In the card game contract bridge, a takeout double is a low-level conventional call of "Double" over an opponent's bid as a request for partner to bid his best of the unbid suits. [1] The most common takeout double is after an opponent's opening bid of one of a suit where the double shows a hand with opening values, support for all three unbid suits (at least three cards in each) and shortness in the suit doubled (preferably, no more than two). Normally, the partner of the doubler must bid his best suit but may pass if (a) his right hand opponent intervenes or (b) on the more rare occasions when his hand is such that he wishes to convert the takeout double to a penalty double. [2]
Commonly a double is considered for takeout whenever one of the following conditions is met (but see balancing double below):
Most common requirements to make a takeout double are:
The most common treatment is that the fewer high card points the hand possesses, the more strict are the distribution requirements (i.e. opponent's suit(s) shorter and unbid suits longer). With stronger hands a common treatment is to double first, regardless of distribution, and then make your bid even when it differs from partner's bid: [3]
Partnership agreement is required on the level to which Takeout doubles apply. A typical treatment is that a double up to the level of 4♥ is takeout, while doubles on higher levels are for penalties or "cooperative" (i.e. the partner is supposed to pass unless his distribution and/or strength indicates that playing a contract of their own on a higher level is a better prospect). However an alternative is to play takeout doubles even higher [4] for several reasons:
Sometimes a “shape” double can be made on less than 12 HCP and can be made with 9+ HCP but requires 4 cards in all unbid suits (if only 1 suit bid by opponents) or 5–4 in unbid suits (if 2 suits already bid by opponents)
| 1) ♠ Q974 ♥ 9♦ AJ93 ♣ KJ85 | This hand is a minimal takeout double when the opponent opens 1♥. With other opening bids, it should be passed. Also, if the opening bid was 3♥, the hand would be not strong enough to double. |
| 2) ♠ KQ83 ♥ A52♦ 10 ♣ AJ1062 | If opponents have bid 1♦– 1♥, the takeout double shows the unbid suits (spades and clubs) |
| 3) ♠ KJ63 ♥ AQ2♦ A84 ♣ Q93 | With 16 balanced points, this hand is more suitable for a 1NT overcall over any opening bid rather than for a takeout double. |
| 4) ♠ KQJ1063 ♥ AK72♦ A4 ♣ 6 | With 17 points and an excellent spade suit, this hand should double RHO's opening bid in any of clubs, diamonds or hearts rather than overcall in spades. Whatever partner bids, a subsequent bid of spades will indicate a stronger hand than a simple overcall. |
| 5) ♠ 8 ♥ AQ1094♦ KJ107 ♣ A83 | Over an opening bid of 1♠ this hand can double or overcall 2♥ depending on style and agreements. However, over an opening bid of 1♥, it should pass, expecting to double the opponents' subsequent heart or notrump bids for penalties. |
If the RHO passes, the advancer (the doubler's partner) is forced to bid and should make a descriptive bid indicating suit length, high-card strength and any stoppers:
The strength requirements above are lowered when the partner is known to be stronger (e.g. an opponent's preempt is doubled), and raised when partner can be weak (as in protective position).
One conventional variation (Bungay Black Dog Double) is that 1NT shows 6+ points and the cheapest bid in a suit is a natural "weak squeak" denying 6 points. [5]
If the RHO bids advancer is not forced to make a bid so, if one is made, it is a free bid and different strength ranges are used although the guidance on showing the shape remains the same except for the availability of the double as a new bid:
Typically doubles of notrump bids are for penalty, the exception is when opponents make a "dustbin" notrump bid:
| West | North | East | South |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1♦ | Pass | 1NT | ? |
In this case, responder is not showing a balanced hand but denying both support for opener and the values to make a two-level bid so a double is for takeout in this situation. However attention must be paid to the likely meaning of the 1NT bid. In this case, responder is likely to have long clubs so it will be safe for North–South to play in hearts or spades.
| West | North | East | South |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1♥ | Pass | 1NT | ? |
Spades would be considered a safe suit but East might have length in clubs or diamonds.
| West | North | East | South |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1♠ | Pass | 1NT | ? |
There are no safe suits, East might have length and strength in any suit below spades. In addition, opener might have a second suit but have decided against bidding at the two-level given responder's weakness. In addition, since East-West may not have a fit it is possible that North-South do not have a fit and my end up at the two-level doubled so will need to exercise caution when vulnerable.
