(Takeout Doubles, Continued from page 201)

ª- AQ75 ©- 52     ¨- KT6   §- AJ42

If partner doubles 1 of a suit and LHO passes:
A non-jump bid in a new suit shows a weak hand - about 0-8 pts. (Distributional values should be included.)
A jump bid in a new suit shows good values - at least 9 pts, but is not forcing.
A NT bid shows values and stoppers in opener's suit.
A cue-bid (a bid of the opener's suit) is the only forcing bid. It promises the values for game unless doubler and responder are both minimum and there is no major suit fit.

With fewer than 5 points, responder makes a non-jump bid in a new suit. Responder should generally bid his longest suit, but should prefer a 4-card major to a 4- or 5-card minor, escpecially if the major can be bid at the 1-level. Responder should usually not compete further unless doubler shows an extremely powerful hand. If RHO bids immediately over the double, responder should pass. With 5-7 points, responder still makes a non-jump bid in a new suit. Responder should usually bid his longest suit first; but with two suits, responder should try to bid them both. Responder is strong enough to compete further; and if RHO bids immediately over the double, Responder should bid. With 8-11 points, game is possible if partner has more than a minimum double. It is important for responder to show his values. Responder should jump in a new suit, or bid 1NT with opener's suit stopped. (If RHO bids a new suit over partner's double, responder does not need stoppers - partner's double implies something in that suit.) Responder should prefer a jump in a major to a 1NT bid, but should prefer a 1NT bid to a jump in a minor.  With 12-13 points, game is probable. Responder can bid 2NT with the opener's suit stopped. Otherwise, responder should cuebid and then invite game. With 14 or more, game must be reached - responder should bid 3NT with good stoppers in opener's suit, or can jump to game in a suit with a very good suit. Otherwise responder should cuebid and push to game. There is only one situation in which responder is allowed to pass - when responder has an extremely good holding in opener's suit (something like KQT965 or better), he can "convert" the takeout double to a penalty double.

Rebids by the Doubler - Just as responder should not underestimate his hand, it is important for the doubler not to overestimate the value of his hand. With a normal minimum takeout double, the doubler should usually pass at subsequent turns unless forced by partner. Any other bid promises more than a minimum.

After a non-jump suit response to a takeout double: With 16 or fewer points, doubler should pass. There is not enough for game. Responder has fewer than 8 points and could well have zero. With 17 or more points and 4 or more cards in responder's suit, doubler should raise. Doubler must remember that responder might be completely broke. After a 1-level response, doubler should raise to 2 with 17-19, raise to 3 with 20-22, and raise to 4 with 23 or more. After a 2-level response, doubler should raise to 3 with about 17-21, and raise to 4 with 22 or more. With a good hand and a good suit, doubler can bid his own suit. This shows a hand that was too good to simply overcall. To double and then bid a suit that could have been overcalled at the 1-level promises about 17-20 points. With an even stronger hand and a good suit, doubler can jump in his suit to the appropriate level - he should bid what he can make in his own hand. With a strong balanced hand, doubler can bid Notrump. This shows a hand too strong for a direct 1NT overcall. After a 1-level response, a bid of 1NT shows about 19-21, a jump to 2NT shows 22-24, and a jump to 3NT shows 25+. After a 2-level response, a bid of 2NT shows about 19-22, and a jump to 3NT shows 23 or more. Finally, with a good hand and no other clear-cut action, doubler can cue-bid - that is, bid opener's suit. This promises about 19 or more points; responder and doubler can bid naturally until the best contract is reached.

If responder makes a non-jump suit response after an intervening bid, he is promising some values - about 5-7. Doubler need not fear that partner is totally broke, but must remember that partner has denied 8 points. Doubler can raise a 1-level response to 2 with 17-18, to 3 with 19-20, or to 4 with 21+; doubler can raise a 2-level response to 3 with 17-19, or to 4 with 20+. A non-jump NT bid should show about 19-20, while a jump in NT should show 21+.

When responder makes a value-showing bid of 1NT or a jump in a suit, doubler should pass with a minimum (about 11-13 points). With 14-15 points, doubler should invite game. With 16 or more, doubler should insist on game.

When responder bids 2NT, doubler should go on to game unless he has an absolute minimum.
When responder begins with a cuebid, doubler must bid. Doubler and responder should start by bidding their best suits. Game will be reached unless both doubler and responder are minimum and there is no major suit fit.

LHO opens 1¨, Partner doubles, and RHO passes. What do you bid with:

1) ª - 8752   © - K652   ¨ - T63   § - 92
2) ª - K752   ©  - A652   ¨ - T63   § - 92

(Continued on page 203)