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Redoubles
The two most common uses of the Redouble are (a) "I've got a good hand" and (b) "We are in a terrible spot, let's get out of here". The latter is the so-called "SOS Redouble".
7th October, 2009 N-S Vul
How do you play Redouble here? Here are three common interpretations: (a) Shows Spade Support: Not a good idea in our opinion. If North has Spades and a moderate hand then she should simply raise to 2♠ (or 3♠ if she has a 4th Spade), thereby preempting the opponents … and if she has Spade support and a better hand then she can cue-bid Opener’s Diamond suit. (b) Shows the ♠A or ♠K or ♠Q: This is the so-called Rosenkranz Double, and some play that it just shows the ♠A or ♠K. The convention has some lead-directing benefit, but is less popular nowadays. (c) Shows Values: This is the obvious and natural interpretation. Presumably the Redoubler does not have 3 or more Spades, with such a hand she would show support one way or another. We suppose that the point range should be 9 or 10 and upwards.
5th November, 2008 N-S Vul
After the Double North does not have a suitable Club raise available, it’s too good for 2♣, not right for a preemptive 3♣, and not good enough for a Jordan 2NT (if that method is being played). Well, if there’s not a good Club bid available, perhaps North might be tempted to find a devious bid instead. Here are some of the temptations that an enterprising North might be trying to resist: - 1♠! Yes, it’s a bit light in the Spade department, and might well pick off the enemy suit. But this old ruse is has probably outlived its “Use By” date, if East has 4 Spades he can expose the psych by doubling (not Responsive). - 1NT: This is better, it shows some values, and North can always compete to 3♣ later. - Redouble! This one is our favorite. It’s light by a point or two but that is a small detail, if Partner starts doubling we can always beat a hasty retreat to Clubs. The Redouble tends to slow down the opponents’ auction and that’s what North wants, he’d prefer to buy this one at the 3-level and not have to decide what to do over 3♥ or 3♠.
North’s Redouble stratagem will probably work quite well on the actual deal, buying the contract in 3♣ (making 10 tricks thanks to a lucky lie of the cards). E-W need to compete to 3♥ or 3♠, but that sneaky Redouble may well deter them.
5th November, 2008 E-W Vul
First, let us backtrack. How do you like that 2♥ bid? Yes, North might well have bid more strongly, perhaps via a Drury bid of 2♣ or 2♦, if that is part of the partnership methods. But is the North hand as good as it looks? We may be in a minority here, but we think that this square 10-count is not good enough for that, and is more like a top-of-the-range 2♥ bid. OK, suppose that you are forced at gunpoint to bid only 2♥, after which West makes a balancing Double. What next? Yes, you Redouble! Your hand could hardly be better, you have great defense, and even if Partner has a truly rotten 3rd seat opening, you probably have safety in 3♥. On the actual deal, E-W will play in 3♦, you’ll double, and Declarer will be struggling to go down only one trick. +200 for the good guys!
26th April, 2006 Board 20 Both Vul
Some players routinely Redouble with this type of hand, but we question the wisdom of that on this hand. Sure, it passes the test of “10+ HCPs” … but, let’s face it, East has no plans to penalize 1♥ or 1♠, so why bother? He should just bid 3NT directly over the Double, perfectly describing his hand … there’s no reason to mess around here with an irrelevant Redouble.
19th July, 2006 Board 17 None Vul
Do you redouble or bid 2♣? The Redouble shows 10+ HCPs, so this hand certainly qualifies, at least in that regard. But it’s the wrong hand type, too much offense, not enough defense … better to get that 6-card Club suit into the auction. We suggest that you save the Redouble for hands with less distribution ... but when you have a 5-card or 6-card suit, it's usually best to bid it. By the way, that 2♣ bid is normally played as constructive but not forcing ... give that West hand another King, and we would have to Redouble, because we cannot risk getting passed out in 2♣.
11th October, 2006 Board 25 E-W Vul
Once, as South, we have passed Partner’s opening 1♠, we are entitled to like our hand a lot, for the bidding so far we are quite maximum. Partner’s Redouble may not be perfectly defined, but it certainly shows extras, we’d assume about 16+ or something pretty close. Therefore, when East bids 1NT we should be tempted to double with our “maximum”. But, we don’t think the hand has quite enough stuff, so let’s assume that we are tempted in tempo and then we pass. Next time it gets back to us, we see:
South West North East 1♠ Pass Pass Dbl Rdbl 1NT Pass Pass Dbl Pass ??
Now, Partner has shown even more values, and it seems clear that our side has the balance of power. We can also see that they are vulnerable, and we just love those +200 results on part-score hands. So, yes, of course, we pass here, trying to keep the drooling to an absolute minimum. But, it’s still not over:
South West North East 1♠ Pass Pass Dbl Rdbl 1NT Pass Pass Dbl Pass Pass 2♦ Pass Pass ??
Yes, we must double, though we certainly shouldn’t be drooling, it’s not as if we have a very exciting trump holding. Once in a while, this contract will make, but far more often it won’t and a top board will result.
8th November, 2006 Board 19 E-W Vul
Anyone for a Redouble? Not us, it’s not quite strong enough, and, anyway, when we have a fit with Partner, there’s not much point in suggesting to Partner that we penalize the opponents. Our choice is the simple and obvious 1♥, getting our best suit and a major into the auction. Some players are under the misapprehension that this bid shows a 5-card suit, but it does not. As a general rule, our bids at the one-level after a Take-out Double are not so different than they are without the Take-out Double. The main difference is that with a marginal hand we are more likely to pass after the Double, not feeling obliged to keep the bidding open.
11th July, 2007 Board 2 N-S Vul
What would a Redouble show here? Values, of course, the real question is just how much. We’d say that this hand just about qualifies, though it’s certainly minimum. Redouble here says “We have more points than they do, unless you have made one of your infamous wafer-thin openings”.
Don’t like the Redouble? We are iffy about it ourselves to be honest. Another thought is to bid 2♣, and then to double a 2♦ or 2♥ bid. This says “I have Club support, and a pretty good defensive hand, please feel free to make the winning call”. A difficult hand!
8th August, 2007 Board 22 E-W Vul
It’s common for a Redouble to show 10 or more HCP’s and at least some interest in penalizing the opponents. Well, we do have 10 HCP’s, but it does not look to us like a hand that should be suggesting that we penalize the opponents at a low level. Most of our points are in Partner’s suit, and our other values are all slow. This is surely a 1NT bid, typically showing 7-10 or 8-10.
2nd April, 2008 Board 1 None Vul
North wisely declined to open with a Weak Two, but then the auction took a nasty turn. After West’s penalty pass of 2♥, what do you do? The choices are: - Pass? Surely not right, there must be a better spot somewhere. - Redouble? That would be an SOS Redouble, asking partner to find a better place. This would be fine if the unbid suits were equal in length, or even if they were just one apart, but here the discrepancy is two cards’ length. - 2♦? Not much of a suit, but at least there are 6 of them.
Either Redouble or 2♦ could work on any given day, but the odds favor bidding the 6-card suit. And on this particular day? It turns out that there is a 4-4 Heart fit which is down only one, a trick better than the 6-1 Diamond fit. Oh well!
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