This page is concerned with a specific sequence: Opponent
opens 1 in any suit and partner Doubles. This is a 'T-O Double' made in
2nd position.
The following treatment of a T-O * is an entirely novel approach - very
different to the classical approach that has curiously barely changed over 40 years!Conditions to be satisfied when making a T-O *
A T-O Double can be (12)-(15) HCP with some restraints, or
(15)16+ mandatory unless
.
In every case as long as no
other more specialised BETA bid fits: principally 2-suited overcalls or our 1NT multi.
A 12-15HCP T-O * FORCING, usually promissing 3+ card support for all
unbid suits - some leniency is allowed:
- Short in the opponents suit
and with or without guard.
- An unbid minor may be
acceptable with Hx - a 2 card holding headed by one of the top 3
honours.
It is important that a T-O double is NOT applied if any of the
following more specialised bids is available. BetaAcol provides
the following:
- PASS - Don't forget this bid! Often best action when holding significant values & length in the opponents suit - rely on a PD
from a reliable partner! - which you will happily pass very often for a
substancial penalty! This is where partner must be trusted! one key
pointer for him will be shortage in the opponents suit - in this case a
P.D. is very often the right course.
- 6 card Major jump overcalls (vulnerability sensitive) -
6 to 11 HCP or 7+ cards with a double jump or even a game
pre-emptive bid.
Also if you have a 2Ma opening of 4-5LTC then - even if short in the
opponents suit one cannot risk missing a Major game - weigh up these 2
alternatives.
- MULTI 1NT overcall (Beta) -
'Unusual' -
multiple possibilites - weak or strong 5-5 or better in the lowest 2
unbid suits - Strong 3-suited hand - or a very strong hand indeed e.g a 2C opening or certain strong 6-4,
- Simple natural overcall (usually a 5+ card suit - 6 to 14HCP)
- a 2-level overcall requires a good suit and 9+ HCP and 1 1/2 quick
tricks
- Weak 2- suited overcalls 5-5 (Cue-bid: 2 highest; 2NT: highest + lowest) see 1N o'call for lowest 2 unbid suits
- Strong 2-suited overcalls 5-5 (3 minor) 4-5LTC or 1NT
- Rubinsohl overcall: This requires a quality 6+ card suit & opening values +. Over caller bids the suit BELOW partner completes the transfer or raises the intended suit pre-emptively.
Rubinsohl may be applied with very strong hands without risk as it
always affords the chance of a rebid. The rebid can be NT giving
partner a choice, a new suit, 3¦4 cards, forcing, but with top controls
- If opponents opening bid of 1♣! or 1♦! that is alerted as possibly short, then bidding 2♣ or 2♦
show a 5+ card suit and opening values to do this is very much beta style - its a
mild pre-empt, blocking opponents from describing their hands at the
1-level, but also conveys your values of an opening bid to your
partner too.... sequences following a T-O * treat the opponents
opening as if a genuine suit. Opener may also choose to simply overcall these
alerted minor opening bids NATURALLY with an intermediate 'weak 2' overcall and a 6 card suit with 12-14HCP
in
preference to a T-O *. BUT
- With 15+ and a good suit the T-O * becomes mandatory. and one then shows ones suit on your rebid!
A Take-out double is strictly FORCING
Beta uses a lower minor response to indicate weakness - a negative - when RHO passes:
E.g. 1
♣ - * - P - 1
♦ OR 1
♥ - * - P - 2
♣
This mechanism gives the Doubler confidence of getting a chance
to make a further bid. This allows the doubler to make a simple double
on semi balanced hands up 22HCP! Balanced game going hands should
use our multi 1NT o'call and 2D rebid.
Responder may PASS if RHO bids anything at all E.g. 1
♥-*-2
♦-P unless he has the 2 unbid suits and 8+ bid 3
♣ -.showing Clubs and Spades at least 4-4. The complete possibilities are given below.
In practice there is a good probability that this negative bid can be
Natural!
don't bank on it but probability favours it. In certain circumstances
Doubler's or responders best action may be to consider to PASS! This is
indicated in the text in certain situations when Major and NT prospects look poor,
Our Guiding Principles - Responding to a T-O *
- Suit bid at NEXT LEVEL shows (7)8+ HCP (unlimited and forcing) AND holding two 4+ card suits the lower
ranking cyclically is bid: Examples:
- 1♠(opp) - * - P - 2♥: Shows both ♥ & ♣
suits;
- 1♥(opp) - * - 2♥(opp) - 3♣: Shows both minors
- It is important to not misunderstand the term NEXT level. It
simply means that over a bid of 1X, any 2Y is at the next level - regardless of
whether the rank of Y is >X or is < X. This may mean that
2Y is a jump bid or not.
