Topics – Part 1 The Direct Seat T/O Double Responding to the T/O Double Responsive Doubles Topics...

DOUBLES Jim Berglund Lessson Series

Topics – Part 1The Direct Seat T/O Double

Responding to the T/O Double

Responsive DoublesTopics - Part 2Penalty Doubles

The Balancing Double

Topics – Part 4What to do when RHO

doubles your partner’s bid

Topics – Part 5High Level Doubles

Topics - Part 3Support Doubles

DSIP DoublesRosenkranz Doubles

Copyright Jim Berglund, 2012

Disclaimer

• There are many ways to bid a bridge hand. • These lessons are not designed to show you

‘the perfect bid’ in each situation• Guidance given is based on what I would do,

playing with a good partner.• They are intended to have you think about the

possibilities, so that you can take appropriate action, when you should, more often.

Responsive DoublesIn sequences that go

1X – DBL – 2X - ?You have the option to double. If you do, it is

a Responsive Double and shows:8+points, and support but no preference for

the other suitsA request for partner to select the suit.Note: A subsequent raise by partner is

invitational, so you must jump to game with the right values (never invite over an invite)

Both Opponents bid the same suit


1X – DBL – 1Y - ?You still have the option to double.

Some people play this as responsive. I do not. It is far more

useful as a penalty double.


1X – DBL – 1Y - ? Other Possibilities:

A new suit is non-forcing and shows 6+A NT bid is invitational

A Jump Bid is invitational and shows 10+ or 8+ and 5 or more cards in the bid suit

A Q-bid of opener’s suit shows one or both of the other 2 suits and is a game force

A Q-bid of responder’s suit is natural and invitational

Test Question 1N-S VULNERABLE

YOU ARE SOUTH A104Q10988763109

This is not a hand suitable for a Responsive Double.Bid 3H. Expect partner to have four hearts, so this is a good hand in support of them. Your high cards are all working. This is a better hand than you might think!This bid shows 6+ points

♠♥

♦♣

W N E S

1♠ DBL 2♠ ?


YOU ARE SOUTH Q1097654A7KJ107

Another non-responsive doubling handBid 3S, invitational, showing 10+ to 12- support points.You would like to have five spades, but four is good enough

♠♥

♦♣

W N E S

1♥ DBL 2♥ ?


YOU ARE SOUTH 28642KQ82A1093

Double. This is the responsive doubleYou need around nine support points to make this bid when you are forcing partner to the three level.The opponents have spades ‘in spades’. You have good defense should they bid game, but this bid gives partner an easy decision to bid or defend

♠♥

♦♣

W N E S

1♠ DBL 2♠ ?

Finally!


YOU ARE SOUTH 32J642K82AQ93

Double. This is another responsive doubleYou really don’t care which suit partner bids, and this bid gives him good choices

♠♥

♦♣

W N E S

1♠ DBL 2♠ ?

Another One…


YOU ARE SOUTH 743Q876292KQ7

Bid 3H. Counting your hand as worth about ten points in support of hearts. Passing is too risky, letting them play in 2S when you might have a part score.

♠♥

♦♣

W N E S

1♠ DBL 2♠ ?

Test Question 6BOTH VULNERABLE

YOU ARE SOUTH 54KJ7610965Q32

Pass. If you could bid hearts at the two level, you would. Don’t even bid with favorable vulnerability.

♠♥

♦♣

W N E S

1♠ DBL 2♠ ?


YOU ARE SOUTH 9654K765KJ876

Bid 3C. This is a great hand, since partner has at most one spade. A slam may be in the works if partner has a little more than 3 aces

♠♥

♦♣

W N E S

1♠ DBL 2♠ ?

Test Question 8NO ONE VULNERABLE

YOU ARE SOUTH 96A105QJ1093K32

Pass. You’d consider doubling if you were not using Responsive DoublesIf partner doubles again – once again for Takeout, you can happily pass! If he bids a suit, you can bid 3NT, with a high likelihood of success.

