Improve Your Play #53

IMPROVE YOUR PLAY #53 with Larry Matheny

The double has many roles in modern bridge. Gone are the days when it was used only to punish the overbidders. Today it can be for takeout, penalty, showing a control, asking for a control, or simply card (value) showing. Here is an example.

Scoring: Matchpoints

Hand #53
Dlr	W
Vul	N-S

	KJ1076
	AJ6
	753
	AQ

	9854
	KQ1084
	4
	874

	A2
	32
	KJ86
	J9532

	Q3
	975
	AQ1092
	K106

West	North	East	South
Pass	1	Pass	1NT*
2	Pass	Pass	DBL
Pass	3NT	All Pass

*forcing

BIDDING: The North-South pair use the popular 2/1 bidding system with five-card majors and a forcing 1NT response. In this system, a 2

response would be game forcing so South bid 1NT over his partner's 1

. West, who had passed originally, now bid 2

on very skimpy values. North was tempted to double but passed in case his partner was very weak. South had extra values so he doubled to show a tolerance for the other suits with no fit in spades. North might have passed and defended 2

but at this vulnerability he realized they would have to defeat the contract four tricks to improve on the +600 available in no-trump.

PLAY: West led his fourth best heart that rode around to declarer's nine. South's queen of spades then lost to the ace. East saw there was no future in hearts and switched to a low diamond. South won with the nine and soon had 12 tricks: 4 spades, 2 hearts, 3 diamonds, and 3 clubs.

Note that West would probably be able to make five tricks in 2

doubled for -500. The vulnerability is very important and your bidding must take this into consideration. If West had been vulnerable, down three would be -800. The double is a very versatile and deadly tool.

Copyright ©2007 Larry Matheny.