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Double?

Right but wrong. What might have been.

Well, I thought I was right but there were few imps to be won by my action. Indeed, I started doubting whether I was right at all. It’s that difficult area of doubles which is often open to different interpretations, a polite way of sometimes trying to avoid a disaster.

 

We all know what our double of 3 is? What, though, of our partner’s double of 4….and what should we do now? We are playing Teams.

Well, I thought I knew what the double meant but then this arrived:

Nigel Kearney “Pass: At this level, it's normal to pass a responsive double with a balanced hand, and bid with more shape. Sometimes we will get 300 instead of 420/450. Sometimes we won't have a game or will get 500. It would be harder at match-points but I'd still pass.”

supported by:

Leon Meier “ Pass: The way I play in this situation is if partner has a 4-card major to bid game, that's what they'll bid. Therefore, this double in co-operative but penalty oriented and I'll pass.”
If only life was so straightforward. What happens when you, the initial doubler are 4342 shape (hey, have you noticed? You are!) and your partner has both majors. Surely, you would prefer to find the 4-4 fit especially as the pre-empt suggests the trump break could be challenging?

The annoying thing is that Nigel and Leon were absolutely “right on the night”! However, let’s hear the case for the responsive non-penalty double:

Michael Cornell “4: Simply responsive and a better hand than bidding at the 3 level. I bid 4 and will bid 4 if partner bids 4. I am better than I might have been for my double but I cannot do more with a doubleton club.”

Kris Wooles “4: Responsive double. Most partnerships should not misunderstand this sequence. 4 is my better major. 

and these Panellists regard partner’s double as purely “take-out”:

Stephen Blackstock “4:  North's double is 100% take-out, and if South had any doubt then a glance at the clubs in his own hand would confirm that North can't hold many. 

I am full value for 4, but lack the source of tricks to guarantee 11 tricks, let alone 12. North could hold as little as Kxxx Kxxx xxxxx making 10 tricks not iron-clad against bad breaks and 11 tricks needing a very specific and favourable lay-out. Of course, if North makes a move, I will co-operate but given his lack of controls, that is unlikely.”
Yes, North is likely to be short in clubs though a 6-card third-in-hand pre-empt and a raise on 3-card support is possible, leaving our partner with two clubs.

 

Bruce Anderson “4: Partner’s double must be for take-out, with either both majors (most likely), or a major and diamonds. With values and a single suited hand, partner would bid a suit.

If partner does not have 4 spades, but holds 4 hearts and diamonds, they must bid again. I should have a strong hand to allow for that possibility. Either I am single suited, or have spades and diamonds.

 

I do have a nice hand, but it is flat; unless partner can move after a fit is found, slam is unlikely.”

 

Even if we have landed in a 4-3 fit, I think I would prefer passing 4 to bidding 5 even if we knew that was a 4-4 fit…and we are not even sure of that.

 

Andy Braithwaite “4: This double is takeout- bid and support below game. I bid my 4- card major as requested by partner.”

Our Panel, or those who claim that partner’s double is on the take-out /responsive side, will probably claim that, when they see the North hand below, that they should pass and wait for South’s re-opening double of 4 and pass that. I believe our South hand is strong enough for that action. Prepare yourself, then, to see why on this occasion those who passed 4x took all the imps:

 

Not a great third-in-hand opening and the raise to 4 is based on rather soft values, too. Patient defence (a very discouraging diamond from North if a high diamond is led) will see 7 top tricks for the defence, +800, far better than any game…and with 3NT no longer an option, only 4 has any chance of success. 4 fails because North’s 2 entries are needed to draw trumps leaving no entry to the 13^th heart when it is established.

It's a little easier in hearts requiring correct play in spades and a 3-3 trump break.

Players do sometimes make aggressive especially 3^rd in hand not vulnerable pre-empts but as is so often the case, our primary aim is to find the best game for our side. That is why I agree with the majority on this occasion and take the -50 on the chin, dreaming what might have been had I passed 4x.

Tomorrow, it’s back to a Fri deal for our   players, looking at a sequence of bidding that is often misused.

Richard Solomon.

 

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