♠♥

♦♣

W N E S

1♦ DBL 2♦ ?


YOU ARE SOUTH A1098AQJ576Q105

Double. This is a responsive double, in this case allowing partner to bid a major suit at the 2-level. A responsive double at the two level shows 6+ pointsThere is no upper limit.You will raise partner to game. Note: a bid of 3D would be a Western Q bid, asking partner to bid 3NT with a partial stopper (Qxx or Jx,or better) in Diamonds. Since you don’t have one, it would not be appropriate with this hand.

♠♥

♦♣

W N E S

1♦ DBL 2♦ ?


YOU ARE SOUTH 874Q53298AJ109

Bid 2H. A free bidYour partner is sure to have hearts. If game is possible, it will be in hearts

♠♥

♦♣

W N E S

1♦ DBL 2♦ ?


YOU ARE SOUTH 74310643873432

Bid 1H Your bid at the one level, is safer than passing and having partner bid a suit at the two level. This bid DOES NOT promise any values.

♠♥

♦♣

W N E S

1♦ DBL RDBL* ?

*Usually shows 10+ HCP


YOU ARE SOUTH 74310643873432

• Pass• If partner doubles again, bid your heart suit. • This bid DOES NOT promise any values.• If partner bids 3H (showing 18+), Pass. You have no tricks and

no ruffing power.

♠♥

♦♣

W N E S

1♦ DBL 3♦* ?

*Weak


YOU ARE SOUTH

Pass with the first two hands. If partner doubles again, – Bid 3H with the first hand – Bid 3C with the second hand, allowing partner to

correct with a 2-suiter. Your distribution has valueBid 3H with the third. You can bid 4C if partner corrects

♠♥

♦♣

W N E S

1♦ DBL 3♦* ?

*Weak

71064287365432

♠♥

♦♣

710642873KQ432

♠♥

♦♣

72Q6428735432


YOU ARE SOUTH 7432QJ4287A32

Assume partner has a singleton or void in diamonds.Double with Hand 1Bid 4D with Hand 2; if Partner bids 4H, Bid 4NT; if 3S, bid 5CBid 4NT with the third.

♠♥

♦♣

W N E S

1♦ DBL 3♦* ?

*Weak

A1064287KQ5432

♠♥

♦♣

710642A73AK432

♠♥

♦♣


YOU ARE SOUTH 74Q74329108653

The opponents have the points, and likely game. Don’t let this bother you. You have a great hand!Bid 3C. You do have five of them. If partner has Hearts & Spades, he will bid again. If he does, continue bidding Once again, you promise no points with these bids

♠♥

♦♣

W N E S

1♥ DBL RDBL* ?



YOU ARE SOUTH 10976310732Q1029

Everyone else has shown good hands. You have nothing! Bid 3S. You KNOW that partner has at least 4S by his T/O double A jump bid here is preemptive, showing a long suit but not many points. This works well as long as your partner is thinking about the whole bidding sequence, and not just yours!

♠♥

♦♣

W N E S

1♥ DBL RDBL ?



YOU ARE SOUTH 7AQ9652A109872

♠♥

♦♣

W N E S

1♦ DBL 3♦* ?

*preemptive, weak

Bid 6C. Partner has 2+ Quick tricks and they aren’t in Diamonds! East has told you a lot about this hand


YOU ARE SOUTH AJ62K454Q9643

Bid 3S. This shows values, since you could have passed This is called a free bid at the three level. Partner should expect a hand like this

♠♥

♦♣

W N E S

1♦ DBL 3♦* ?

*preemptive, weak


YOU ARE SOUTH KQ84K543984Q5

Double. An invitational, responsive double At the 3-level, this shows the majors with a minimum of about nine support pointsThis is a minimum hand so you intend to pass when partner bids three of a major. If your partner has fifteen or more useful points, he has to bid a game himself.

♠♥

♦♣

W N E S

1♦ DBL 3♦* ?

