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INTERMEDIATE BRIDGE

LESSON 6

THE TAKE-OUT (INFORMATIVE) DOUBLE

A double under the circumstances listed below is for take‑out and asks partner to bid his/her longest suit. It guarantees an equivalence or better in HCP’s relative to the opponent’s opening bid; i.e., 13 or more points subsequent to a 1B opening bid, and 15 or more subsequent to a 1NT opening bid.

a. It is made at a level at, or below, a 4H bid by the opponents

b. The partner of the doubler has not yet bid

c. It is usually made, although not necessarily so, at the player's first opportunity to double (Exception: if in a balancing position in order to keep the bidding alive)

d. If made at a player’s later opportunity; i.e., made after the “doubler” has previously passed, it may be weaker than an equivalent bid in comparison to opener’s strength, that is to say, a bid made as a competitive balancing attempt.

Conditions (a) and (b) above must be met else any “double” occurring is not a take-out double.

RESPONSES TO THE "TAKE‑OUT" DOUBLE

A take‑out double is a demand one round force on partner unless there is an intervening bid. If no intervening bid occurs, the partner of the doubler must bid even though he/she has as little as 0 HCP's.

a. 0‑5 HCP's ‑ Must bid if there is no intervening bid. Pass if RHO (Opener’s Partner) bids.

b. 6‑8 HCP's ‑ bid longest suit, whether an intervening bid made by opener's partner or not.

c. 9 HCP's or more ‑ jump the bidding to show game is possible:

(1) jump in longest suit available (Doubler has fit implied)

(2) jump in No Trump if holding substantial strength in opponent suit(s)

(3) if both Major Suits are equally long and opponent has opened with a Minor 1C or 1D

opening bid, cue-bid the opponents suit show equivalence in the Major suits.

Examples: AXXX KXXX X KJXX ( 1D Dbl. P “2D” )

REBIDS BY THE DOUBLER

If partner of the doubler has jumped the bidding, evidencing 10 or more HCP’s, then the doubler must decide as to whether to go directly to game of to invite. If, however, the doubler's partner has bid at the cheapest level then:

a. 12‑15 HCP's ‑ Pass (Have already shown opening bid by way of take-out double).

b. 16‑18 HCP's ‑ Raise partner's suit, bid your own suit, or bid No Trump if holding a stopper in

opponent's suit.

c. 19 HCP's or more ‑ Jump the bidding or cue-bid opener’s suit

RESPONSES BY OPENER’S PARTNER AFTER AN INTERVENING TAKE-OUT DOUBLE

.

a. 0‑ 5 HCP's ‑ Pass or Bid a pre-emptive raise in partner’s suit if holding support.

b. 6‑ 9 HCP's

(1) with adequate trump support ‑ raise partner in his/her suit

(2) with at least a 4‑card suit of your own ‑ bid that suit

(3) with a balanced hand ‑ bid one no trump

(4) with 5 or more of partner's suit ‑ jump in partner's suit

c. 10 HCP's or more - “Re-Double” ‑ in order to set up possible penalty double situation.