Friday, October 10, 2003 1:09 AM

Overcalls & Responsive Doubles

PITBULLS:

Everybody is familiar with the classic responsive doubles that occur after takeout doubles . Most people play them thru 4♦ or 3♠ otherwise the double is more D.S.I.P. orientated at the higher levels. What about responsive doubles from the overcall side ?

Most experts only play them when the opponents make a simple raise or jump raise of their suit at the 3 level . This shows a distributional hand with the other two suits or lots of HCP’s without their suit & possibly support for partner. There are exceptions though and that is if the opponents have taken away your ability to Q bid to show a strong raise without going past game. With a minor fit , 3NT is considered game.

1♦-2♣-3♦-X is ambiguous . Treat as responsive but bid 3NT if you have a diamond stopper. Partner may have a huge club hand & does not want to circumvent 3NT.

1♠-2♥-2♠-X is also D.S.I.P. as a 3♠ Q bid forces you to game . 2NT shows the unbid minors.

1♥-2♦-2♥-X is responsive as a 3♥ Q bid is still under the 3NT game to show support

At the 3 level , a double can be either/or so treat it as responsive but if partner returns to your suit it is a good defensive hand & turns on forcing passes.

When the opponents own the hand and have made a 2/1 after partner has overcalled , a double takes on a new meaning . You now go into prevent defense and start thinking opening leads. George Rosenkranz thought that a double of a 2/1 should say partner I have a raise of your suit but I have at least one of the top 3 honours. If you freely compete you do not have any honours in partner’s suit This double can work as high as the 3 level with the following auction . 1♠-2♥-3♣-X This shows a heart honour 3♥ bid as opposed to a 3♥ nuisance bid. A double of a forcing 3♣ for penalty is ludicrous. Some partnerships play ( my partners ) the double as “snapdragon” . This is a support double of partners suit but showing diamonds the unbid suit in this case.

What if the opponents Q bid your partners overcalled suit ? A double by you does not suggest a sacrifice or length for a raise but a high honour for a lead . A pass denies an honour in partners suit. Think defense when the opponents own the hand. If you wish to setup a sacrifice then raise partners suit.

A negative double by the opponents give you a wealth of opening lead possibilities for your bids or re-doubles.

1♦-1♠-X-?

The opponents are advertising the two unbid suits so bidding them should never be natural . Make them lead directing raises of partners suit !!

1♦-2♣-X-?

♠AQJ ♥xx ♦xxxx ♣Jxxx bid 2♠ as it is ill advised to have the bid as natural when RHO has 4 spades

1♦-2♣-X-? ♠xxxx ♥Qxx ♦xxx ♣AJx this is a redouble showing a club honour

1♦-1♠-X-? ♠Jxx ♥KQ10 ♦J10xxx ♣xx bid 2♥ as a lead directing 2♠ bid !

1♦-1♠-X-? ♠Ax ♥xxx ♦Axxx ♣xxxx redouble to show the spade honour

Bidding 1NT into the teeth of a misfit when the opponents have at least half the deck is silly bidding. We play this as support for partner with values in openers suit.

1♦-1♠-X-1NT ♠J10x ♥xx ♦AKxx ♣xxxx What if you have a standard American XX ? Pass and re-open with a D.S.I.P. double.

These lead directing raises only apply with negative doubles at the one and two level. Always assume that the opponents are going to reach 3NT in these auctions so think leads for your partner. If partner has pre-empted at the 3 or 4 level a redouble says I have lots of HCP’s so let me at them or make your redoubled partial. A Q bid by you over a negative double still shows a good limit raise or better.

In summary , with overcalls , doubles are responsive if the opponents have a fit or lead directing when they make a 2/1. If they make a negative double , all bids by your side are lead directing including doubles & redoubles.