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ACTION DOUBLES Action doubles are doubles at the two or three level that might be taken for business doubles, but actually have a more useful meaning. They are left in more often than takeout doubles, hence the different name. An action doubler must therefore be prepared for a leave-in of the double. Don't double with poor defensive potential. Similar doubles at the four level are primarily for business. When Partner Has Overcalled -- After opener's suit is raised to the two or three level When partner overcalls and next hand raises opener, a business double would be very rare. Accordingly, we give the double a different meaning: "action." There are three situations: 1) one unbid major, 2) both majors unbid, and 3) both minors unbid. 1) When there is one unbid major: South West North East 1C 1S 2C/3C Dbl This double shows a hand with both unbid suits, nominally 5-5 but perhaps 5-4 major-minor, a tolerance for partner's suit in case he must rebid it, and enough strength to make a disaster unlikely. South West North East 1S 2C 2S Dbl East could have S-83 H-AJ973 D-Q1084 C-Q8. With a stronger hand and 5-5 in the red suits, advancer could transfer to hearts (by bidding 3D) and then bid diamonds. See chapter RESPONDING TO SIMPLE OVER- CALLS in the book "Defensive Bidding," which includes transfer responses to overcalls. 2) When both majors are unbid: South West North East 1D 2C 2D Dbl 1C 1D 2C Dbl This double may be made with as little as 4-4 in the majors. Transfer responses to the overcall are also useful in this situation. 3) When both minors are unbid, an action double implies 5-5 in the minors but could have long diamonds only: South West North East 1H 1S 2H Dbl East has S-102 H-3 D-AJ876 C-KJ984, too good a hand to pass but a doubtful spade raise. If the majors were reversed a pass would be right, because an action double implies at least a doubleton or singleton high honor in partner's suit. Another possible hand for East: S-Q4 H-532 D-AJ10832 C-K6 Bidding 3D would deny spade support, but a spade raise doesn't look right. If West bids clubs, East can bid the diamonds. -- After a new suit response by RHO A double of the new suit is not a very useful call, so we use it as an action double. There are four situations: 1) overcall in a major, unbid suit a major; 2) overcall in a major, unbid suit a minor; 3) overcall in a minor, unbid suit a major; and 4) overcall in a minor, unbid suit a minor. This double implies indecision whether to bid the fourth suit or raise. 1) Overcall in a major, unbid suit a major: South West North East 1C 1S 2D Dbl East has S-Q2 H-AJ7632 D-42 C-763. Rather than guess whether to bid 2H or 2S, he makes an action double to show this sort of hand. This example is about as weak as one can go, but the maximum is somewhat higher--anything short of cue bid strength. A 2H bid here would imply no tolerance for spades. 2) Overcall in a major, unbid suit a minor: South West North East 1C 1S 2H Dbl East has a tolerance for spades and a good diamond suit of at least six cards. As with 1), bidding the fourth suit would tend to deny a tolerance for partner's major. 3) Overcall in a minor, unbid suit a major: South West North East 1C 1D 1S Dbl West might have S-43 H-AJ972 D-QJ3 C-432. The double does not deny good support for diamonds, nor does it imply six hearts. A heart bid would show six hearts, but would not deny diamond support. 4) Overcall in a minor, unbid suit a minor: South West North East 1S 2D 2H Dbl East implies six clubs and a tolerance for diamonds; West can take his pick. Here too, a 3C bid would imply no tolerance for diamonds. -- When opener "reraises" his raised suit, or bids a new suit after being raised, a major suit overcaller who has been raised may wish to try for game or merely want to compete further. His double is a game try if opener's rebid is in the suit just below the overcall suit: South West North East 1H 1S 2H 2S 3H Dbl - game try 3S - competitive, not invitational If there is room between opener's rebid and the overcall suit, a new suit bid is a game try and a double is for business: South West North East 1C 1S 2C 2S 3C Dbl - business 3D/3H - game try, forcing 3S - competitive, not invitational Neither 3D nor 3H necessarily shows a suit. With a choice of two suits, as in this sequence, overcaller bids the suit in which a fit would be helpful (e.g., KJx). When there is