*preemptive, weak


YOU ARE SOUTH

• This double is penalty, showing 8 or more points with precisely four cards in the suit you are doubling.

• They will probably bid something else and your partner can double that suit if he wants to.

♠♥

♦♣

W N E S

1♦ DBL 1♥ ?

J4KJ83743A974

What does a double mean?


YOU ARE SOUTH

Bid 2H

This is a natural bid, showing five or more cards in their suit and eight to ten support points

This cue bid is not forcing. (It’s a raise of partner’s bid)

Your partner can pass if he has a minimum double.

♠♥

♦♣

W N E S

1♦ DBL 1♥ ?

What does a Q-bid mean?

Q83K10875K8975


YOU ARE SOUTH

Bid 1NTShows 8-9 points, and good values in opponents’ suits

♠♥

♦♣

W N E S

1♦ DBL 1♥ ?

54KQ32QJ1041087


YOU ARE SOUTH

Bid 2DThis is the only game-forcing bid. You’ll then get to bid easily to the right slam. Partner only needs Kxxx xxxx Ax Axx to make 7CA responsive double tells partner you don’t have a preference. You do, so you have to make a game-forcing bid.

♠♥

♦♣

W N E S

1♦ DBL 1♥ ?

AQAQ44K1098762


YOU ARE SOUTH

Bid 5DThis bid is ‘Exclusion Blackwood’ . It shows a void and asks partner to bid any aces he has outside the bid suit. If he shows one, bid 7 clubs. Otherwise, just bid 6.Remember that if West is on lead, he can’t ruff a heart!

♠♥

♦♣

W N E S

1♦ DBL 1♥ ?

AA6543---K1098762


YOU ARE SOUTH

DBL – this is for penalties, since partner (likely) showed hearts with his double. If partner pulls it, bid 5CThis is quite a powerful hand on offence or defense (as long as they’re not playing it in diamonds.)

♠♥

♦♣

W N E S

1♦ DBL 1♥ ?

432A654---K1098762


YOU ARE SOUTH *shows a limit raise or better

Bid 3H – this is a tactical bid. It should shows points, rather than this great distribution; in this case it is only intended to keep them from bidding 5DIf partner bids game, she won’t be disappointed If they do bid game, Pass. If partner doubles, she’ll likely have the tricks to set it

♠♥

♦♣

W N E S

1♦ DBL 2NT* ?

76276543---Q10762


YOU ARE SOUTH *preemptive

Pass – their preempt worked.If partner doubles (still take-out) bid 5HIf partner bids a suit, pass.

♠♥

♦♣

W N E S

1♦ DBL 5♦* ?

76327654---Q10762


YOU ARE NORTH

Note that partner’s double is unquestionably for T/OBid 3H, invitational. This is a great hand in this auction. (remember that you’d have bid 2H with xxxx xxxx xx KQx)

♠♥

♦♣

W N E S

1♦ P 2♦ DBL

P ?

76276543---Q10762


YOU ARE NORTH

Bid 2H • This promises no more than this hand holds. Partner could hold ♠ AKQxxx ♥Axxxxxx ♦ void ♣ void and be cold for 6!

♠♥

♦♣

W N E S

1♦ P 2♦ DBL

P ?

7627656543654


YOU ARE SOUTH

PassLet partner figure this hand out. Don’t bid under any circumstances on this kind of auction

♠♥

♦♣

W N E S

P P P

1♦ DBL RDBL ?

7627656543654


YOU ARE SOUTH

Bid 4CPartner’s double is takeout, demanding that you bid one of his suits. You don’t have to, and could convert to penalty with a pass, but you need more ‘Tricks’ than this hand is likely to have.

♠♥

♦♣

W N E S

P 1♠2♥ DBL Pass 2♠3♥ DBL P ?

K76542732K7KQx

A T/O Double never becomes a penalty double

Topics – Part 1 The Direct Seat T/O Double Responding to the T/O Double Responsive Doubles Topics...

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