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NEGATIVE DOUBLES OF SIMPLE OVERCALLS
Negative doubles of overcalls, replacing business doubles, say to
opener, "I have too much to pass but no suitable bid. Please con-
tinue the auction." The negative doubler must have enough strength
and suitable distribution to provide a fairly safe landing place
for the partnership regardless of what opener might rebid. Always
prefer an acceptable bid to a double, because bidding sequences
following a negative double are notoriously inaccurate.
This chapter assumes that four-card major suit openings are
permitted. "Five-card-majorites" will want to modify some of what
follows.
Negative Free Bids in a Major
Major suit responses at the one level are forcing, as usual, but
not at the two level:
South West North
1C 1D 1H/1S - forcing
South West North
1C 1S 2H - not forcing
Naturally the suit has to be a fair one, say Q109xx or better at
the two level and whatever common sense dictates at the three
level. Opener usually doesn't pass without some support, perhaps
a doubleton honor or three small. Opener's 2NT rebid is not
forcing, weak. With a good hand he should bid a new suit, cue bid
(both forcing), jump in his own suit or raise (both invitational),
or bid game.
The total HCP requirement for a non-forcing new major suit bid
depends on the level of the bid and the quality of the suit. At
the two level, a six-card suit headed by AK needs nothing outside,
while one might want 10-11 HCP with a suit like KJ932. Never make
the bid with a trashy hand, just because it is not forcing. One
reason is that you have to bid again if opener bids a new suit.
Other reasons are obvious.
In order to force, responder doubles and then bids the major:
South West North East
1C 1S Dbl Pass
2C Pass 2H - forcing to limit situation
Standard practice is the reverse of the above policy: New suits
are forcing unless preceded by a negative double. This seems back-
ward--why not bid immediately with the weaker hand? There are three
reasons to do so:
1) Opener is permitted to pass a negative double, converting it to
a penalty double. If the double is based on a long suit with little
outside, the danger is obvious: The doubled contract may be made
when you have a good major suit contract your way. If your long-
in-a-major doubles are made only with strong hands, any missed
major suit contract will probably have the consolation of a
substantial penalty when partner passes the double.
2) Doubling with the non-forcing hand works if the opponents don't
interfere, but suppose the bidding goes like this:
South West North East
1C 1S Dbl 3S
Pass Pass ?
If the double is based on S-64 H-KJ8743 D-Q5 C-K87, North has quite
a problem. Why not bid 2H over 1S and get the hand described
immediately?
3) With a moderate two-suited hand, responder can start bidding his
suits right away. Suppose partner opens 1C, next hand bids 1S, and
you have S-42 H-K10932 D-AK873 C-5. If you double and LHO bids 2S,
where do you go when 2S is passed back to you? A repeat double
doesn't show 5-5, does it? Why not bid 2H right away, and (if 2H
isn't passed out) bid 3D, also not forcing, on the next round?
There are three exceptions to the strength requirement (a forcing
hand) for a major suit bid following a double:
1) When opener makes a cue bid response:
South West North East
1C 1S Dbl Pass
2S Pass 3H - S-87 H-108765 D-AQ86 C-Q6
South must bid again, so North could have a strong hand and still
bid just 3H if confident of clarifying his strength next round.
2) When opener makes a responsive double:
South West North East
1C 1S Dbl 2S
Dbl Pass 3H - same hand, but not forcing
North must bid something else with a strong hand.
3) When opener passes a redouble around:
South West North East
1C 1S Dbl Rdbl
Pass Pass 2H - same hand, not forcing
When a new major response is not forcing, a jump takeout in that
major is a strong forcing bid--but may not be as strong as a normal
jump takeout response. We call it a "semi-strong jump takeout."
South West North
1D 2 3H
North has S-762 H-AKQ865 D-A108 C-7. Since 2H would not be forcing
and the hand is not suitable for a negative double (which could be
left in), a 3H bid is the only answer. See SEMI-STRONG JUMP TAKEOUT
RESPONSE.
It will sometimes happen that responder has a powerful hand that
is unsuitable for either a jump takeout or a negative double.
Perhaps he fears that opener will pass the double and a slam will
be missed. The solution may be a game-forcing cue bid:
South West North
1D 1S 2S
North could have any of these hands:
1) S-8 H-A42 D-A65432 C-A32
2) S- void H-AKQ93 D-Q76 C-A9843
3) S-4 H-AK65 D-Q1082 C-AJ96
It follows that a cue bid can be based on a wide variety of strong
hands. It promises first or second round control of the opposing
suit. See chapter CUE BIDS BY RESPONDER in the book "Cue Bids."
What about free bids in a minor suit? Because minors aren't so
important, and non-forcing minor suit bids can lead to more
difficulties than those in a major, we go along with the usual
rule: A new minor suit response is forcing, while a new minor after
doubling is not forcing.
