Chapter 20

Negative Doubles, Support Doubles and Redoubles

A negative double of 1 shows exactly four spades.  Other negative doubles with one unbid major show four or more cards in the unbid major.  With two unbid majors (a 2 or 3 overcall of 1 ), you do not need four cards in each major.  You have to be able to handle what might happen.  A negative double with two unbid minors shows a minimum of 4-4 in the minors.

Inverted diamonds are off after an overcall.  A jump to 3 after a 1 opening still shows six clubs and 5-10 HCP.

Support doubles and redoubles apply when responder bids at the one-level, or makes a negative double that guarantees a specific major.  It is right to play support doubles to three-of-responder's-suit.  It does not matter what nonsense the opponents perpetrate (a raise, a jump raise, a new suit, a jump new suit, a cue, a jump cue, 1NT, or 2NT).  The explanation of their nonsense does not matter.  We are willing to play at the two-level when we are known to have exactly seven trumps.  We are willing to play at the three-level when eight trumps is a possibility.  Business doubles are not an option.

I know that there are disagreements about some of these rules.  With respect to support doubles and raises, some will argue "not over jump interference", "not automatic over jump interference", "not over 1NT", "not over a cue-bid", etc.  The rebuttal is:  If you pass with support, can your partnership recover?  Even though the possibility of playing a weak 4-3 fit at the three-level is something we do not want to do, examining hands has convinced me these rules are best.

• Reopening doubles (partner is not expected to convert).
• BMF at the two-level.
• Fourth suit nonforcing at the three-level.
• Limit bids in opener's suit (BMF proviso) and responder's suit.
• A negative double auction can stop at 1 . 

Example auctions:

1	Pass	1	Call
?
1	Dbl	1	Call
?
1	1	Dbl	Call
?
1	2 , 2	Dbl	Call
?

• Fourth seat passes or redoubles:
  • After a negative double, bidding a three-card major has a higher priority than rebidding a five-card suit.
• Fourth seat bids less than three-of-the-major:
  • A support double shows exactly three-card support.
  • Bidding the major shows four.
  • Pass or another bid denies three cards. 

The auction is:

1	1	Dbl	Call
?

• Fourth seat passes or redoubles:
  • 1 = 3 spades.  Nonforcing.  (I know we will forget and may have four spades.  We will probably survive.) 
  • 2 = 4 spades.
  • Mini-splinters.
  • 1NT=0-3 spades and a stopper. 
• Fourth seat bids less than 2 :
  • Double = three spades.
  • 2 = four spades.
  • 2NT = Do the right thing. 
• Fourth seat bids less than 3 :
  • Double and 3 = four spades.  Double is weaker than 3 . 

The auction is:

1	1	1	Call
?

• Fourth seat passes:
  • 2 = normally 3 or 4 spades.  (Sometimes you have to raise with only two.) 
  • Mini-splinters.
• Fourth seat bids less than 2 :
  • Double = two-card support.
  • 2 = 3 + spades.
  • 2NT = Do the right thing.
• Fourth seat bids less than 3 :
  • Double and 3 = 3 + spades.  Double is weaker.

1

1

?

I determined the frequency of various responder actions in the big club system.  Because partner almost guarantees five diamonds with the opening bid, it is assumed that you would raise with three.  It is also assumed invert is off in competition.

Frequency of Responder Actions

Frequency	Responder has:
26%	Pass
20%	Four spades
28%	Five or more spades
12%	1NT
7%	Diamond raise or better
5%	Game force
1%	3 (nonforcing jump shift)
1%	A 0-3 spade "negative double"

This frequency chart shows it is more useful for the double of 1 to show exactly four spades.

I examined deals and assert it is right for opener to bid a four-card suit over advancer's skip whenever responder has shown at least four cards in the suit.

I did not find any "opener cannot live without" penalty doubles of the jump raise.  The senorita is aggressive but not crazy.  Opener is in the wrong position for a penalty double.

I assume that a negative double showing four spades can be made with a game-going hand.  Responder must then either bid game or cue to force game (sometimes you can BMF).  Sometimes opener will have to bid 1 with only three spades, or raise 1 to 2 with only two spades.  What do you do with:

K x
x x x
A x x x x
K Q x
1	1	1	Pass
?
K x x
x x
A x x x x
K Q x
1	1	Dbl	Pass
?

My priority list for opener's rebid in support double auctions covers both simple and jump interference.  X is the suit opened.

• Raise (mini-splinter) = 4 (automatic),
• Else support doubles and redoubles with 3 (automatic),
• Else 1NT=2 cards for partner and at least one stopper (even if pass is an option - I bid 1NT),
• Else minimum rebid in suit X = 6 cards,
• Else minimum bid in a lower-suit = 5-5 and nonforcing,
• Else over 2 and 2 , 2NT = "Do the right thing" = a minimum of 5 in suit X and 4 in clubs,
• Else over 2 , 2NT = no support, 15 HCP, 6 + cards in opener's suit (has to be diamonds), and one or more stoppers,
• Else pass.

I treat a double of a their 1NT, 2NT, or cue-bid as a support double.

If You Have a Weak Hand, Pass

Most people, when they are responder, think they should be allowed to play two-of-the-fourth-suit, and, as opener, they treat two-of-the-fourth-suit as forcing.  The Granovetter's, page 122 of the Feb 1997 bulletin, gave this hand, where of course, his 2 bid led to disaster:

		Q x x x
		x x
		Q J x x x x
		x
1	Pass	1	2
Pass	Pass	?

Why didn't the dogs bark?  Yes, South, fourth seat, had a lot of points.  West was irrational because support doubles barred him from doubling 2 with his 5 clubs.  (He wasn't going to get rich defending either 2 or 2 , and I can imagine a weak defense letting either of those contracts make.)  Finally, North, second seat, had no club fit, and was almost as weak as West.  A pass is a pass is a pass.

I have a spelling checker. 
It came with my PC. 
It plainly marks for my revue
Mistakes I cannot sea. 
I've run this poem threw it,
I'm sure your please to no
Its letter perfect in it's weigh. 
My checker tolled me sew. 

My spelling checker did knot object two PC. 

Home

Contents

Chapter 19

Chapter 21

BACK