Chapter 5

After They Double

You do not discuss hands until the session is over. 

The new ACBL convention card has the section "OVER OPP'S T/O DOUBLE".  This is an example of something to be discussed, and not simply checked.  In the olden days people went "Banzai" when they heard a double.  Not all bad treatments are a recent invention.  Make sure you and partner are not on different pages.

My rules over their takeout double:

1. The redouble promises 11 notrump points.  More often than not, I make some other bid with these hands.
2. New suits at the one-level are forcing to 1NT, and we now ignore the takeout double.  Thus we can continue with a new minor forcing or both minors forcing, and support doubles.
3. 1NT is not forcing after 1-major — Double.  2NT over a double shows a limit raise.
4. A new suit at the two-level is not forcing (7-10 NT and less than 3-card support for partner.) 
5. Systemic jumps retain their meanings, whatever they are.
6. The strength and distributions of various major raises are unchanged by the double.
7. Minor raises are no longer inverted.  Jump to three would be classified as preemptive.  I will be close, if not in, the 11-12 suit point range.
8. Jumps that were natural and strong are now preemptive.
9. On "Redouble implies no fit":  Probably.  What do you do with a very good hand and support for partner?  You may choose a redouble.  They cannot play below 2NT undoubled.
10. Redoubler's second bid:  1NT, a non-jump 2NT, or a non-jump raise can be passed.  Partner is still expected to think over 2NT; it is more likely that he will pass.  A new suit is at least a one-round force.
11. On "2NT Over":  I check "Limit" for a major and "Limit +" for a minor.  I think all limit raises of a major are 9-10 suit points.  I have used "2NT = good limit raise" to describe this bid.  Good, to me, means the hand has more defense than the jump to three-of-the-major.  If they bid over 2NT, my hand is suitable for a double of a couple of suits.  Logically, this is high cards and three trumps.  The 2NT versus 3-major decision is yours, and not this paragraphs.

    I think 2NT over a minor is support and 11 + notrump points, with a hand suitable to declare at notrump.  If partner should play notrump, I would redouble.

12. 3NT is 13-15 and natural.
13. The above rules are not changed even if a pair announce that the double promises 4-4 or better in the majors. 

Searching for redouble hands, the senorita generated these examples:

		K J
		x x
		K J x x x x
		K x x
1	Dbl	Rdbl	2
Pass	Pass	?

I bid 2 .  3 would be a one-round force.

		Q x x
		A x
		K 9 x x
		Q T x x
1	Dbl	?

I redouble.  Then I rebid 1NT over 1 , 2NT over 2 , and double (or 2 ) over 2-minor.

		Q x x
		J T
		A T
		A K x x x x
1	Dbl	?

Either redouble or 3NT.  If I redouble, my second bid could be a problem.

		K
		K x
		K J 9 x x
		K J x x x
1	Dbl	?

Redouble, 2NT, and 3NT are possiblities.

The bids changed by their takeout double are:

1. 1NT over a major is not forcing.
2. 2/1 (in a lower-ranking suit) is to play.
3. 2NT is a limit raise or better.
4. Invert is off.
5. Any jump that was strong becomes preemptive.
6. 3NT over a minor is simply quantitative (13 - 15.) 

Even though some of our toys are bad ideas and should be discarded, their double does not accomplish this.

There are no changes from the above rules if passed hand doubles.

Pass	Pass	Pass	1 X
Double

Support redoubles are the only change from the bidding system without a double.  This auction hardly belongs here.

1 X

Pass

1 Y

Double

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