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INTERMEDIATE-2 BRIDGE

LESSON 6

RESPONSES TO PARTNER’S TAKE-OUT DOUBLE

(Refer to Lesson 6 ‑ Last Year)

(For Collateral Information)

A. CIRCUMSTANCE: The opponents have opened with one (1) of a suit. Your partner says:

"DOUBLE". Your partner thereby evidences an equivalent or better hand in comparison to the opening bidder. Since you have not yet made a call, your partner’s double is for a take-out. The partner of the opener passes, and it is your turn to bid. What are the appropriate bids in response to your partner's take‑out double and what do they signify to the doubler? Can the responder to the doubler pass, and if so, under what conditions? What if there is an intervening bid by the partner of the opening bidder? Does this mitigate the need for doubler’s partner to act?

B. DEFINITION: A TAKE‑OUT DOUBLE IS A DEMAND ONE ROUND FORCE ON PARTNER UNLESS THERE IS AN INTERVENTNG BID BY THE OPPONENTS. IF NO INTERVENING BID OCCURS, THE DOUBLER’S PARTNER MUST BID (One Exception, later noted in [3(f )] ), EVEN IF, WORST CASE SCENARIO, HE/SHE HAS AS LTTTLE AS 0 HCP’S.

C. TYPES OF RESPONSE: There are basically three (3) types of responses to take‑out doubles: 1) NEGATIVE (weak); (2) POSITIVE (constructive); and (3) GAME‑FORCING or GAME‑INVTTATIONAL (strong).

(1) NEGATIVE (WEAK): (0‑8 HCP's) ‑ Mention one's best (usually longest) suit amongst those requested with preference given to the unbid Major(s).

(a) 0‑5 HCP's ‑ Responder must bid in the absence of an intervening bid

by the partner of the opening bidder, else may pass.

AXXX XXX XXXX XXX (2D) XX

XXX (IS) XXX X (1S) JXXX JXXXX

(1H Dbl. P ???) XXX XX (2C) XX KXXXX AXX

XXX QXXX QJXXXX XX XXX (2C)

(b) 6‑8 HCP's ‑ Responder should bid even if there is an intervening bid by the

opponent.

If there is an intervening bid by doubler’s partner’s RHO (opener’s partner), and if responder to the double has 0‑5 HCP's, it removes the obligation of doubler's partner to respond. Therefore, if, in the presence of an intervening response by opener's partner, doubler's partner DOES bid, it is because he/she WANTS TO, not because he/she MUST do so. In bridge terminology, this is called a "free bid".

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XXXX XX (1H) XXXX

(1C Dbl. 1D ???) AQX (1S) KJXXX XXXX (Pass)

XXX QJXX AXX

XXX XX XX

(2) POSITIVE (CONSTRUCTIVE): (9‑12 HCP’s): ‑ A Jump bid into one's best (usually longest) suit amongst those requested with preference given to the unbid Major(s).

1H Dbl. P ???

AXXX

(a) A single jump bid (9‑12 HCP's) in either Major. KXX (2S)

QXX

KXX

(b) A single jump bid (9‑12 HCP's) in either Minor (Denies the alternate Major suit).

XXX

X (3D)

AKQXX

QXXX

(c) A 1NT response (8‑10 HCP's) ‑ Evidences a relatively balanced hand, a stopper

in the opponent's bid suit, and denies four cards in the unbid Major(s).

1S Dbl. P ??? KXXX

XX (INT)

AXXX

KXX

(3) GAME‑INVITATIONAL OR GAME‑FORCING (STRONG):

(a) A Jump shift in an unbid suit (9‑11 HCP's) ‑ Game invitational

AKXX (2S)

X 1H Dbl. P ???

QJXX

XXXX

(b) A Jump to 2NT (11‑12 HCP's) ‑ Evidences at least one stopper in the opponent's

bid suit, and besides denying four cards in the unbid Major suit(s), it invites to game.

AKX

XXX (2NT) 1S Dbl. P ???

KQXXX

XX

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XXXX (4H)

(c) A Jump to game in a suit (13 or more HCP's) AKXX

AKX

1S Dbl. P ??? XX

(d) A Jump to 3NT (13‑16 HCP's) ‑ Usually a double stopper in opponent's suit or a

single stopper with a long running Minor second suit.

AQX

JXX

1S Dbl. P ??? X

AKXXXX (3NT)

(e) A Cue‑bid (Forcing to Game) ‑ Denies both four cards in the unbid Major(s), as

well as a stopper in the opponent's bid suit(s).

KXX

XX

1H Dbl. P ??? AKXX (2H)

AQXX

(f) "PASS" (The exception noted above) ‑ Equivalent to a penalty double in that it

converts the take‑out to a penalty mode . It demands a trump lead. It is only made with a very

strong trump holding, and obvious favorable vulnerability with respect to the anticipated mutually available scores.

QJ10XX

XX (PASS)

1S Dbl. P ??? AKX

KQX