You and partner play responsive doubles but haven’t discussed specific situations. How do you expect him to interpret your double in each of these auctions?
West Partner East You
(1) 1H Pass
Pass 1S 2H DBL
(2) 1C Pass
1H DBL 2C DBL
(3) 1C 2S 3C DBL
(4) 1D DBL 1S DBL
There’s an old saying that goes something like “To a man with a hammer, every problem looks like a nail.” At bridge, the hammers can be conventions and the nails are auctions like those above.
As we learn new conventions, there’s a natural tendency to look for opportunities to use them. Success, though, often depends on understanding when not to use them. It takes some experience to analyze the auction from partner’s point of view and spot the pitfalls.
Conventional doubles are a common source of confusion for pairs of all skill levels. In the above auctions, you might hold the right strength and distribution for showing the unbid suits, but absent a special agreement, there’s no call that sends that message. If you intended any of these doubles as responsive or any other type of takeout – and if partner is assuming “expert standard” meanings -- you’ve chosen the wrong tool.
None of the doubles above fit the requirements. To be a responsive double, partner must have made a simple overcall or takeout double and your opponents must have immediately bid and raised the same suit. Problems arise because these auctions almost fit that description and your double “sounds like” a responsive double.
In Auction 1, hearts were bid twice, but by the same player. The opponents haven't confirmed a fit, so double is penalty. The same meaning would apply if partner had balanced with a takeout double instead of a suit.
Auction 2 is similar except that partner has shown two suits with his takeout double. It's pointless to use your double to say, “I have those suits, too.” If you have the unbid major, bid it, and use the double as penalty.
In Auction 3, the opponents have bid and raised the same suit, but this is not a responsive double because partner's bid was a preempt, not a simple overcall. Double is always penalty after partner makes a jump overcall or two-suited bid.
Auction 4 seems to cause frequent problems, even though the meaning should be obvious. Responsive doubles are defined as "over raise only", so penalty is the default interpretation of your double.
Misunderstandings occur because some pairs agree to play this double as responsive. However, that’s an exception that requires advance discussion. It's not the common nor most valuable usage.
There are several reasons to retain the standard meaning and treat this double as penalty. One is that if you don't have a penalty double available, your RHO has a risk-free opportunity to psych his response. Another is that even when your RHO really has spades, that may be your best fit and you need a way to show length in the suit.
A third reason is that the penalty double gives you more accurate options for showing your strength. As commonly played, the double of 1S is the "hammer", showing 4+ spades and good defensive values (a decent 9 points or more). It’s a hand such as ♠K1054 ♥K5 ♦A92 ♣10653 . With fewer points and more spades -- ♠QJ1073 ♥K5 ♦632 ♣853 -- you can make a natural, non-forcing bid of 2S.
And if you happen to hold the unbid suits -- ♠54 ♥KJ65 ♦632 ♣A983 – just bid 2H. Partners who make takeout doubles usually like to hear you bid majors.
© 2023 Karen Walker