FURTHER TAKE-OUT DOUBLE SITUATIONS: THE PENALTY PASS OF A SUIT-BID

Evening Post, Volume CXXV, Issue 100, 30 April 1938, Page 19

FURTHER TAKE-OUT DOUBLE SITUATIONS: THE PENALTY PASS OF A SUIT-BID

A take-out double of an opponent's opening bid of1 one in a suit should not be passed for ' penalties by the doubler's partner, unless he holds extraordinary length in the trump suit. A good rule to follow is: Pass for penalties only when prepared for a lead in the opponent's suit. In counting up the defensive strength against the opponent's suit-bid of one, the dcubler's partner is entitled to expect three honour-tricks in his partner's hand—no more; therefore he must be sure of winning in his own hand at least four tricks, of which the greater number will of course be trump tricks. Otherwise, he must not pass. For example, after an opponent's suit-bid of one heart has been doubled for a take-out, the doubler's partner may pass, holding— 4» 0,, 9 Q.J.9.8.6.3, + A.5, J^ .1.9.7.5. If the hand contained one less heart,

and one more small diamond, or spade, the response to the double would be one no-trump STRENGTH-SHOWING RESPONSES. While the partner 'of the take-out doubler, in responding with a minimum hand, makes the cheapest bid available, he shows strength by making a jump response. Holding about two honour-tricks and a strong four-card suit or any biddable five-card suit, a strength response can be made. ' 1. When the jump response can be made at the level of two, it should be made with any biddable four-card suit, especially a major suit.

For instance, take out partner's double of one heart with' two spades, holding— ■ 4 Q.J.9.7, y 9.6, 4 A.Q.7, Jf, 10.9.6.3. 2. When a jump response requires a bid of three, the suit should contain at least five cards. For instance, the doubled bid being one heart, take out with three diamonds, holding— £ 9.7.3, 97, A.Q.9.8.6, Jf, X.9.7.4. 3. With a six-card suit and onlsr one and a half honour-tricks, the jump take-out can be made at the level of three-odd, if necessary. For example:— Take out partner's double of on« spade with three hearts, holding— 4t 5.2, 9 X.8.7.6.4.2, 8.6, Jf, A.7.3. THE PRE-EMPTIVE RESPONSE. Holding a seven-card' major • suit, with unbalanced distribution, a jump to game may be made with about, one honour-trick in the hand.Take out with four spades after a double of any suit-bid of one, hold* ing— 4 Q.J.10.8.6.5.3, 7.5, + CJ..T.3, Jf, 9. FREE RESPONSES TO TAKE-OUT DOUBLES. When the intervening opponent makes any bid over partner's take-out double, the doubler's partner is relieved of the obligation to respond. Any bid he makes at this stage, therefore,, shows some strength, and is a free response. In general, these are the requirements for free bids after partner hai doubled for a take-out: 1. At the level of one: bid a fivecard major suit headed'by 4 honourtrick. The hand need contain nothing else, 2. At the level of two: bid a fivecard biddable suit, major or minor, if the hand contains at; least 1 plus hon-our-trick. ' ' Suppose the bidding has gone— South. ,West. North. East. 1 Club. Double. 1 Heart — East, in spite of North's intervening bid of one heairt, should take his ■ partner into two diamonds,' holding— £ X.9.8, 9 7.4.3, Q.J.10.7.3, Jf, 8.4, or 4 X.9.8, 9 7.4, + A.10.8.7, Jf, 9.8.6.2. Note.—A one no-trump take-out in this case would show a stopper in the club suit, but not necessarily a stopper in hearts (West's take-out dcuble having implied sufficient heart strength to stop that suit.) With no stopper in either hearts or. clubs East should avoid responding in no-trumps. Any no-trump response at this stage shows 1J honour-tricks. For example, East holding— <|k Q.B, 9 7.4.3, + A.J.B, Jf, Q. 9.6.4.2. would take out with one notrump over' North's one heart bid, but with four or more cards in North's suit and 1J honourtricks in the hand, he should doubl«, as with — 4 6.3, yj.8.6.4, +A.Q.6, Jf, J. 8.7.4. With a six-card major suit, headed by i honour-trick, a free response at the ievel of two should be made, even though the hand contains nothing else. 3. At the level of three or four: the hand should contain 1J honour-tricks with any five-card biddable suit; with a six-card major suit one honour-trick is sufficient. Four-card suits: For a. free response to partner's take-out double, an extra i honour-trick is required in each of the above cases, if the suit contains y only four cards. ' (The procedure when the take-out double is redoubled will be given next week.) , > ,