Double can be for takeout even in later rounds of bidding. As before, it denotes support for unbid suits and, often, extra values. In general, any low-level double after opponents have bid a suit (especially if they have found a fit) and partner has passed is generally played for takeout:
| 1) 1♣ – (1♠) – pass – pass; Dbl | This type of is referred to as "reopening double", and shows shortness in spades and support for other suits |
| 2) 1♦ – (1♠) ; Dbl | Shows 4+ cards in the unbid suits. See negative double. |
| 3) 1♣ – Dbl – pass – 1♠; Dbl | Again, the opener has shortness in spades and support for other three suits. |
| 4) 1♣ – (1♥) – pass – (2♥); Dbl | This shows shortness in hearts, but the opener must have extra strength, as the responder is forced to bid on level 2 or 3. |
| 5) (1♦) – 1♠ – (2♦) – pass; (pass) – Dbl | The overcaller shows shortness in diamonds, and at least 3 cards in hearts and clubs, with some extra values for the overcall. |
| 6) (1♥) – Dbl – (2♥) – pass; (pass) – Dbl | The original doubler shows extra values and/or extreme shortness in hearts. |
Balancing (commonly called protective in England) doubles occur when the doubler had to choose between passing and ending the auction or bidding again to reopen the auction. Distribution and strength requirements for a takeout double are lowered in this situation. A common expression is "borrow a King" meaning that the balancing doubler can add 3 points to their hand and then bid according to strength guidance. So in this case a balancing double can be made with as little as 8HCP. [6] and in some situations as little as 6HCP. [7]
| West | North | East | South |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1♥ | Pass | Pass | ? |
South, holding ♠ Q863 ♥ 84♦ A85 ♣ K1054 can now double, expecting to find partner with strength and likely length in hearts, allowing him to pass for penalties or make a bid and this is a case for bidding with a little as 6HCP [7] with the right holding, shortness in hearts is particularly important and 4+ in all other suits would be ideal.
| West | North | East | South |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1♥ | Pass | ||
| 2♥ | Pass | Pass | ? |
Although the bidding is a level higher East-West have found a comfortable fit and will probably be happy to play there. This suggests that North–South also have a fit and should be very keen to enter the auction. Competing at the three level might be risky as the major auction says very little about the minor suit holdings of East-West. South should double with 10+HCP and shortness in hearts.
| West | North | East | South |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1♣ | Pass | ||
| 2♣ | Pass | Pass | ? |
As above South should be keen to compete (assuming East - West play traditional methods rather than inverted minors) but the auction has suggested that east–west don't hold length in any other suits (and the majors in particular).
| West | North | East | South |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1♣ | Pass | 1♥ | Pass |
| 2♥ | Pass | Pass | ? |
South, holding ♠ Q863 ♥ 984♦ K1085 ♣ AJ was not strong enough to double in the first round. However, he can expect the partner to have shortness in hearts and likely 4 cards in spades or diamonds, and thus make a balancing takeout double. Such doubles are more frequent on matchpoint scoring, where even a penalty of −100 for the failure to make 2♠ can be profitable against −110 or −140 that the opponents could score in 2♥.
| West | North | East | South |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1♣ | 1♠ | Pass | Pass |
| ? |
West's double denotes shortness in spades and support for the other, unbid suits with a hand such as ♠ 7 ♥ AJ85♦ K63 ♣ AQ1052.
Reopening doubles once showed extra values as well. With adoption of the negative double, however (a takeout double by responder), responder must pass with length and strength in the opposing suit. In order to protect against such situations, opener is obliged to double even with thin values, whenever his distribution is suitable. Some pairs even require opener to act somehow; responder's pass is forcing.
This convention (also referred to as ELCD) can change the meaning of doubler bidding a new suit in some situations, for example:
| West | North | East | South |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1♥ | Dbl | Pass | 2♣ |
| Pass | 2♦ | Pass | ? |
This does not promise the extra values in diamonds but shows a hand with 5 diamonds and 4 spades and the values for a normal takeout double. In this case doubler would need to jump in diamonds to show the stronger hand. Some partnerships only play the convention in a sequence like this converting clubs to diamonds. [8] [9] The name is derived from the fact that doubler is converting partner's bid at the same level.
| West | North | East | South |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1♥ | Dbl | Pass | 1♠ |
| Pass | 2♦ | Pass | ? |
This sequence does show a strong diamond hand as doubler has converted at a higher level.
Some partnerships also play this convention when holding 5–4 in the majors but with a hand that is neither weak nor strong and, therefore, they cannot use a 2 suited bid (e.g. Michael's cue bid). [10]
Stayman is a bidding convention in the card game contract bridge. It is used by a partnership to find a 4-4 or 5-3 trump fit in a major suit after making a one notrump (1NT) opening bid and it has been adapted for use after a 2NT opening, a 1NT overcall, and many other natural notrump bids.
Acol is the bridge bidding system that, according to The Official Encyclopedia of Bridge, is "standard in British tournament play and widely used in other parts of the world". It is a natural system using four-card majors and, most commonly, a weak no trump.
Polish Club is a bridge bidding system which was developed in Poland, where it is the most popular bidding system, and which is also used by players of other countries. It is a type of small club system.
A game try in the card game of bridge is a bid that shows interest in bidding a game and asks partner to help in making the decision.