only one suit available for the game try, the new suit bid implies nothing about the suit: South West North East 1D 1S 2D 2S 3D 3H - game try, forcing West may have any sort of holding for his 3H bid, which is a completely artificial (and alertable) game try. West could really have a heart suit, of course, so East should bid 4H with a good raise and better hearts than spades. If opener's new suit bid is of lower rank than his first suit, overcaller can cue bid the first suit as a game try: South West North East 1D 1S 2D 2S 3C Dbl - business 3D - game try 3H - not forcing 3S - not invitational When opener's rebid is of higher rank than the overcall suit, or his suit has not been raised, a double is primarily for business: South West North East 1S 2H 2S 3H 3S Dbl - business South West North East 1H 1S Pass 2S 3H Dbl - business Game is less likely when the overcall suit is a minor, so the action double of a reraise carries a slightly different message: "I have too much to pass but don't know whether to bid or double for penalties--what do you think?" South West North East 1D 2C 2D 3C 3D Dbl - optional double 4C - not invitational For the double, West has S-AK2 H-K4 D-J2 C-A98765. He wants to compete further, but doesn't want to miss a good penalty (and possibly incur one) by unilaterally bidding 4C. East can pass or bid 4C, as he sees fit. He might even bid 5C with something like S-Q83 H-A75 D-86 C-J10432, although strictly speaking this is not a game try double (and he should have bid 4C instead of 3C). Action Double by Opener There are four situations for an action double by opener when an opposing overcall has been raised: 1) A major suit opening has been raised, and the opposing raise is in the suit just below opener's. A double here simply means opener wants to know if responder is minimum or maximum--a game try double: South West North East 1S 2H 2S 3H Dbl - game try 3H - not invitational The double serves to distinguish a merely competitive bid from a serious move toward game. 2) A major suit opening has been raised, and the opposing raise is in a suit other than the one ranking just below opener's: South West North East 1H 2C 2H 3C Dbl - action double, for takeout 3D - game try: S-AK10 H-AJ873 D-A87 C-65 3H - just competing, not invitational The double implies that opener's suit has only four cards, and that he has support for the unbid suits (e.g., S-K87 H-AK87 D-K8765 C-3), but has no serious interest in game. Responder could have five spades or four diamonds, three hearts, and a minimum hand that could not compete further if opener passes. To make a game try, opener must bid a new suit, forcing, even when lacking four cards in the suit. South West North East 1H 1S 2H 2S Dbl - S-7 H-KJ87 D-AJ98 C-AQ87 A new suit bid would be a forcing game try, so South doubles to show a desire to compete with this sort of hand. When the opposing suit is spades, then a double at the three level is still a game try, but opener is well prepared to defend: South West North East 1H 1S 2H 3S Dbl South hopes North can bid 4H but is quite willing to defend against 3S. North will usually make a four level bid with a maximum raise, pass with a minimum. If in doubt, he passes with three-card support, bids with four. 3) A minor suit has been raised. In this case a double of any raised overcall is primarily for takeout: South West North East 1C 1S 2C 2S Dbl - S-A H-J873 D-Q765 C-AKQ3 Unlike the double of a next-lower-ranking-suit following a major suit raise, this double is for takeout. A new suit would be forcing, but would imply a two-suited hand. The double is prefer- able when holding good support for both unbid suits. It promises four cards in a single unbid major, and at least 4-3 or 3-4 in spades-hearts when both majors are unbid. In the auction above, West could have four hearts even when negative doubles are being used: S-875 H-A1094 D-43 C-J876 (not strong enough for a double). 