Non-jump new suit responses by a passed hand are not forcing, even
in a major after doubling. When a passed hand chooses to double and
then bid a major instead of bidding it right away, he implies a
weakish five-card suit (i.e., Q109xx or worse), and that he can
support some other contract if opener is short. This is also true
of a free new minor suit response: Doubling and then bidding a new
minor implies a poor five-card suit, while bidding the minor im-
mediately implies a good suit. This principle does not apply to
responses at the one level, which are standard.
Negative Doubles at the One Level
A one-level double requires at least 7 HCP. Let's look at each
possible situation:
South West North
1C 1D Dbl - negative
The requirement of "no suitable bid" means that this double denies
a biddable major suit (Q10xx or better) that could be shown at the
one level, and denies a holding that is suitable for a 1NT
response. If responder has a biddable major, he should bid it
instead of doubling. With two biddable majors, he should ignore the
overcall and bid the major he would have shown if RHO had passed.
This double does not imply a holding in any particular suit(s), so
a jump rebid of 2H or 2S by opener is forcing.
Don't double with 7-10 HCP and a double stopper in diamonds, even
with 4-4 in the majors. Bid 1NT instead. If you double and opener
must rebid 2C, you are too weak to rebid 2NT and might miss a good
notrump contract in a match point game. The difference between a
2C contract and a 1NT contract is unlikely to be of importance at
IMP scoring, when it might be better to double even with only one
four-card major.
The doubler may have good values for a 2C raise, but hopes to find
a superior major suit or notrump contract. With a very weak hand
it is better to just raise with a hand such as S-10874 H-J84 D-J8
C-KQ32.
South West North
1C/1D 1H Dbl
North denies Q10xx or better in spades. A typical hand: S-A7 H-J32
D-K876 C-Q1082 (hoping that opener can rebid 1NT).
A possible problem arises when responder has four good spades and
five cards in the unbid minor. Suppose the opening is 1C and you
hold S-AQ83 H-J32 D-KJ765 C-2. If RHO had passed you would have
responded 1D, bidding the longer suit first. You can't bid 2D over
1H, however, which would require more strength. So you must respond
1S, suppressing the diamond suit. (Those who play that a double
promises four spades have an edge in this case). Don't respond 1S
if you have enough strength to bid 2D and then spades at a high
level (e.g., if LHO bids 4H). Always show your distribution if you
have the strength to do so.
The next double is a little different:
South West North
1C 1S Dbl
This is the only one level double that implies a specific suit
(hearts). If the doubler does not have four hearts, she must have
enough strength to bid something else if opener bids hearts (at
any level!). This is a very useful double, preventing the heart
suit from being shut out. It does not promise a heart suit,
however, just as a takeout double of a 1S opening does not promise
(although it implies) four hearts.
He could also have nothing but a good long diamond suit, with
insufficient strength for a forcing 2D response: S-J8 H-Q83
D-AQJ987 C-J2. Unless South bids something like 3NT, North will bid
diamonds on the next round, not forcing.
Because hearts are implied, a jump rebid of 3H by South is
invitational only. If South has four hearts and wants to be in game
she should cue bid, not bid 4H, because North has not guaranteed
a heart suit.
The same logic does not apply if the opening was 1D. Because hands
with diamonds and hearts are usually opened with 1H, there is less
need to imply a heart suit when doubling 1S:
South West North
1D 1S Dbl
North will not pass a reverse into hearts by South. Since the
double does not imply a heart suit, South must have a pretty fair
hand to bid 2H, although perhaps lacking full reversing values:
S-A2 H-J987 D-AK1083 C-K2. If North has heart support, she will
raise; if not, she will bid. Either way, 2H is not going to get
passed.
South West North
1H 1S Dbl
North has S-976 H-J4 D-K1032 C-AJ87 and South has S-KJ7 H-AQ107
D-J874 C-K3. How does South play in 1NT? Using negative doubles,
North doubles 1S and South rebids 1NT. Although North is likely to
have both minors, "implied suit(s)" doesn't apply to minors, so a
jump rebid of 3C or 3D by South would be forcing.
Negative Doubles at the Two Level
South West North
1D 2C Dbl
This is another double that implies a major--spades, in this case.
The doubler usually has 8-11 points and a spade suit, with either
hearts or diamonds as a secondary hope. Less often she will have
hearts and diamonds only, with too much for a free raise of 2D.
Remember, opener is unlikely to have hearts when he opens 1D.
Opener will picture the doubler with something like: S-KJ32 H-932
D-AJ4 C-854. Also possible: S-K654 H-J9432 D-A54 C-3
Suppose you have doubled with the last hand. What next?
