When RHO doubles
     
 
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When RHO doubles

 
 

If your partner opens 1 of a suit and RHO doubles (take-out) then bidding is different from when there had been no double. The general scheme is: -

 
     
 
Example  
   
1 dbl pass Pass could be as much as 8 or so points but nothing else to bid.
   
1 dbl 2

A single raise. This is pre-emptive, often less that a raise without the double.

   
1 dbl 3

A jump raise. This is pre-emptive, often a distributional hand with say 6-8 pts.

   
1 dbl 4 A double jump raise. This is most definitely pre-emptive. It could well be a load of rubbish with 4 or 5 card support (depending upon vulnerability).
   
1 dbl 1NT

1NT. This is constructive, about 7-9 points. If partner had opened a major and RHO doubled then this bid would usually promise a stopper in the other major.

   
1 dbl 1

A new suit at the one level. This is generally played as 4+ cards and forcing; although some believe that it is passable (responder would generally double with 9+ points). Others play that it's a 5+ card suit and weak. It's up to you but forcing unless you agree to the contrary.

   
1 dbl 2 A new suit at the two level. This is generally played as non-forcing (pre-emptive) and a six card suit.
   
1 dbl 2♠ A jump shift after a double. This is generally played as pre-emptive, a six card suit and not much else. Higher bids are simply more pre-emptive.
   
1 dbl 2NT

Truscott 2NT (or Jordan 2NT). This is conventional (redouble with a balanced 9+ points). It shows a sound raise to the three level of partner's major.

 
   
1 dbl 3NT 3NT when partner opens a major. This can be played as conventional
 

(because you redouble with a balanced 9+ points). The logical conventional meaning has to be a sound raise to the 4 level of partner's major but you could do that by bidding 2NT and then raising to the four level. So you could play this as a decent hand with a stop in the other major but not enough to penalise them (say a hand with a good long minor).

   
1 dbl 3NT 3NT when partner opens a minor. When partner has opened a minor it must
  be natural? This is up to your partnership and may depend upon vulnerability. Logically it would be a decent hand with a long minor suit and cover in both majors (but not good enough major suit holdings to go for the penalty with a redouble).
   
1 dbl redbl This is 9+ points. It is very often a mis-fit for partner and aiming to penalise the
 

opponents in their final resting place, hopefully the grave. After this start, any pass by opener or responder is forcing and any double is penalties – the opening side have shown the balance of power and should never let the opponents play in an undoubled contract. The aim is to penalise the opponents and any subsequent NoTrump bid by opener or responder is ‘impossible'.

 
     
     
 
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