33  The take-out double

The double is a better bid than an overcall. The overcall says “I’m one-suited” whereas the double says “I’m three-suited” and it’s better to offer a choice. Of course the doubler’s three suits aren’t always as many as four cards each except when holding 4-4-4-1 or 5-4-4-0.

What the doubler is saying is that she can support or tolerate the remaining three suits.

Ideally it is of opening strength but a little laxity is permitted if the shape is good. Even if the shape is a bit away from the ideal 4-4-4-1 the important thing is you are telling partner you have about opening strength, so with say 5-4-3-1 and good points, a double is far better than going for that 5-card suit. Overcalls should really show moderate or weak high-card strength but good length. Never fall in love with a five-card suit.

A message for doubler’s partner

The take-out double forces a reply from you if there is no intervening bid. If you have 10 points or more, jump the bidding one level, intervening bid or not.

How do we know when a double is for penalties?

There’s not much future in low level suit doubles, and even higher up it is best to hold back if there is any doubt. Only double their 4S if you feel certain your 4H was a make, and that they are sacrificing. To make it simple I like to agree with partner that all doubles up to 3S are for take-out, so higher is for penalties. Nervous pairs settle for a 2S maximum but must then remember that 3-level doubles will be penalty.

I recommend that a 1NT doubled is for penalties, and 2C is used for take-out (Roche) which needs a hand similar to a weak 1NT opening and says “Best suit, please, partner”. I’ll be explaining Roche in my next tip.

But if you don’t fancy that, you can make a 1NT double always for take-out and ditch the penalty double for a pass instead. The main thing is for you and partner to be perfectly clear what method you are playing.

Take-out double always means “Tell me more about your hand, partner”,  and is useful in various situations where you are not sure what to bid. Never overcall if you can double.

The Protective Double

What do you bid with a 9-point indifferent hand when the bidding has started on your left and gone: 1 of a suit – Pass – Pass? If you also pass you will usually get a small minus score, when you and your partner perhaps hold more points than the opposition.  Work it out: you have 9; add on responder’s (max) 5 making 14, subtract this from 40 and so opener and your partner have about 26 points between them. Why didn’t partner bid, then? In all likelihood she wanted to bid but couldn’t find a good one. Wrong shape to double, no decent 5-card suit, or maybe asleep, shock horror. It happens. This is where you can make a protective double on 9-11 points. It’s called protective because you are protecting partner’s hand from obscurity. And the key phrase is “Borrow a king from your partner”. So now you have the 12 points required for the double. Try it. If partner is actually weak, then opener will surely bid again and save you.

PS Oh, and you are said to be sitting in the protective seat.

Not in NT!  If opener has bid 1NT, his partner’s pass does not carry the same negative message.  He could now hold 0-10 points and any protective double is too risky. You could try it if you had a couple of G-and-T’s before playing…