Smith Echo

Negative Doubles (Part 2)

Part 1 covered the basic low-level situations. Here we cover an assortment of other topics.

How High?

In the examples of Part 1, the opponent’s overcall was always at the one-level or 2♣. But Negative Doubles are played higher than that, though the upper limit varies according to partnership taste.

Opener RHO You LHO

1♦ 2♠ Dbl Almost everybody plays this as Negative

1♦ 3♠ Dbl Many play this as Negative, with Doubles of higher

bids as Penalty

1♦ 4♥ Dbl Another popular cut-off point, with a Double of 4♥

as Negative, but higher Doubles are Penalty.

Our suggestion is that you play Negative Doubles up to 4♥, but if that seems uncomfortably high then try 3♠.

Required Strength

How good does the hand have to be for a Negative Double? That depends on the level of the opponent’s overcall, the higher their overcall the more you need. Approximate ranges are:

One-level: 6+

Two-level: 9+

Three-level: 11+

As always, fudging is permitted, especially when there are mitigating factors such as extra distribution or a fit for Opener’s minor.

Opener’s Rebid

Opener RHO You LHO

1♦ 1♠ Dbl Pass

Opener rebids almost exactly the same as he would have done if the opponents had been silent and you had responded 1♥.

- 2♥, 3♥, 4♥ are progressively good Heart raises.

- 1NT and 2NT are 12-14 and 18-19 respectively, just as in an uncontested auction.

- And similarly for other bids. Straightforward stuff in other words. Well, there is that 2♠ cue-bid available which can be used for good hands with no clear direction.

After We Preempt

Opener RHO You LHO

2♥ 3♦ ??

Is this a Negative Double? Absolutely not! When Partner preempts and we double, that is invariably a Penalty Double!

Doubling and Bidding

Opener RHO You LHO

1♣ 1♠ Dbl 2♠

Pass Pass 3♥

What does this sequence show? Logically, it has to mean this:

- Long Hearts (probably 6+)

- Moderate values (due to the failure to bid 2♥ originally).

- A typical specimen might be: ♠ 98, ♥ QJ9876, ♦ K98, ♣ J2

Penalizing the Opponents

If we cannot make a Penalty Double when the opponents make an ill-advised overcall, then how do we make them pay the price? The answer is to pass smoothly and hope that Opener will be able to make a re-opening Double. When do we re-open with a Double, when do we pass, when do we bid something else? It’s a big subject, we’ll cover it as best we can with a few examples:

You RHO Pard LHO

1♣ 2♠ Pass Pass

Hand M: ♠ 8, ♥ AJ84, ♦ K72, ♣ AJ732

Hand N: ♠ 82, ♥ AJ84, ♦ K7, ♣ AJ732

Hand O: ♠ 832, ♥ AJ84, ♦ K7, ♣ AJ73

- In Hand M, Opener must keep the drooling to a minimum when he re-opens with a Double. That Double is ostensibly a Takeout Double, but all the signs are that Partner is lurking with a Spade stack. The facts are that (a) we have a minimum, (b) LHO has preempted, (c) Partner took no action, (d) RHO did not raise Spades. So, most likely, Partner is lurking in the bushes, and would love the chance to convert your re-opening Double into a fat, juicy penalty.

- There will be less drooling on Hand N, but the signs are hopeful, and again there might be a penalty in the works.

- Having three cards in the enemy’s suit is something of a cut-off point, and with Hand O we would pass. It could be wrong, of course, but the odds are against us having a good place to play in this situation. Could we be missing a 4-4 Heart fit? Maybe, but if we are, Partner must have a weak hand, he failed to make a Negative Double earlier.