______ More matchpoints are won and lost in competitive auctions than in all the slams and games put together. The reason is the frequency of such auctions and the relative ease of bidding games. Competitive decisions are tough! Undercompetiting may not cost us many IMPs. The difference between allowing them to make 110 in 2S versus our -100 at the three level means nothing at IMPs, but can mean the difference between a near top and a near bottom score at MatchPoints. This is because, at Matchpoints, it is not the SIZE of the difference in score that matters; it is the only that FACT of a difference in score that will gain or lose us MatchPoints.

______ The more tools that we have to make such decisions in contested auctions, the better. This lesson, though, will be the most difficult in our Rainbow Series, and will require the closest attention. No other lesson will affect your results more dramatically than this one!

______ The most flexible tool in competing is the takeout double in its myriad forms. Unfortunately, this is also one of the most misunderstood and misapplied bids in our arsenal. For now, let us establish GENERAL RULE #1 for low level doubles:

______ "When in doubt, assume any double of a part score to be TAKEOUT and REMOVE it!"

______ In order to understand when a double is for takeout, we must first understand when it is for penalty.

______ The SAYC-OK notes say:

Here are some guidelines as to when an X is penalty. Be wary of doubling the opponents for penalty on the strength of Partner's overcall. When the X is made late in the auction: i.e. 1S-P-2S-P-4S-X. When the X's partner has accurately described both his strength and distribution. When either partner has XX'ed earlier. When either has earlier made a penalty X or a penalty pass of a takeout X. When an artificial bid has been X'ed. When the major suit response to a preempt has been X'ed. In borderline cases, when the X'er is behind the original bidder.

______ For our purposes, this excerpt suggests one simple rule for takeout doubles: "Any double of the opponent's agreed suit is for takeout unless Doubler has trap-passed or unless Partner has promised 2+ cards in their suit." Consider these auctions:

Opener	LHO	Responder	RHO
1	Pass	1NT	2
Dble	---	---	---

______ In the first instance, the Double of 2 is for takeout in many modern partnerships. Yes, Partner has bid 1NT, but it was as a response to 1 and did not suggest--let alone guarantee--a flat hand. The 1NT reply to 1 simply denies Spade support and shows 6-9 points. 1NT Responder could be 2-5-1-5! Traditional players, however, will treat the double as Penalty (i.e. any time both players have bid and they intervene), so you may wish to discuss this with your partner.

Opener	LHO	Responder	RHO
1	1NT	2	Dble

______ In this second auction, the double is for Penalty, since Partner's 1NT overcall did promise a flat hand, including at least 2 cards in the enemy suit (Hearts).

______ So how does Partner "promise 2+ cards in their suit"? One way is with a 1NT opening bid, overcall or rebid (but NOT a 1NT response, as we saw above). Another way is via a takeout double of another suit. To illustrate, here a Double of 1 is Penalty because Partner's takeout Double of 1 implied 4 Spades:

Opener	Doubler	Responder	Advancer	Explanation
1	Dble	1	Dble	Penalty

______ And, of course, the most obvious way the show more than one card in a suit is for one of us to bid it!

Opener	Doubler	Responder	Advancer	Explanation
1	2	Dble	---	Penalty

Opener	Doubler	Responder	Advancer	Explanation
1	2	Pass	Pass	---
Dble	---	---	---	Penalty.

______ "What does `trap pass' mean?" you may ask.

______ Sometimes RHO opens our best suit, catching us with a good hand. In such instances, when we Pass our RHO's first mention of a suit and then double RHO when RHO rebids that suit, this is Penalty. We also need an opening bid for such business Double; any such Double by a passed hand is for takeout.

Opener	Doubler	Responder	Advancer	Explanation
---	Pass	Pass	Pass	---
1	Pass	1NT	Pass	---
2	Dble	---	---	Takeout.

Opener	Doubler	Responder	Advancer	Explanation
1	Pass	1NT	Pass	---
2	Dble	---	---	Penalty.

______ In order to have a profitable Penalty Double of such a low-level contract, we would need to be stacked in Right Hand Opponent's suit. Hence, such a "pass then Double" will be penalty only if we are doubling RHO. It does not apply if Doubling LHO's suit in the passout seat.

Opener	Advancer	Responder	Doubler	Explanation
1	Pass	1NT	Pass	---
2	Pass	Pass	Dble	Balancing.

Opener	Overcaller	Responder	Advancer	Explanation
---	Pass	Pass	Pass	---
1	Pass	1NT	Pass	---
Pass	Dble	---	---	Balancing.

Questions

#1	A Double of Opener's suit doesn't promise 2+ cards in the three unbid suits! Wouldn't we Double 1 with: Doubler AKQxxxx void AKx Axx ...because we are too strong for a 1 overcall? So why should 1-Dble-1-Dble be Penalty?

This is Responsive, showing Diamonds and Spades.

Penalty. We assume the first Doubler has the 3 unbids.

#2	Which is stronger? 4-5 or 4-4NT-P-5-P-5?

4H-5D.

4NT then 5D.