In principle, this system uses Negative Doubles up to the level of 4♦ over
Openings of 1♦, 1♥, 1♠
and 2♣. A Negative Double can be made when partner opens and RHO overcalls. It shows no good support for Opener's
suit and tends to show length for the two unbid suits. It usually promises at least 4-card length in any unbid Major
but sometimes is simply used to create a forcing rather than a non-forcing sequence. Bear in mind, though, that at the 2-level the
availability of 2NT Lebensohl in competitive sequences is a more precise weapon that a negative double.
Negative doubles in this system show 8+ points in principle, although over a sequence such as
1♦-(1♠)-X it might be slightly weaker. Similarly once we get to the 3-level,
negative doubles become correspondingly stronger, but still essentially for takeout, denying good support for Opener's suit
and suggesting 4-card support for any unbid Majors.
Use these up to the level of 3♥ in the situation where opponents have agreed a
suit at the 3-level to show an invitational raise in Partner's suit rather than a competitive one. Thus (1♣)-1♠-(3♣)-???.
Here a bid of 3♠ from you is merely competing, but a Double is "Competitive", showing a genuinely invitational 3-level raise. The
downside of this is that you cannot double 3♣ for penalties, but you get better value for money from the COmpetitive Double.
Use these up to the level of 3♠. In practice because we have Lebensohl available in competitive sequences at the 2-level
we tend to use Responsive Doubles mainly at the 1 or the 3-level. Responsive Doubles are used when Opps open the bidding, partner
makes a takeout double and our RHO bids. Now a double from us is "responsive" and also a takeout double. Thus in
the sequence (1♣)-X-(1♥)-X the second Double is responsive, promising good support
for Spades and Diamonds. At the 1-level a responsive double is not guaranteeing a lot of strength (but might be quite strong), whereas
at the 3-level you are showing a fairly reasonable hand, prepared to compete further.
You can use responsive doubles at the 2-level, but the range of different bids available via Lebensohl will often enable you to
show more precisely your range and shape. Responsive Doubles at the 2-level will almost always show hands of less than game-going
strength, therefore, and are mainly aimed at competing effectively at the 2 or 3-level.
These are used when it is clearly the Opponents' hand and we are considering whether or not to sacrifice over
a high-level contract they have bid (ie: at the 6-level) or to double them. The method involved is as follows:
- 2nd-in-Hand:
- passes with 1 or more defensive tricks
- doubles with no defensive tricks
- 4th-in-Hand:
- If 2nd-in-Hand passes
- Passes with 1 or more defensive tricks
- Doubles with no defensive tricks (2nd-in-Hand now sacrifices with only 1 defensive trick)
- If 2nd-in-Hand doubles
- Passes with 2 or more defensive tricks
- Sacrifices with no or only 1 defensive trick
This will eliminate a lot of costly phantom sacrifices over contracts that aren't making. Nothing is certain, of course, and
a lot will be down to the accuracy of your joint estimates of your defensive tricks (some of which might not materialise, but
it does take out a lot of the guesswork involved and gives you a framework around which to work.
These are the opposite side of the coin to Non-Penalty Slam Doubles. These are used when it is our
hand and opponents have sacrificed over a high-level contract that we have bid, in a sequence where 2nd-in-Hand over
their sacrifice is not the Captain of the Hand (or where there is no firm Captain). The question at hand is
whether we double their sacrifice or bid one more and Control of their suit has not yet been specifically been shown by
cue-bids or an Asking Bid response. Now:
- 2nd-in-Hand
- Passes with 1st Round Control of their suit (at the 6-level) or with 1st or 2nd Round Control
(if the Bidding is at the 5-level)
- Doubles with no such holding.
- 4th-in-Hand passes, doubles, or bids depending on their own holding.
Bear in mind that the above does not apply when the Captain of the hand is sitting immediately
over the opponent making the sacrifice bid, and does not apply if the question of control of their suit
has already been settled. This is particularly important to remember when we are in the middle of an Asking Bid sequence
and the sacrifice is of a pre-emptive nature, then Pass by the Captain of the Hand is Lebensohl, demanding a Double from Partner.
Similarly, if the sacrifice is not pre-emptive in nature (ie: not jumping at least one round of bidding)
then Double and Pass are "asking" backwards.
Where 3 suits have been bid naturally a double of the 3rd Suit shows the unbid suit unles this would clash with specific
arrangements detailed elsewhere. For example (1♠)-2♦-(3♣)-X
shows Hearts but will also imply a tolerance for Diamonds. These sequences do not occur frequently and if ending at the
2-level, Lebensohl will often provide a better solution to show strength and distribution.
