1NT P 2 P 1NT P 2  P P 3 P P 3 P? 2222 ? 4444 1NT P 2 P 1NT P 2  P P 3P P 3  P? 2 2 ?3NT 1NT P 2 P 1NT P 2  P P 2 P P 2 P? 2222 ? 4 4 1NT P 2 P 1NT P 2  P P 3 P P 3 P? 2 2 ? 4 4

The Use of Doubles  With Pre-emptive bids it is easy to disrupt opponents bidding  You could do the same by making outrageous bids  You could always overcall when opponents bid game  But doubles keep you honest  Because the penalties become severe

The Use of Doubles  Penalty scores  Not Vul Vul  -1  -2  -3  -4  -5  Plus 300 for each extra trick under  Look on back of * card  100  300  500  800  1100  200  500  800  1100  1400

The Use of Doubles  If you double a contract and it makes  It can be expensive:  Each trick score is doubled  So 2NT or 2 of a major is game  Or 3 of a minor  50 (for the insult) and overtrick penalties  Doubling opponents in 1 or 2 (or even 3) of a suit is therefore risky  There is a much better use for this *

The Take Out Double (TOX)  Any double of 1, 2 or 3 of a suit is not for penalties  It asks partner to bid a different suit  To overcall we must have 5 of the suit  But we have seen many hands where we have opening points but no 5 card suit  And we had to PASS!  TOX allows us to compete

TOX QQ KK AA TT 77 JJ QQ Opponents open 1 Opponents open 1 55 88 7 HCP12 HCP No 5 card suitNo 5 card suit Bid * (TOX)Bid * (TOX) Asking Partner to bid a different suitAsking Partner to bid a different suit 88 66

The Take Out Double (TOX)  TOX promises a number of things:  About 10+ HCP  4 cards in any unbid major  Possibly support for unbid minors If not a re-bid available If not a re-bid available  The first example was a classic example  With all the other suits covered  Not always that clear

TOX QQ KK AA TT 77 QQ Opponents open 1 Opponents open 1 55 88 7 HCP12 HCP We could bid 2We could bid 2  We might miss a fitWe might miss a  fit Bid * (TOX)Bid * (TOX) If partner bids ’s we can re-bid ’s showing 5 of the suitIf partner bids  ’s we can re-bid  ’s showing 5 of the suit 88 66 JJ

TOX TT AA AA TT 77 33 Opponents open 1 Opponents open 1  55 K 13 HCP and balanced13 HCP and balanced We would have opened 1NTWe would have opened 1NT 1NT overcall would be 17 HCP1NT overcall would be 17 HCP We have 4 of both majorsWe have 4 of both majors Bid * (TOX)Bid * (TOX) Re-bid 2NT if necessaryRe-bid 2NT if necessary 88 66 Q 8 4

TOX AA AA TT 77 TT Opponents open 1 Opponents open 1  55 K 13 HCP13 HCP We have 4 of both majorsWe have 4 of both majors 4 of opponents suit4 of opponents suit Bid * (TOX)Bid * (TOX) * does not show shortage in their suit* does not show shortage in their suit Re-bid 2NT if partner bids 2Re-bid 2NT if partner bids 2  Q 8 4 88 77 33

The Take Out Double (TOX)  KEY ISSUE  When you make a TOX partner will expect 4 in any un-bid major  And may bid game with a good fit and not many HCP  Only bid TOX with the majors covered!!

TOX AA AA TT 77 55 Opponents open 1 Opponents open 1  55 Q 11 HCP11 HCP We have 4 ’s and 5 ’sWe have 4  ’s and 5 ’s We could bid 1We could bid 1 May miss a fit in ’sMay miss a fit in  ’s Bid * (TOX)Bid * (TOX) Re-bid 2if partner bids 2Re-bid 2 if partner bids 2  Showing the 5/4 shapeShowing the 5/4 shape JJ 2 TT

TOX KK AA TT 77 JJ LHO opens 1, partner Passes, RHO bids 2 LHO opens 1, partner Passes, RHO bids 2  5 HCP10 HCP We have 4 ’s and 5 ’sWe have 4  ’s and 5  ’s Bid * (TOX)Bid * (TOX) Opponents have more HCPOpponents have more HCP Your only chance to bidYour only chance to bid Show the other suitsShow the other suits QQ 99 77 TT 77 55

TOX  A very useful bidding tool  You MUST have 4 of un-bid majors  Consider what you will re-bid if partner bids your short suit  Compete more at favourable vulnerability  Only bid TOX with the majors covered!!

