Tony's Bridge Pages UK - Conventions (Redoubles)

Redoubles

Does your partnership make good use of redoubles? Many partnerships don't seem to make use of them. I have listed many situations where you could make extra use of this free bid. See if you could make better use of them. (The first being a bread and butter pudding situation).

```
1H   (X)   XX
```
Does this show a positive style 10+ willing to penalise the opposition's contract or do you use it in a negative sense?
For those of you who use it in the negative sense, this bid should show 0-1 hearts and says nothing about strength. It requests partner to bid another suit if he holds one. I have tried this type on a few occasions but insufficiently to make any recommendations.
For those of you who play the positive redouble, do you differentiate between:
```
W	N	E	S
1H	(X)	XX	-
2C	-	2D

W	N	E	S
1H	(X)	2D
```
Many pairs play:

The first auction as showing 11+ with few or no hearts

The second auction shows at least 9 HCPs

Personally I prefer to use 2D naturally showing 9+ HCPs. I believe that you should just ignore the double and bid naturally. My experience shows that the positive redouble is near useless. It has hardly ever helped to obtain a penalty from the opposition. Usually partner takes out or the opposition locate a suitable playable contract.
Does anyone have any views on this positive/negative redouble topic?
After fourth suit is doubled
```
W	N	E	S

1H	P	2C	P
2D	P	2S	(X)
XX
```
Does this show first or second round control or something else?
First of all the 4^th suit bid asks partner to best describe his hand. On the above auction he already has shown 5 hearts and 4 diamonds, so he could:

Rebid diamonds to show 5

Rebid hearts to show 6

Bid no-trumps (to show a full stop in spades), or

Redouble
It seems logical to use it to show a partial spade stop (Qx or Jxx)
After a splinter bid
```
W	N	E	S

1H	P	4C	(X)
XX


4C = splinter bid agreeing hearts
```
Does the redouble show first or second round control, or something else?
Since the splinter bid has indicated a void or singleton, then if the splinter bidder has a singleton all he is interested in is whether partner has first round control. Therefore the redouble should show first round control
After a cue-bid of a suit agreement
```
W	N	E	S

1S	P	2H	P
4C	(X)	XX		

4C was a cue-bid agreeing hearts
```
Does this show first or second round control, or something else?
Most people play this as showing second round control. A forcing pass showing first round control or none!
After opposition double for penalties
```
W	N	E	S

(1NT)	2D	(X)	3C
(X)	XX
```
2D was natural, 3C was obviously a natural suit not liking the 2D doubled contract Is this a SOS signal or an expectation in making the contract? My favourite SOS redouble! Yes this was a true auction. Partner bid his 3-card heart suit (playing in a 3-3 fit) and cross-ruffed to a top!
After a double of a Blackwood 4NT
```
W	N	E	S

1S	P	2C	P
2H	P	4S	P
4NT	(X)	XX
```
Many of you will have come across DOPI (Double = 0, Pass = 1) when the opponents overcall the 4NT bid. Well here is his brother ROPI (Redouble = 0, Pass = 1). 0 means zero aces and 1 means one ace. More aces are shown by steps up. That is, 5C = 2, 5D = 2 etc.
After a double of a Blackwood response
```
W	N	E	S

1S	P	4D	P
4NT	P	5H	(X)	
XX
```
The double is used as lead asking
4D could have been Fruit Machine Swiss or an advance cue-bid, agreeing spades as trumps and having values for game.
Does this show first or second round control, or something else?
If opener knows that all aces are held by the partnership then he can either bid 5NT asking for kings or place the contract. Therefore in this situation you need to be able to make use of the extra bid available, namely a redouble. It is reasonable and logical to use the redouble to infer that one ace is missing but a slam may still be on.
There are now two methods to try and obtain the required information for the partnership to bid the slam. Room is limited and often a guess is made. However you are in a better position (two bids better) than if the opposition had not doubled.

Opener passes (forcing) and responder redoubles
```
W	N	E	S

1S	P	2C	P
2H	P	4S	P
4NT	P	5D	(X)
P	P	XX
```
Opener's pass after the double could be used to ask responder for control of the diamond suit. Replies being: redouble = 2nd round control 5H = heart ace 5S = club ace 6S = diamond ace (bingo)
Opener redoubles Responder must now re-evaluate his controls and make a logical bid. For example, if there was an extra control below the 5-level contract (spades) he could show this:
```
W	N	E	S

1S	P	2C	P
2H	P	4S	P
4NT	P	5D	(X)		
XX	P	5H		
```
Opener's redouble should be used to state that diamonds are controlled but there is still doubt about a slam. Hence 5H would show a second round heart control. Opener may now bid 6S knowing that there is help there, or sign off in 5S stating that was not what opener wanted to here. Responder would still be at liberty to bid the slam if he thought that he held extras, that would be useful
After a double of Stayman
```
W	N	E	S

1NT	P	2C	(X)
XX
```
Does this show first or second round control, or something else?
Most people use the double as showing clubs, although some use it to show a hand which would double 1NT; that is, 16+ HCPs. (These doubles are alertable.)
For case 1; you could equally use it as showing a club suit (4-card or occasionally 5-card), or use it as take out (2-card suit). So what is the most useful?
Partner is asking you to show a 4-card major, so if you have one show it. Don't get distracted with the double. Partner is in the best position to judge the auction so tell him what he wants to know.
So we have three bids available; Pass, redouble and 2D. So it seems reasonable to use each of these bids to deny a 4-card major. We can then redouble to show a decent club suit (4-card or occasionally 5-card), 2D to show a decent diamond suit (4-card or occasionally 5-card), and Pass to show a poor hand (minimum or 3-3-3-4 or 3-3-4-3)
For case 2; you might as well use the same set of bids. Your RHO has just told your partnership to be careful. He has also given you more space to explain your hand to partner, so why not make use of it!
After a double of a transfer
```
W	N	E	S

1NT	-	2H	(X)
XX
```
2H was a transfer to 2S Best to play a pass from opener to mean 2-card support, XX to show 3-card support, and the completion of the transfer to show 4-card support
Opener redoubles after partner has responded
```
W	N	E	S

1H	-	1S	(X)
XX
```
This situation is very simple. The redouble states that your side has the balance of points and should be able to obtain a large penalty. This is very similar to the situation of a positive redouble in '1' above
Partner passes and opener redoubles
```
W	N	E	S

1H	-	-	(X)
XX
```
The redouble shows a hand of great strength (18-19 HCPs). Game may still be available if partner has a bit of distribution and a few cards in the right places
The opposition are about to penalise you
```
W	N	E	S

1D	(X)	-	-
XX
```
Your RHO has decided to leave his partner's take-out double in. Therefore the trumps are badly split.
```
AKx
Kxx
Kxxx
Qxx		
```
You will probably find a better contract if partner can bid a major. So use the SOS redouble to get partner to show his best suit

WARNING

Before using any of the above methods you must first discuss and agree with partner!

Tony's Bridge Site UK : Redoubles

created by Tony Poole.

Comments to Tony Poole

URL: http://www.hiltonproperty.co.uk/bridge

Last modified: 1^st February 2005

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	The first auction as showing 11+ with few or no hearts
	The second auction shows at least 9 HCPs

	Rebid diamonds to show 5
	Rebid hearts to show 6
	Bid no-trumps (to show a full stop in spades), or
	Redouble It seems logical to use it to show a partial spade stop (Qx or Jxx)