Relearning bridge

Relearning bridge – 7 (October 2020)

When beginners are ready to upgrade their basic bidding system, one of their first additions is the negative double. It’s as valuable as Stayman or Blackwood, but easier to explain. When I learned, it was described as “like a takeout double, only you use it over their overcall instead of their opening bid”.

That’s a good introduction for learners, but it shouldn't be taken too literally. Negative doubles are often misused because their meanings change depending on the auction. Here are some common misconceptions:

A negative double promises both unbid suits ?

Called “Sputnik" back in the 1950s, the negative double has undergone several changes over the years. The widely accepted approach now is that when the unbid suits are a major and a minor, responder’s double shows just the major, not both suits.

If partner opens 1C and your RHO overcalls 1H, your negative double shows exactly four spades. It says nothing about diamonds. You’re showing the same hand you’d have for the auction 1C-Pass-1S.

There are only two situations where a negative double promises both unbid suits:

1) After partner opens 1C and your RHO overcalls 1D, double shows 4-4 in the majors. With a 5-4 pattern, you should usually bid your 5-card suit instead of doubling.
The message changes, though, if the auction is at the 2-level. After 1D by partner, 2C by RHO (or 1C-2D), it’s too restrictive to require that responder have both majors. A negative double here promises just one major. Opener has to be careful about jumping in a major the doubler might not have.

2) After partner opens a major and your RHO overcalls the other major, double shows 4-4 or longer in the minors. A safe exception is a hand with long diamonds and limited high-card strength. After 1S by partner, 2H by RHO, you can double with ♠3 ♥752 ♦KQJ1063 ♣K43. If partner rebids 2S, 2NT or 3C, you’ll show this hand by bidding a non-forcing 3D.

A negative double always promises length in the unbid major ?

The modern trend is to play negative doubles through the four-level, but the higher the auction, the more flexible you should be about length. After 1C by partner, 4H by RHO, you can’t let the opponents steal the contract undoubled when you hold ♠A87 ♥53 ♦K8763 ♣A43. The only way to show these values is to double and trust that partner knows you may not have perfect distribution.

Failure to make a negative double denies four cards in the unbid major? There are several reasons you might forgo a negative double. They include:

You’re raising partner’s major.
Partner opens 1H, RHO overcalls 2C or 2D and you hold ♠AJ102 ♥J74 ♦J863 ♣43. A negative double will needlessly complicate the auction. Your hand is worth just one bid, so go with your known fit and bid 2H.
You’re raising partner’s minor.
Partner opens 1D, RHO overcalls 1S and you hold ♠2 ♥9874 ♦KQ984 ♣J102. This is another one-bid hand. A negative double isn’t wrong, but a jump to 3D rates to be more effective. Even if you have a 4-4 heart fit, the opponents aren’t going to let you play 2H, so consider putting the pressure on with a preemptive raise of partner’s suit.
You want to defend.
Partner opens 1S, RHO overcalls 2C and you hold ♠2 ♥Q764 ♦K102 ♣KJ1086. A negative double gives up a potentially huge penalty. Pass and hope partner can reopen with a double.
You have a notrump hand.
Partner opens 1C, RHO overcalls 1S and you hold ♠K1093 ♥KJ104 ♦J73 ♣102. The spade stoppers are a more compelling feature of your hand than the 4-card heart suit. A 1NT response hides the hearts, but it has the advantage of limiting your strength and suggesting a final contract.