4) Responder has bid a new suit: South West North East 1C 1D 1S 2D Dbl - S-AJ H-KJ10 D-J32 C-AK1073 South feels that the hand belongs to her side, but has no suitable bid. The only answer is an action double, asking partner to bid again. When the overcall has not been raised, a direct double is for business, while a reopening double is "action": South West North East 1C Pass 1S 2H Dbl - business It is also possible to play the direct double as an action double, as will be discussed below. South West North East 1D 1H 1S Pass 2C 2H Pass Pass Dbl - takeout: S-KQ H-65 D-AKJ32 C-K1087 Reopening doubles at the three level are more business-oriented. Action Double by Responder Responder can also make an action double of an opposing raised overcall, or of an unraised overcall in the pass-out position: South West North East 1H 1S/Pass 2H 2S Pass Pass Dbl - S-42 H-Q87 D-A642 C-K873 North has too much to pass, so competes with a double that implies three-card support for opener and good support for both unbid suits. South West North East 1C 1D 1S 2D Pass Pass Dbl - S-AK832 H-Q843 D-3 C-J42 North has just the sort of hand implied by his double. Reopening doubles of an unraised overcall are action doubles at the one or two level, business at the three level: South West North East 1C Pass 1S 2H Pass Pass Dbl - action double North might have S-K8732 H-97 D-AK83 C-J2 or S-AKJ2 H-J76 D-J92 C-873 South West North East 1H Pass 2H 2S Pass Pass Dbl - action double North has both minors and only three hearts. A 2NT reopening call would also show both minors, but a hand weaker in high cards: S-4 H-Q87 D-K874 C-J8763. Opener can therefore pass the double with good cards, knowing that responder can contribute to the defense. Had the overcall come at the three level, North's double would have been more business than takeout. Business Doubles In situations other than those described above, doubles are for business: South West North East 1S 2C 2S Pass Pass 3C Dbl - business (3C not a raise) South West North East 1H 2C 2D Pass 2H Pass Pass 3C Dbl - business (3C a delayed raise) If East had bid 3C immediately over 2D, a double would be an act- ion double. Similarly: South West North East 1C 1S 2C Pass Pass 2S 3C Dbl - business East's raise to 3C was not "immediate." South West North East 1C Dbl Pass 1S 2C 2S Dbl - business (1S a forced bid) South West North East 1C Dbl Pass 1S Pass Pass 2C Pass Pass 2S Dbl - business This double is business for two reasons: 1) the spade bid being raised was a forced bid, not a voluntary bid, and 2) the raise to 2S was not "immediate." When the opponents have bid a suit three times, a double by responder is always for business: South West North East 1C 1D 2C 2D 2H/3C 3D Dbl - business Another way to put this is that a double is for business when partner has bid twice before the double (presumably describing his hand sufficiently). When a bidder has denied the strength required to play at a higher contract than the doubled contract, then a double must be for business: South West North East 1D Pass 2D 2H Pass 3H Pass Pass Dbl - business South did not have quite enough to double 2H for business. After a 1NT response, a double by either partner is for business. When either partner has redoubled during an auction in which both have participated, subsequent doubles are for business: South West North East 1C 1S Dbl Rdbl 2H Pass Pass Dbl - business double South West North East 1S Dbl Rdbl Pass Pass 2C Pass Pass Dbl - business double However: South West North East 1C Pass Pass Dbl Rdbl 1S Pass Pass Dbl - takeout Doubles of back-in overcalls are always for business: South West North East 1S Pass 2S Pass Pass 3C Dbl - business Such reopening bids are frequently made with a poor suit, so business gets the nod over "action." North implies a three-card spade raise with good high card values that include some club strength. The double is a suggestion, not a command, and South will frequently pull a double of this nature. Direct Doubles - Action or Business? Direct doubles of butt-in overcalls by the opposition are often lucrative: South West North East 1S Pass 2S 3C Dbl - business On the other hand, it is often convenient to play action doubles in such situations. South could then double with S-AQ83 H-KJ87 D-A1083 C-2, a hand that is not good enough for a 3H rebid, which is a game try. More examples: South West North East 1C Pass 1S 2D Dbl - S-762 H-AQ103 D-76 C-AKQ3 South West North East 1S Pass 2D 3C Dbl - S-AJ873 H-KQ42 C-Q83 C-6 South West North East 1D Pass 1H 2S Dbl - S-J H-J76 D-AJ972 C-AKJ5 In these cases the direct double implies three-card support for partner's suit and four cards in the fourth suit. It might be logical to play such direct doubles as business after a two-over-one response, but "action" after a one-over-one response or simple raise. Another possibility is to play these doubles as business when the opponents are vulnerable, but "action" otherwise.