Sunday, August 04, 2002 6:43 AM

Tactics -Takeout Doubles

PITBULLS:

I think an expert partnership can have the understanding that takeout doubles show the unbid suits at all times or a hand too strong to overcall 1NT. i.e. The double never shows a one suiter or two suiter hand .. If the hand is a strong 2 suiter then we have Michaels and the Unusual 2NT to handle things . Intermediate 2 suiters are handled by overcalls so the double must have support for the unbid suits . This discipline is very comforting in competitive auctions where partner knows that there is some support for the suit about to be bid . The opponents will jam you when they can and having a takeout double without support for the unbid suits makes bidding more difficult .

Over the majors , all two suiters are covered by Michaels & Unusual 2NT . Over the minors , I play 2NT to show the 2 lower unbid . With a strong hand , the major can be easily identified and in a pre-emptive situation we can find out also . These tools cover all possible strong 2 suiters , so there is no reason to double .

If we have a single suited hand  too strong to overcall,  then I suggest the following treatment rather than a double :

Three level Jump Cue Bid
                    ------------------------

After the opponents open one of a suit, a jump cue bid shows a strong
one-suited hand with at least 8 1/2 tricks.  For example, after a 1♣
opening, a 3♣ cue bid would show a hand like A xx AKQxxxxx xx

Responder (who cannot pass) responds

1) 3NT with a stopper in the enemy suit

 2) cheaper minor: no stopper and weak  } weak = denies three controls

 3) higher minor: no stopper and strong }    shows 3 or more controls     where A=2, K=1

     * judgment required here - 3NT usually  ends all auctions so if strong may bid higher minor anyway

 4) any major: no stopper and good 6 card suit (forcing if below game)+

This treatment shows hands too strong to leap to 4 of a major also . The bid is not just to get to 3NT but to make your take out doubles more disciplined . It also means that your jumps to 4 of a major are pre-emptive as they should be.

AKQxxxx AQx x Kx

3♦ 4NT

1♦ P

            4♦ 3 or more controls

xx Kxxx xxx Axxx

We have hashed out 6-4 theory before and find that in most instances it is more beneficial to double with minimum equal level conversion. . If the opponents open 1♥ , it is best to double with 6 of a minor and the spade suit . With pre-emptive 3 & 4 heart bids you could lose the spade suit in these auctions . Over a spade, it is iffy to double with 6-4's as you are probably going to get bullied by the spade suit anyway .