If opener rebids 2D, you pass (2H would be forcing).
If opener bids 2S, you pass (opener expects you to have spades and
a hand this good).
If opener bids 2H, you raise (since he doesn't expect you to have
hearts). This reverse into a non-implied major is forcing in any
case.
Another possibility for this double: S-K4 H-AK65 D-10873 C-964.
A limit jump raise to 3D would be rather strange with this hand,
so you double--not to show hearts, since this double does not imply
hearts, but because there is no better alternative. Over any spade
bid by opener you return to diamonds, and then you have implied
hearts.
Another: S-Q108 H-AJ9 D-J654 C-AQ9 This hand is too good for a
non-forcing 2NT response, but a jump to 3NT shows 16-18 HCP. With
a 13-15 HCP hand like this, responder makes a negative double and
then bids 3NT.
North East South
1H 2C/2D Dbl
These doubles deny four-card heart support and imply a spade suit.
The doubler may have adequate three-card heart support, but then
she will have 10 points or more. With less she would just bid 2H,
even when holding five spades.
The 1H-2C-Dbl should not be based on a diamond suit. Go ahead and
bid 2D with S-765 H-98 D-AK10764 C-82. Opener might embarrass you
with a spade jump if you double.
With the sequence 1H-2D-Dbl you might have a good club suit and
nothing much outside: S-542 H-5 D-754 C-AKJ1083. To show clubs you
would have to make a forcing 3C bid, so you double and hope that
partner does not bid too high in spades. You hope it will go:
South West North East
1H 2D Dbl Pass
2H/2S Pass 3C - not forcing
But you will have to bid 4C if South bids 3H or 3S. (You can pass
a 4H rebid). Obviously this type of double requires a good club
suit.
South West North
1S 2C/2D/2H Dbl
A typical holding for North is 4-4 in the unbid suits. That doesn't
make those suits implied, however, so a jump rebid in a new suit
by South is forcing. If North has adequate trump support for
spades, she will have enough to raise a 2S rebid. If lacking
strength to raise 2S, she should just bid 2S instead of doubling
(even with four hearts).
As usual, with all of the two level doubles discussed so far, the
doubler may have a notrump bid up his sleeve. With 1S-2C-Dbl the
doubler might have: S-K76 H-A63 D-K842 C-A97. If opener rebids,
say, 2D, the doubler will follow with a 3C cue bid. This is
equivalent to a 3NT bid, but implies that opener (who might have
Qx in clubs) should play the hand. It also gives opener an
opportunity to rebid spades (or diamonds).
Since simple overcalls of 1S do not preempt major suit bidding
space, it would be entirely logical of play business doubles
against them. See the chapter BUSINESS DOUBLES OF OVERCALLS in the
book "Defense Bidding." When playing business doubles, such
gimmicks as negative free bids are not employed.
Passing with Strength
In negative double situations, what should responder do with a hand
that would normally call for a business double? She can still make
a negative double if she can see that it won't lead to difficulty.
She can bid notrump or some new suit, or she can pass, hoping that
partner will reopen with a double--which she will convert to
business by passing (but opener might have a singleton in the
doubled suit). If opener passes instead of acting (he is not
compelled to act), the undoubled penalty may still be a good
result. In most such cases opener will have a minimum or near-
minimum hand and some cards in the opposing suit himself (else why
no takeout double to reopen?).
In deciding whether to reopen when an overcall has been passed
around, opener should first look at his holding in the opposing
suit. With three or more cards in the suit, it is unlikely that
partner has passed because of length in that suit. In this case
opener should have a sound hand to reopen. With shortness in the
opposing suit, however, a reopening call is almost mandatory. A
reopening takeout double implies that a leave-in of the double
would be acceptable. After opening S-AQ873 H-KJ976 D-K2 C-4, if the
bidding goes:
South West North East
1S 2C Pass Pass
South should not reopen with a double, even though North may be
loaded in clubs. Since South would not have passed a business
double of 2C, he must now do what he would have done if North had
made a business double--bid 2H.
Opener should never make a reopening double when void in the
opposing suit, and (as above) should bid instead of doubling with
a two-suited hand. With a singleton in the opposing suit, he should
double only when holding 3-1/2 or more defensive tricks. Another
requirement, of course, is that the reopening doubler be prepared
for any response that partner might make--especially in an unbid
major.
Responding to a Negative Double
After hearing a negative double, opener makes the most descriptive
bid he can find to further show his hand. He should avoid rebidding
a poor five-card suit, even if it means reversing without full
reversing values. The negative doubler can pass any minimum rebid
by opener, and sometimes can pass a jump in a new major suit:
South West North East
1C 1S Dbl Pass
3H Pass Pass Pass
This negative double implies a heart suit, so South can pass 3H
with a minimum double. The 3H bid is really a jump raise, and jump
raises are non-forcing. Jumps in a major suit that has not been
implied by the negative double are forcing, as are all jumps in a
new minor.