The forcing notrump is a bidding convention in the card game of bridge.
The Jacoby transfer, or simply transfers, in the card game contract bridge, is a convention in most bridge bidding systems initiated by responder following partner's notrump opening bid that forces opener to rebid in the suit ranked just above that bid by responder. For example, a response in diamonds forces a rebid in hearts and a response in hearts forces a rebid in spades. Transfers are used to show a long suit, usually a major, and to ensure that opener declare the hand if the final contract is in the suit transferred to, preventing the opponents from seeing the cards of the stronger hand.
These terms are used in contract bridge, using duplicate or rubber scoring. Some of them are also used in whist, bid whist, the obsolete game auction bridge, and other trick-taking games. This glossary supplements the Glossary of card game terms.
The negative double is a form of takeout double in bridge. It is made by the responder after their right-hand opponent overcalls on the first round of bidding, and is used to show shortness in overcall's suit, support for the unbid suits with emphasis on majors, as well as some values. It is treated as forcing, but not unconditionally so. In practice, the negative double is sometimes used as a sort of catch-all, made when no other call properly describes responder's hand. Therefore, a partnership might even treat the negative double as a wide-ranging call that merely shows some values.
In the card game contract bridge, DONT is a conventional overcall used to interfere with an opponent's one notrump (1NT) opening bid. DONT, an acronym for Disturb Opponents' Notrump, was designed by Marty Bergen, and is therefore also referred to as "Bergen over Notrump". Although the method is often criticized for being too nebulous, it remains fairly popular. The convention was first published in the September/October 1989 issue of Bridge Today.
Cappelletti is one of many defensive bridge bidding conventions used in the card game contract bridge to compete or interfere in the auction when an opponent has opened one notrump (1NT). Usually attributed to Michael Cappelletti and his longtime partner Edwin Lewis, origin of the concept is also claimed by Fred Hamilton, John Pottage and Gerald Helms. Cappelletti can show a variety of one- and two-suited hands while retaining the penalty double for stronger hands.
Lionel is a contract bridge bidding convention used in defense against an opposing 1NT openings. Using Lionel, over a 1NT opening of the opponents:
In contract bridge, a cue bid is either a bid of the opponents' suit, or "slam seeking": a slam-investigating bid made during an auction's later rounds that shows control of a suit.
In contract bridge, an overcall is a bid made after an opening bid has been made by an opponent; the term refers only to the first such bid. A direct overcall is such a bid made by the player seated immediately to the left of the opener, i.e. next in the bidding rotation; an overcall in the 'last seat', i.e. by the player to the right of opener, which is made after two intervening passes, is referred to as a balancing or protective overcall.
In the game of contract bridge Fantunes is a natural bidding system initially developed Carlos Mosca and popularized by Fulvio Fantoni and Claudio Nunes - two players that were later found to be cheating and were banned from play by many bridge federations
EHAA is a highly natural bidding system in contract bridge characterized by four-card majors, sound opening bids, undisciplined weak two-bids in all four suits and a mini notrump, usually of 10–12 high card points.
Inverted minors refers to a treatment introduced by the Kaplan–Sheinwold (K–S) bidding system for the popular card game bridge. The original structure of Precision, another bidding system, also employed inverted minors over a 1♦ opening. However, the treatment is no longer restricted to users of these bidding systems. although partnerships that use a Short club system tend also to use the convention only after a 1♦ opener.
New Minor Forcing (NMF), is a contract bridge bidding convention used to find a 5-3 or 4-4 major suit fit after a specific sequence of bids in which opener has rebid one notrump. The convention is triggered by responder at his second turn by an artificial bid of two in an unbid minor; it requires that he hold five cards in the major he has previously bid and an unlimited hand ranging in value from at least game invitational strength to that sufficient to have interest in slam; he may also hold four cards in the other major. Accordingly, there are six bidding sequences in which the New Minor Forcing bid may be applied:
Bridge base basic, also known as BBO basic, is a bidding system for the game of bridge based on the Standard American Yellow Card (SAYC). It is simplified, suitable for beginners, and widely used in internet bridge, particularly on Bridge Base Online. It is taught in Fred Gitelman's educational software called Learn to Play Bridge that is available as a free download from the American Contract Bridge League's website.
Transfer Walsh is a bidding convention used in contract bridge. After a 1♣ opening bid, responses of 1♦ and 1♥ show heart and spade suits respectively. The "Walsh" terminology refers to the fact that these bids may conceal an equal or longer diamond suit. It allows opener to play a greater proportion of major-suit and no-trump contracts, particularly when using five-card majors.
Astro is a contract bridge bidding convention used to intervene over an opponent's one notrump (1NT) opening bid. The name is derived from the initials of the surnames of its inventors - Paul Allinger, Roger Stern and Lawrence Rosler.