DOUBLES

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 If you have:

• No 5 card suit
• Shortage in opponents suit (doubleton at most)
• 3 or 4 in cards in all other suits 
• Overcall values >10 HCP (some prefer 11/12 HCP)

No need to have 3 or 4 cards in all other suits e.g. can be a:

1. Single suited hand too strong for a simple overcall

• 16+ points
• 5 card major 
• no shortage in opponents suit needed

If partner answers in the wrong major, change it. It is a very strong overcall.

2. A balanced hand too strong for a 1NT overcall (18 HCPs)

If partner bid 1C/1D, and opponent overcalls with a suit bid (e.g. 1H) cannot overcall (1S) with 4 cards in suit, otherwise use (X). Promises 6+ points at 1 level and 8+ at 2 level

If partner bids 1C and opponent bids 1D, DBL means 4 hearts and 4 spades

Is a takeout double by responder after opponents have bid a raised a suit and partner has overcalled or doubled.

Requires 8-9 HCP at the 2 level or >9 HCP at the 3 level

Use if you do not have bid.

 The support double is a double by opener to show 3-card support for responder's suit. 

1. You open !C, 1D, 1H
2. Partner responds 1H or 1S, promising at least a 4 card suit
3. If the opponents place an intervening bid you can DBL if you have 3 cards in partners major, asking if they have 5 cards not 4.

NOTE: Do not use DBL if opponents have not bid, as this is not allowed and you can be penalised if the director is called

When to Play Support Doubles:

1. Opener and responder must have bid two different suits at the 1-level.
2. Responder must have bid a major.
3. Support doubles are on through 2S
4. However, some partnerships limit this to 2H so that responder can always sign off at the 2-level.
5. There is no point count minimum or maximum to make a support double.
6. Making a support double is opener's first priority. This is more important than rebidding no-trumps to show an enemy stopper, rebidding a 6-card suit, bidding a new suit, etc. Opener denies 3-card support if she makes any call other than double. (Excluding natural raises of responder's suit, of course.)
7. If the opponents' interference is in the form of a double, a redouble by opener shows 3-card support. This is called a support redouble.

And now, some more fine print when support doubles might NOT apply:

1. Support doubles are off when opener or responder has bid no-trumps.
2. Support doubles are also off when advancer (opener's RHO) bids a strong no-trump.
3. Opener isn't necessarily required to make a support double. She may be allowed to pass holding 3-card support with a weak balanced hand. This is open for partnership discussion

 The support double is a double by opener to show 3-card support for responder's suit. 

1. You open !C, 1D, 1H
2. Partner responds 1H or 1S, promising at least a 4 card suit
3. If the opponents place an intervening bid you can DBL if you have 3 cards in partners major, asking if they have 5 cards not 4.

NOTE: Do not use DBL if opponents have not bid, as this is not allowed and you can be penalised if the director is called

When to Play Support Doubles:

1. Opener and responder must have bid two different suits at the 1-level.
2. Responder must have bid a major.
3. Support doubles are on through 2S
4. However, some partnerships limit this to 2H so that responder can always sign off at the 2-level.
5. There is no point count minimum or maximum to make a support double.
6. Making a support double is opener's first priority. This is more important than rebidding no-trumps to show an enemy stopper, rebidding a 6-card suit, bidding a new suit, etc. Opener denies 3-card support if she makes any call other than double. (Excluding natural raises of responder's suit, of course.)
7. If the opponents' interference is in the form of a double, a redouble by opener shows 3-card support. This is called a support redouble.

And now, some more fine print when support doubles might NOT apply:

1. Support doubles are off when opener or responder has bid no-trumps.
2. Support doubles are also off when advancer (opener's RHO) bids a strong no-trump.
3. Opener isn't necessarily required to make a support double. She may be allowed to pass holding 3-card support with a weak balanced hand. This is open for partnership discussion

This is a DOUBLE of opponents artificial bid. It means that is my suit and I was going to bid that. e.g slam bidding, 2C stayman and transfers, 2D after a strong 2C opening.

In most cases artificial bids are taken out, so usually partner does not need to bid. However if partner has points and that suit they can then bid it. Or they can bid a suit of their own.

If you end up defending the double is then LEAD DIRECTING

This is used above a certain level (e.g 3) by partner agreement, or over a 1NT bid. 

Only use this when you know the declarer will be defeated.

RULE OF 9 - add the number of trumps in your hand plus the number of the trump bid, if it equals 9 the DOUBLE

NOTE: If partner has been doubled and RHO opponent has unexpectedly passed, you can REDOUBLE (XX) to allow the bidding to continue and partner to bid again.

You must respond (rarely can you leave it - needs 6 cards in the bid suit - 3 sure trump tricks and at last one non-trump trick) so bid your best alternate suit. Always give preference to a 4 card major suit even if have a 5 card suit in a minor. Can add TP as you know that you have a fit.

• 0-8 HCP -  Bid LONGEST suit - preference to a major
• 9-11 HCP, 4+ card major -  Bid at one level up than necessary in LONGEST suit  
• 9-11 HCP, no 4 card major, stopper in opponents suit - Bid NT (1NT if at 8-10 HCP) but 2NT if at higher end (11-12 HCPs) 13+ HCP 3NT
• 12+ HCP -  Force to game. Could bid opponents suit as this is a ‘cue bid’. If 2 suits usually bid first one (can assign meaning to second one). Game forcing.

• 0-7 HCP -  Pass (only bid if >8HCPs) but consider using TPs if a fit!
• 8+TPs  - Show a fit if you have one or bid NT with a stopper
• 9-11 HCP -  Jump to show strength, invite to game
• 12+ HCP -  Force to game. Could bid opponents suit as this is a ‘cue bid’. Game forcing.

• Bid as they they have passed

 Yes if at all possible, bend the rules slightly - stretch to bid

• 0-4 TPs -  PASS
• 5+ TPs, 3 card suit -  support if opener has opened in a major
• 5+ HCPs if partner has bid a minor - bid major?? ? support minor
• 10+ HCPs, no fit - Bid XX - Redouble

• PASS unless have 16+ HCPs
• 16-18 TPs -  2H/S invites partner to game if has points
• 19-21 TPs -  3H/S invites partner to game with anything except a useless hand
• 22+ TPs - Jump to game

• Less than 14+ TPs - PASS, your partner will rebid if has more than minimum hand (>7TPs).
• 14-15 TPs - if have a good 4 card fit, stretch to raise

If bids a suit but has not jumped - still has only 8 HCPs, so 

• 10-16 TPs - stretch to raise only if opener rebids otherwise PASS
• 16+ TPs and fit -  Bid game
• 16+ HCPs and no fit and stopper - 3NT

Shows a stopper and 8-10 HCPs

• Less than 14 HCPs - PASS
• 15-16 HCPs - Invite with 2NT
• 17+ HCP - 3NT

• 0-7 TPs -  Pass 
• 8+ TPs and 4 hearts/spades (if cue bid) or fit- Invite with 3H/S 
• 14-15 HCP  and 3 hearts/spades and a stopper -  invite with 2NT
• 12+ HCP -  Force to game. Could bid opponents suit as this is a ‘cue bid’. Game forcing.

Need a balanced strong hand (17+ HCPs) and it is usually for penalty

If you have a weak single suited hand (5+ cards in one suit) consider bidding, otherwise PASS

• Watch this video on YouTube from Tony Shaw  

• Watch this video on YouTube from Oklahoma Collective

• Watch this video on YouTube from Oklahoma Collective