A 2NT jump rebid by opener in response to a negative double is not
forcing, showing about 16-17 HCP and stopper(s) in the opposing
suit, while a cue bid is forcing to a limit situation:
South West North East
1C 1S Dbl Pass
2NT - not forcing, 16-17 HCP
2S - forcing to a limit situation
When the next opponent bids over a negative double, opener should
not automatically bid just because it is his turn. With nothing
much to say, he should just pass. If the overcall is raised, he can
make a responsive double when he wants to bid something but lacks
full values to do so:
South West North East
1C 1S Dbl 2S
Dbl
South has S-92 H-KJ98 D-A87 C-AJ87, not enough for a free bid at
the three level. With four cards in the heart suit implied by
North's double, he doubles to show just this sort of hand. Had East
bid a new suit, the double would be for business.
If opener sees that game is almost certain, he should cue bid if
he can do so conveniently. After a cue bid, which is forcing to a
limit situation, both partners can proceed to describe their hands.
When opener "reverses" in response to a negative double, he does
not promise more than opening bid strength, nor does he imply 5-4
in the two suits.
South West North East
1C 1S Dbl Pass
2D/2H - may have a minimum and only four clubs
Passing the Double
Opener may pass a negative double, playing for a penalty, if he
is long and strong in the opposing suit. Remembering that the
opposing bidder is sitting over his trump holding, opener will
consider the following in deciding whether or not to pass the
double:
-- Ability to stand the lead in the suit opened.
-- Length in an unbid minor is undesirable, for the doubler may
have length there too, canceling any defensive strength in that
suit.
-- Length in a major that doubler has implied is undesirable.
-- Vulnerability. In match points, it is better to score 110 in a
part score than 100 from a penalty. The chance of making game or
slam must also be considered.
-- Lack of a suitable alternative. If the alternative to a pass
is a dangerous bid, the pass becomes more attractive.
-- General defensive strength, especially in the form of trump
tricks and trump length.
Rebids by the Negative Doubler
On his next turn, the negative doubler can force by cue bidding
or by bidding a new major suit. When it could have been shown at
the one level, a new major suit bid obviously must be based on a
weak suit:
South West North East
1D 1H Dbl Pass
2D Pass 2S - forcing, weak suit
A notrump bid or new minor suit rebid is not forcing:
South West North East
1C 1H Dbl Pass
1S Pass 2NT/2D - not forcing
The 2NT bid might be made with S-832 H-AQ D-Q8742 C-QJ4, and the
2D bid with S-873 H-J84 D-AK10874 C-9. The Stoplight convention
applies after this jump to 2NT. See chapter STOPLIGHT in the book
"Marvin's Conventions and Treatments."
If the negative doubler follows with a cue bid, that is classified
as a "competitive cue bid." See chapter COMPETITIVE CUE BIDS in the
book "Cue Bids."
A repeat double by a negative doubler is still for takeout if the
same suit is being doubled and opener has passed or rebid his suit.
Any other double is for business:
South West North East
1C 1S Dbl 2S/3S
Pass Pass Dbl - still for takeout
South West North East
1C 1S Dbl Pass
2C 2S Dbl - still for takeout
South West North East
1C 1S Dbl Pass
2C 2D/2H Dbl - business
South West North East
1D 1H Dbl 1S
Pass Pass Dbl - business
This last double is very tentative, because North has denied a
biddable spade suit. South will usually pull this double.
When the repeat double comes at the three level, especially if a
major is being doubled, the doubler is well prepared to defend if
opener chooses to pass:
South West North East
1S 2H Dbl 3H
Pass Pass Dbl - optional double
NEGATIVE DOUBLE SUMMARY
-- After an opposing overcall, a new major suit response at the
two or three level is not forcing.
-- A new major suit bid following a negative double by an unpassed
hand is forcing to a limit situation (with some exceptions).
-- Minimum responses in a new minor are forcing by an unpassed
hand.
-- A new minor suit bid following a negative double is not forcing.
-- A 2NT bid following a negative double is not forcing, showing
11-12 HCP. If it is a jump, Stoplight applies. See the STOPLIGHT
chapter in the book "Marvin's Conventions and Treatments."
-- A cue bid by the negative doubler is a competitive cue bid. See
chapter COMPETITIVE CUE BIDS in the book "Cue Bids."
-- A negative double followed by a jump to 3NT shows 13-15 HCP. An
immediate jump to 3NT shows 16-18 HCP.
-- A jump rebid in a new suit in response to a negative double is
not forcing if the suit was implied by the double.