Many doubles populate the bridge landscape: penalty doubles, takeout doubles, negative doubles, maximal doubles, support doubles, free doubles, cooperative doubles, inhibitory doubles, lead-directing doubles, offside doubles, sacrifice doubles, Lightner doubles, Rosenkranz doubles, stripe-tailed ape doubles (seriously), snapdragon doubles (ibid). Here’s one of the least known and appreciated: the responsive double.
When your left-hand opponent opens in a suit, your partner bids another suit and your right-hand opponent raises LHO’s suit, a double shows respectable points and the two unbid suits.
West was dealing, with both sides vulnerable, in an OK Bridge game online:
NORTH
♠A J 9 5 3
♥K 9 4
♦Q 5
♣A 8 4
WEST EAST
♠K Q 8 2 ♠10 6 4
♥A 6 ♥J 10
♦J 8 7 ♦K 4
♣K J 10 9 ♣Q 7 6 5 3 2
SOUTH
♠7
♥Q 8 7 5 3 2
♦A 10 9 6 3 2
♣ —
The bidding proceeded as follows:
West North East South
1♣ 1♠ 3♣• DBL••
Pass 3♥ Pass 4♥
All Pass
• Weak
•• Responsive (promising hearts and diamonds)
Opening lead:♣Q
South’s double showed length as well as strength in hearts and diamonds, since North might be short in them. Never mind high-card points when distribution is so extreme: after North bid 3♥, South had no trouble raising to game. No matter how East-West defended, the contract was bound to make. Please note that North-South bid and made the contract with only 20 HCP. That’s how important distribution can be.
Responsive doubles also apply when partner makes a takeout double:
West North East South
1♣ DBL 2♣ DBL•
• Support for all three unbid suits
Or:
West North East South
1♠ DBL 2♠ DBL•
• Pick a minor (with four hearts, South would bid 3 ♥)
You and your partner should decide up to what level of the opponents’ bidding you play the responsive double. I like 4♥.
Comments
Comment policy »