- A suit bid at the SAME BIDDING LEVEL is Natural 3-6(7) HCP, 4+ card suit. Examples:
- 1♥-*-P-1♠.
- 1mi - * - 1♥ - 1♠
- NOTE: It is better to show a good 3 card Major suit at the same level rather than issue a neg 2♣ or 1♦ bid with 3-6 HCP.
- A 'co-operative Double' of RHO's suit bid, up to 3♠, shows the highest unbid suit of 4+cards BELOW
the highest ranking suit bid by opponents. Range is based on level of RHOs bid 1-level
4-(7); 2-level 5-(8) HCP . Examples:
- 1♥-*-2♥-* Shows a Diamond suit
- 1♦-*-1♠-* Shows Hearts
- Note: A Co-operative * strictly denies holding 2 4+ card suits & and also denies (7)8+ HCP.
- IMPORTANT Exception
if RHO overcalls 1NT, then double implies holding a 1NT response yourself!
Over a RHO 2NT (rare) a co-op, * still shows a hand suitable for a 1NT
response - still also denying 2 suits (not shown by OPPs).
- A 2NT jump response is Natural 11-12(13) HCP balanced with
a
good guard in opener's suit - ths bid is the same as used classically! Beta however uses full Puppet for doubler to continue. E.g to play in 3N doubler bids 3♠ - every bid is a transfer!; 3♣ to investigates 5&4 card Major fits....
- A 2NT bid without jump is a modified 1N o'call. requires 9+ HCP.It must hold a guard in his LHO's opening bid suit. Doubler:
- bids his 5+ card suit with 16+HCP;
- bid 3♣ to ask responder to describe his hand further
- PASS to play 2N
- bid 3N to play
- 3NT 13+HCP: Natural to play with solid guard & no singletons, also denies holding 2 unbid suits.
- A cue-bid of LHO's bid shows holding a good quality suit, usually 5¦6+ card and opening values, (11)12+ in a single-suited hand.
A 2NT reply asks responder for his
suit. However Doubler may prefer to show his suit first with 16+ -
however without any fit in doubler's suit responder is entitled to present his own suit.
- A response at the NEXT+1 level shows a pre-emptive 6+ card suit e.g. 1♥-*- P-3♦|♠ in a weak hand -
- A
1NT! response is FORCING. Usually (7)8-10 HCP or 11-(13)
HCP with a good 5+ card ♦/♥/♠
suit. Responder may be pushed to the 2-level and to bid a pushed 2NT. By pushed we mean it may be somewhat weaker than a freely bid 2NT.
- Important Note: if
RHO bids 1NT responder shows a 1NT of his own by simply bidding Double
- Doubler with 16+HCP and a 5+ card suit may
choose to play in his suit & responder may raise it depending on his support. Game may well be in reach!
- Mostly Doubler rebids with a default
2♣
inquiry (or 3♣ over a 'pushed 2N' in which case all responses are 1 level higher ). Responder's next bid describes his hand and identifies which of the 4 possible categories his NT response is.
- 2♦. declares a 4|5 card Major suit & (7)8-10 HCP without a guard in the opponents opening suit - indeed he may even hold the opponents suit but no guard! Note:
If LHO had opened in the other Major there is no ambiguity as to which
Major 2 is coded for. Doubler facing the ambiguity bids the lowest (he
would have support for both (requirement of a T-O *.) and responder
would correct.
- 2Ma. Declares a 4|5 card Major AND a guard in LHO opening suit. Note: This guarantees the contract would be played to protect the guard.
- 3♣: Shows the 2 suits which could not be shown directly in response to a T-O* [as 2♣ would have shown a negative after RHO passed.]
- 3♦|♥ |♠ Shows 11-13HCP and a 5+ card suit
- 2N Shows 11-(13)and a 5+ card Club suit
Weak 2 openings & our Rubinsohl based defence and provision for penalty doubles
See our defence to weak 2's.