Doubles  All *’s of suit bids up to 3 are for take out  All *’s of suit bids up to 3  are for take out  All *’s of pre-empts are for take out and show some strength  Penalty *’s of suit bids must be alerted  *’s of NT bids are for penalties  Showing 16+ HCP  *’s of subsequent suit bids are for penalties

Responding to TOX  When partner bids a TOX and RHO passes  You MUST bid  Even with a very weak hand  Unless you wish to convert it to a penalty * having lots of opponents suit  With 0-7 HCP bid at the cheapest level  With 8+ HCP and a major fit jump a level

Responding to TOX QQ KK JJ LHO opens 1, partner *’s, RHO passes LHO opens 1 , partner *’s, RHO passes T 10 HCP10 HCP We have 4 of each un-bid suitWe have 4 of each un-bid suit Agree the major Agree the major Partner has promised 4 ’sPartner has promised 4 ’s Bid 3Bid 3 Agree the suit and competeAgree the suit and compete AA 66 55 44 3 44

Responding to TOX 88 99 77 LHO opens 1, partner *’s, RHO passes LHO opens 1 , partner *’s, RHO passes 9 5 HCP5 HCP We have 4 ’sWe have 4 ’s Agree the majorAgree the major Partner has promised 4 ’sPartner has promised 4 ’s Bid 1Bid 1 Agree ’sand show weaknessAgree ’s and show weakness KK QQ 66 5 88 55

Responding to TOX 88 77 LHO opens 1, partner *’s, RHO passes LHO opens 1 , partner *’s, RHO passes 9 0 HCP0 HCP We have 5 ’sWe have 5 ’s Agree the majorAgree the major Partner has promised 4 ’sPartner has promised 4 ’s You MUST bid - Bid 1You MUST bid - Bid 1 Agree ’sand show weaknessAgree ’s and show weakness 99 88 66 5 55 77 5

Responding to TOX KK QQ LHO opens 1, partner *’s, RHO passes LHO opens 1 , partner *’s, RHO passes T 14 HCP14 HCP We have 5 ’s and 4 ’sWe have 5  ’s and 4  ’s Bid 2Bid 2  Show strength, deny 4 card majorsShow strength, deny 4 card majors If partner bids again bid 3NTIf partner bids again bid 3NT AA KK 55 44 QQ 77 TT 77 33 66

Responding to TOX KK Partner passes, RHO opens 1, you pass, LHO bids 2, partner doubles, RHO passes Partner passes, RHO opens 1, you pass, LHO bids 2, partner doubles, RHO passes 5 8 HCP8 HCP They are weakish with ’sThey are weakish with ’s Partner passed first timePartner passed first time Bid 2Bid 2  Don’t punish partner by jumpingDon’t punish partner by jumping Try to force opponents to 3 levelTry to force opponents to 3 level JJ 88 55 44 AA 77 TT 77 66 44 4

Responding to TOX Partner passes, RHO opens 1, you pass, LHO bids 2, partner doubles, RHO passes Partner passes, RHO opens 1 , you pass, LHO bids 2, partner doubles, RHO passes Q 8 HCP8 HCP Partner has both minorsPartner has both minors You do not have a fitYou do not have a fit Convert to penalties – Pass!Convert to penalties – Pass! The will probably bid onThe will probably bid on But you have good defenceBut you have good defence JJ 88 55 44 AA 77 44 J 3

Negative Doubles When partner has also bid LHO 1 Partner 2 RHO 2 LHO 1 Partner 2  RHO 2 Can you bid? 10 HCP10 HCP Bid *Bid * Shows 4+ cards in 2 un-bid suitsShows 4+ cards in 2 un-bid suits Called negative doubleCalled negative double Or sputnik doubleOr sputnik double JJ 88 KK JJ AA 77 JJ 66 4 3 33 55 44

Summary  Doubles are a very powerful tool  Allows us to show 4 card suits  Enables us to compete more  Tells partner about our hand  Doubles of suits up to 3 or pre-empts are for take out  Doubles of suits up to 3  or pre-empts are for take out  Even when partner has bid  Doubles of NT are for penalties  Showing 16+ HCP