This Week in Bridge
(567) Support Doubles at Many Levels
©AiB Robert S. Todd
Level: 9 of 10 robert@advinbridge.com
General
Most partnerships who play Support Doubles have had a conversation about when they apply and when they do not. Hopefully we have a conversation with partner about the follow-up bids as well, but one thing that many partnerships forget to discuss is how high support doubles apply and what a double at a higher level shows. Let’s look at support double auctions in detail to make sure we are on the same page with partner.
Support Doubles Below Responder’s Suit at the 2-Level
When we open the bidding with a suit at the 1-level and partner responds in a suit at the 1-level, if RHO makes a simple overcall, then our double is usually a support double, showing 3-card support for partner’s suit and unlimited values (still about 12-21 points, since we opened the bidding).
1♣ - 1♦ Auctions
There are some low-level auctions that we need to discuss with partner because they can be confusing.
Example 1 - 1♣ – 1♦ Auctions
We typically avoid the minors as real suits, but sometimes we actually bid both of them.
Opener LHO Responder RHO
1♣ P 1♦ 1♠
X?
This double can be confusing. It could have a variety of different meanings:
Support Double – showing 3-card ♦
4-card ♥
Balanced 18-19 with no ♠ stopper
Most players when they open 1♣ rarely have 4-card ♦. That means that we can raise to 2♦ with 3-card support. Playing the Walsh style of responses, if Responder bids 1♦, they either do not have a 4-card ♥ suit or they have enough values to come back and bid ♥ later. So most players prefer the third option, a 2NT rebid without a stopper – a balanced 18-19 point hand.
♠ 983
♥ AQ8
♦ AJ
♣ AK873
This is the kind of hand a double of 1♠ should show in this auction.
Note: If the opponents overcall 1♥, we can use a 2NT rebid to show a similar large balanced hand without a ♥ stopper.
Advancer Bids One of Our Suits
Another confusing auction is when the player in the sandwich seat bids one of the suits that we bid.
Example 2 – They Bid Responder’s Suit
If we open the bidding, partner responds with 1-Major, and the next player cuebids Responder’s suit, then this bid is natural. In this case what should a double by Opener mean?
Opener LHO Responder RHO
1♣ P 1♠ 2♠
X?
Most people play this as a support double, which makes it mostly penalty-oriented. Some players just play this as penalty-oriented and allow this double with Honor doubleton, but the standard is for this to be a support double.
Example 3 – They Bid Opener’s Suit
What if Interferer in the sandwich seat bids Opener’s suit?
Opener LHO Responder RHO
1♣ P 1♠ 2♣
X?
We can have a sophisticated set of agreements in this auction, changing the meaning of our bid based on the meaning of their bid (some play this 2♣ bid as natural, while others play it as the other two suits – Michaels style). The simplest agreement is just to play this as a support double all the time. Sometimes a simple agreement is the best one.
Double by Opener After the Opponent’s Weak Jump Overcall
When we open the bidding and partner responds, if RHO makes a jump overcall, the meaning of double can become more complicated. For many years the traditional meaning of a double at this level was penalty, but with light opening bids and even lighter responses it has become far more difficult for Opener to have a hand that knows that is it best to penalize (and for Responder to actually sit for the double). The modern approach is to use this double to compete in the bidding. Some partnerships choose to use this as a general takeout double, showing extra values and shortness in the opponent’s suit. The modern expert treatment is to use this bid more specifically as a support double with extra values (meaning at least 3 points more than a normal opener as well as some shape.)
Example 4
Opener Advancer Responder Interferer
1♣ P 1♥ 3♦
X?
♠ AK54
♥ A73
♦ 5
♣ KQT76
This is a hand where any modern player would double, whether our agreement was takeout or support. With extra values we qualify for both.
Example 5
Opener Advancer Responder Interferer
1♣ P 1♥ 3♦
X?
♠ AK65
♥ A8
♦ 93
♣ KQJ94
This is a hand that would only double if our agreement was that it was takeout (the less common agreement for modern expert players). Most expert players who play the “extra values support double” would be forced to make a “big bid” of 3♠ and hope for the best.
Example 6
Opener Advancer Responder Interferer
1♣ P 1♥ 3♦
X?
♠ A
♥ A87
♦ 763
♣ KQJ875
The modern expert player would happily make a support double showing extra values with this hand. Players who play a double in this situation as a takeout double would have a much more difficult time and would have to pass, raise ♥ on only 3-card support, or bid 4♣ -- none of those actions are attractive.
These examples help us see that there are pros and cons to each of the possible agreements, but playing these “Extra Value Support Doubles” is a reasonable agreement and often useful.
Conclusion
Doubling the opponents for penalty at a low level happens so rarely that we have basically given up that bid for a more common and useful call. Finding a Major suit fit is one of our priorities in the bidding and showing partner that you have “partial support” is a valuable thing to do. This is especially true when the opponents are in the auction and may choose to preempt on the next call. A support double allows us to show this partial, 3-card support, and make partner certain that when we raise in competition, we actually have 4-card support. When the annoying opponents come into our auction at a higher level (with a preemptive jump overcall), then we need to have agreements with partner about the meaning of doubles at this level. Playing support doubles with extra values is a good approach to these competitive bidding situations.