Penalty doubles and exceptions

It's a penalty double if:
 

The opponents have overcalled a natural notrump.	Us Them Us Them 1H 1NT  DBL     1D Pass 1S 1NT DBL
We've established a game-force.	1S Pass 2C * 2H DBL          * 2-over-1 system (2C forces to game)   1H Pass 2NT * 3C DBL       * Jacoby 2NT forcing heart raise
We've made a natural notrump opening, response or rebid.	1NT 2S DBL     1C 1H 1NT 2H DBL
Partner has made a preemptive bid.	2S 3H DBL       1H 3C 3H DBL
We've already found our trump fit.	1S Pass 2S 3C DBL
We've previously made a card-showing double.	1D 2D * DBL 3H DBL            * Michaels overcall (majors)
We've previously made a card-showing redouble.	1S DBL RDBL 2C DBL         1D Pass Pass DBL RDBL 2C DBL
We've previously made a penalty double (or penalty pass of a takeout double).	1S 2C Pass Pass DBL Pass Pass 2D DBL
The opponents have bid a suit that we've shown with a takeout or negative double.	1C DBL 1S DBL           1D DBL Pass 1H 2C DBL
There is no unbid suit.	1D Pass 1H Pass 1S 2C   DBL       1H 2NT * 3S DBL       * Unusual 2NT (clubs & diamonds)
The bid is above our agreed level for negative doubles.	1C 4S DBL
It's our third double of the auction.	1D 1H DBL 2H Pass Pass DBL Pass 3D 3H DBL

Popular exceptions

In all of the above auctions, the standard interpretation is that the last double is penalty-oriented, not takeout. Some of these meanings change if you play conventional doubles (negative, support and responsive doubles, for example). There are also situations where modern pairs have agreed to adopt different meanings. Here are some of the most widely played exceptions:

♣  Interference after our opening 1NT: After you open 1NT and an opponent overcalls a suit, a double by you or partner is takeout if it's under the hand that has shown length in that suit. It's penalty if the doubler is sitting over that hand.

 1NT - [2H] - DBL = Penalty (the doubler is sitting over the heart length)

 1NT - [Pass] - Pass - [2H] / Pass - [Pass] - DBL = Takeout (the doubler is sitting under the heart length)

 1NT - [Pass] - Pass - [2H] / DBL = Penalty (the doubler is sitting over the heart length)

 1NT - [2C: Majors] - Pass - [2H] / Pass - [Pass] - DBL = Penalty (the doubler is sitting over the hand that has shown the heart length)

With this agreement, it's common to play that a direct double of a 3-level overcall (1NT - [3C] - DBL) is negative (takeout), showing shortness in overcaller's suit and constructive high-card strength.

Other pairs prefer to play that after partner opens 1NT, responder's double of a direct overcall is negative (takeout). It gives up the chance to penalize the overcall but makes it easier to compete with less than game-forcing values. This is not the standard interpretation, so it requires advance discussion.

Whatever agreement you choose, a recommended addition is to play that responder's double of a direct-seat 2C overcall is Stayman, asking opener for a 4-card major. This applies to natural overcalls (showing just clubs) and to artificial 2C bids that show anything other than both majors.
    If their 2C overcall shows both majors: Responder's double is "card-showing" -- promising at least invitational values, usually with a hand that can make a penalty double of at least one of their major suits.

♣  Interference after our Forcing 1NT: If you play the 2/1 Forcing-to-Game system and responder bids a Forcing 1NT, opener's direct double of the opponent's overcall shows shortness and extra values.

 1S - [Pass] - 1NT - [2C] / DBL = Takeout, shortness in clubs, 16+ high-card points

♣  Maximal game-try doubles: This is a conventional double that can be used at the 3-level after you've bid and raised a major. If the opponent makes a 3-level overcall, opener's double is not penalty if the interference left him no room to make a game-try bid in a new suit. Examples:

 1H - [Pass] - 2H - [3D] / DBL = Game try. The overcall was in the suit directly below your trump suit, so opener had no room to bid a new suit as a try for game.

 1H - [Pass] - 2H - [3C] / DBL = Penalty, because opener had room to bid 3D as a general try. 3D shows invitational strength, but says nothing about diamonds.

♣  "DSI" Doubles:  In competitive auctions, many low-level doubles are commonly played as takeout or cooperative. These are sometimes called "card-showing" or "Do Something Intelligent" (DSI) doubles. They show enough high-card strength to compete, but no clear way to describe your suit lengths. The partner of the doubler has the option to pass for penalty, so DSI doubles always promise some defensive strength.

     The most common DSI doubles are made by responder in the passout seat. Examples:

     A double is penalty -- not DSI or takeout -- if the overcall is a natural notrump.

     If you've made a DSI double and partner has already expressed his opinion about what "something intelligent" was, the next double by either of you is penalty.

Tips for interpreting ambiguous doubles:

♣  In an undiscussed situation, it's more likely that a double is intended as takeout if it's at a low level and/or the opponents have shown a fit (they have bid and raised that suit).

♣  If either of you has previously shown length and/or strength in the opponents' last-bid suit -- by making a takeout double or bidding a natural notrump over their overcall -- the double is penalty.

♣  If you've shown a purely one-suited hand -- by preempting, bidding a suit twice or making a lead-directing double -- partner's double is probably penalty.

♣  The higher the level of the opponent's bid, the less likely it is that partner will have "perfect" distribution for a takeout or negative double. Doubles at the 4-level or higher are often called "card-showing" (they promise decent strength) or "optional" (because they show strength, it's fairly safe to choose to pass for penalty). Examples:

     1D - [4H] - DBL = This double may be the only way to show a good high-card hand. The doubler won't always have a 4-card spade suit, even if you've agreed to play negative doubles through 4H.

     [5C] - DBL = This is a takeout double, but it also shows a lot of high cards, so the doubler's partner may pass with any hand -- even a very weak one -- that doesn't have a long suit.

♣  Responsive doubles: If you play this convention (used to show unbid suits after partner overcalls or makes a takeout double), the takeout meaning applies only if the opponents have bid and raised the same suit.

     [1S] - 2H - [2S] - DBL = Responsive (takeout), showing clubs and diamonds. This double also denies heart support.

     [1S] - 2H - [3C] - DBL = Penalty.

     [1S] - Pass - [Pass] - DBL / [2S] - DBL = Penalty.  The opponents have not shown a spade fit because the suit was not raised.

   More information on responsive doubles is here.

Copyright © Karen Walker