Responding to takeout doubles

In his book “The Complete Book on Takeout Doubles” Mike Lawrence talks about responding to takeout doubles. This is an important part of competitive bidding and requires partnership understanding. You can find lots of books and articles about this topic. Mike Lawrence writes: “A bid of a suit at its lowest possible level shows from 0 to some fair 8 point hands. A jump in a new suit shows and invitational hand and may be made with only 4 pieces and generally 8 to 11 HCP. There is more to a jump response than points. You have to upgrade some high cards and downgrade others and make allowances for extra-long suits.” Here are some examples”

W         N         E         S

1C         Dbl     P         ?

You are South and hold:

S – AJ53 H- 83 D – A1093 C – 653

Bid 2 Spades. Good quality HCP in suits partner likes.

S – KQ74 H – 743 D – J32 C – QJ3

Bid 1 Spade. With 4-3-3-3 shape and 3 of your points in clubs 1 Spade is enough.

S – 3 H – J10763 D – AJ763 C- 43

Bid 2 Hearts. Your 5/5 shape and singleton spade will be very helpful in the play.

www.michaelslawrence.com 

(Posted 8/2020)

Hand Evaluation

It is dangerous to count extra points for short suits or long suits before the bidding starts. If partner bids your short suit, that reduces, not increases, the value of your hand. If one of your opponents bids your long suit, that decreases, not increases, the value of your hand.

If you let the bidding develop, you will see whether your long or short suits are working for or against you. You hold:

♠ Axxx ♥ x ♦ Qxxxx ♣ xxx

What is this hand worth? If partner opens 1♥, it is a minus -- 6-point hand. If partner opens 1♠, it is a 9-point hand (3 points for the singleton with four-card support).

If LHO opens 1♦ and partner overcalls 1♥, the ♦Q has lost it's value not to mention the fifth diamond. You are now looking at a minus -- 4-point hand! Be patient with distributional evaluations until you hear the bidding. 

 (posted 7/2020)

Overtake the lead of the King with Ace doubleton 

Eddie Kantar writes in his book “Modern Bridge Defense” about overtaking the lead of the King when you have Ace doubleton.  “Against either a suit or notrump, partner leads the King and you have Ace doubleton.  Overtake!  At notrump, partner figures to have lead from KQJ or KQ10, so unblocking isn’t going to cost a trick, but may save 3 or 4!  At a suit contract, overtake even though partner may only have KQ.  Even if you set up a trick for declarer’s Jack, partner can lead a third round for you to trump.”

                        N – 643

W – KQ1082                             E – A7 (you)

                        S- J95

At trick 1, West leads the K, you play the A and return the 7.  Partner will win the Queen and continue with the Jack if they have it.  If partner does not have the Jack and continues, you get to trump the continuation.    

www.kantarbridge.com

posted 6/2020

After partner opens 1H or 1S and there is an intervening overcall, a jump cuebid by responder shows a singleton in the opponent's suit, at least four card support for partner's suit plus minimum of 14-15 support points. It is a mild slam try. Say partner opens 1H and the next hand bids 2C and you hold:

A jump cue bid after a minor suit opening bid also shows a singleton in the jump suit, but this jump promises five or six card support and denies a side four card major. Say partner opens 1C and the next hand overcalls 1D and you hold: