TAKE-OUT DOUBLES

A take-out double asks your partner to bid his longest suit - it is almost the opposite of a penalty double, showing shortage in the doubled suit. It is used because you might have 2 or 3 suits of similar length and would like to ask your partner to pick the one with which he has the best fit. It is used on the first round of bidding over suit bids:

e.g. 1©-Dbl; 1©-P-2©-Dbl; 1©-P-1ª-Dbl; 3©-Dbl;

Doubles of notrump bids and doubles after notrumps are in an auction are for penalties with ONE exception: 1©-Pass-1NT-Dbl This unusual looking double is for take-out of Hearts.

To make a TAKE-OUT DOUBLE you need a hand that has CARDS in the UNBID SUITS and has OPENING VALUES. Ideally you would like to have 4 cards in each of the unbid suits, but you should certainly have at least 3 cards. With perfect shape (4-4-4-1) you can assume you have a fit with your partner (surely he will have four cards in one of your suits), thus you can add points for your singleton. Including these SHORTAGE points you need about 14 points to make a double. That means 11 HCP and (4-4-4-1) shape is enough .More care is needed to double higher bids, but usually even over pre-empts, with 'perfect shape' a minimum opening hand will do.

DOUBLING with STRONG HANDS

With 12-16 points it is so important that you have the right type of hand for a double – shortage in your opponents’ suit, but as you get stronger you can double on any shape because you will have the strength to make a second bid. 17+ : double if you do not have a natural bid available, but plan your rebid.

RESPONDING TO A DOUBLE: Respond as if partner had bid 1NT (12-14), but note, points for shortage should be included. So: 0-9 bid suit cheaply 10-12 invite (by jumping in a suit) 13+ cue-bid, or jump to game generally the 1NT response shows 7-9pts

There are five points to note when responding: (1) Points for SHORTAGE are included (it is assumed you have some kind of fit with partner). (2) If there is an intervening bid then hands with 0-5 pts pass, but otherwise continue as above. (3) When responding, generally favour the major suits. (4) Assess your holding in opener's suit - remember that partner is likely to be short: A543 opposite a singleton is better than KJ104. (5) Be VERY CAREFUL before passing a take-out double – at the one-level you need extraordinarily good trumps (QJ1095 or KJ8643) at the 3-level you need four good trumps.

THE NEGATIVE DOUBLE The other time when it is very sensible to play a take-out double is when your opponent has made a simple overcall of your partner's opening bid. 1§-1©-? The double here shows the other two suits, but especially the MAJOR. Above it promises four spades. It is very rare that we need this double for penalties and the NEGATIVE double solves the problem of the awkward spade overcall 1§-1ª-? Too often we are sat with a reasonable hand with 4 hearts not knowing what to do - this double shows just that hand – it basically says “Partner, I would have responded 1©. What point count do we need for the negative double? Just the amount for a normal response, but if we are forcing the bidding higher we need a few more points: 6+ or 8+ depending on the level. 1©-2¨-? Here we would want a slightly better hand to double (8+). Opener must always respond to the negative double if there is no intervention. Responding to a negative double - This is easy - bid out your hand normally as if partner had responded 1 of the major - i.e. 1¨-1ª-Dbl-P-? Bid as if 1¨-P-1©-P-?